LAGUNA NIGUEL – Southern California’s most outstanding boys’ basketball player in the senior class this past season was easy to identify anytime you watched the region’s best team in action.
And all of those who watched Corona Centennial, multiple times, roll to a 33-1 record en route to CIF Southern Section and Regional Open championships, and the program’s first-ever state title, had plenty of opportunity to watch Donovan Dent demonstrate why there wasn’t a better basketball anywhere in the region in any class.
The 6-foot-2 Dent (pictured), who signed a National Letter of Intent with the University of New Mexico last November, turned in these kinds of performances all season:
*In the March 12 State Open final vs. Modesto Christian in Sacramento, he went for game highs in scoring (21 points), rebounds (eight), assists (five) and steals (three);
*Four nights earlier, while helping his team smash Sierra Canyon in the Regional final, the numbers in those categories were 18, six, eight and three;
*And, during the CIF SS Open on Feb. 25, he scored 14 points, with eight assists and three steals, as the Huskies snapped a five-game losing streak to Harvard-Westlake.
Dent – the CIF SS Open’s Co-Player of the Year the past two seasons – heads a 13-member, BurlisonOnBasketball All-Seniors team for Southern California.
Caveat: These selections are based upon “performances this season”, no “what I think about how well they will play beyond high school”.
My “Under-the radar seniors” and “All-Underclassmen” teams will follow shortly.
Most Outstanding Senior for the 2021-22 Season
Donovan Dent 6-2 Corona Centennial
All-Southern California Seniors
Amari Bailey 6-4 Chatsworth Sierra Canyon
Foot injuries off the floor on a consistent basis until mid-January. UCLA.
Tyler Bey 6-8 L.A. Fairfax
Helped lead a mostly-underclass team to the L.A. City Open title.
Benny Gealer 6-3 San Pedro Rolling Hills Prep
One of SoCal’s best shooters and leaders for four years. Stanford.
Jason Hart Jr. 6-3 Playa del Rey St. Bernard
Went for 28 points and 9 rebounds in CIF SS D-1 title game. Long Beach State.
Jaden Henley 6-7 Ontario Colony
Another example of how guys develop in this program. Minnesota.
Koat Keat 6-9 Irvine Crean Lutheran
The most underrated “big” in the state. UC Santa Barbara.
Kalib LaCount 5-8 L.A. King/Drew
No player did “more” for a SoCal team this season.
R.J. Smith 6-4 La Verne Damien
Starred for teams that won 112 games in 4 seasons. University of Colorado.
Ben Shtolzberg 6-4 Sherman Oaks Notre Dame
With Kalib LaCount, one of the two best scoring “PGs” on this list. Creighton.
Cameron Thrower 6-5 Studio City Harvard-Westlake
His jump shot should be potent in the Ivy League. University of Pennsylvania.
Christian Watson 6-5 Long Beach Poly
Once the Moore League POY recovered from injury, the Jackrabbits took off.
Kijani Wright 6-9 Chatsworth Sierra Canyon
Was team’s most consistent player when Bailey was out. USC.
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