ANAHEIM – Some of the depth and quality of the Corona Centennial High basketball program was on display Saturday and Sunday during the Elite Basket Circuit Camp at the Open Gym Premier.
And, no, all-CIF Southern Section selections Jared McCain, Aaron McBride and Devin Williams – members of the Class of 2023 who’ve helped the Huskies win consecutive Open Division titles – were not among the participants.
But junior Eric Freeny and freshman Justice Griffith were, and their play over the weekend showed just two of the many reasons why Coach Josh Giles’ club is the clear-cut favorite to win Sectional and State Open titles next March.
The 6-foot-4 Freeny, a starter during the Huskies’ wins over American Fork (UT), Houston Strake Jesuit, Henderson (NV) Coronado and Harvard-Westlake during the Section Seven in Phoenix in June, is one of the more rapidly improving western-based players in the Class of 2024.
Freeny (pictured) crushed defenders, off the dribble or in the low post, when I watched him on both days, including in the Top 20 all-star game.
And the 6-foot Griffith has been bothered by an ankle sprain for the last month or so. But that didn’t stop him from smoking past defenders for high-degree of difficulty finishes – including multiple rim-abusing dunks.
Giles has a Class of 2026 on campus that includes at least six athletes who are already easy to project as eventual quality high school players – even for a program as successful and demanding as Giles’ is.
One of the few teams in Southern California with a punchers’ chance of knocking off the Huskies in 2023 is Coach Doug Mitchell’s Bishop Montgomery squad, which was 20-4 last season – with two of those losses coming to the Huskies in the CIF Southern Section and State Regional Open playoffs.
Mitchell is set to return four starters from that team in seniors Will Smith (an all-CIF SS choice last season), Christian Jones (one of the more underrated players in SoCal), Xavier Edmonds and Kelcy Phipps.
Edmonds – one of the more skilled and forceful low-post players in California – and the 6-3 Phipps overpowered pretty much anyone who attempted to check them Saturday and Sunday.
After spending his freshman and sophomore seasons at Narbonne, and the 2021-22 school year playing for the Academy of Sports Science in Carson, Marcus Adams is set to be one of the best players in the CIF Southern Section.
He’ll play his senior season for Peninsula in Palos Verdes (although some now list him in the Class of 2024, because – as of now – he seems likely head to a “prep school” in 2023-24) and he’ll have another gifted prospect alongside him:
That’s because his brother, Maximo, looks to be one of the better freshmen in SoCal.
As the case with Freeny and Edmonds, the 6-7 Marcus Adams was too powerful and too skilled to be hindered by any defender over the weekend.
Among the many others who played well when I watched were:
(Seniors) Darius Carr (Southern California Academy, formerly St. Bernard); Zyier Beverly (L.A. Washington Prep); and Adrionne Marcus (Rancho Dominguez).
(Juniors) Tyrone Riley (St Pius/St. Mattias); Ryan Enos (San Diego Cathedral Catholic); Jon Mani (Beverly Hills); Jeremy Williams (Etiwanda) and Jael Martin (Santa Monica Pacifica Christian).
(Sophomores) Isaac Williamson (Riverside Poly); Aaron Glass (Rancho Cucamonga); Solo Bailey (Crossroads); Jeremiah Hampton (Windward); Jayden Baude (Villa Park) and Kevan Wilkins (Las Vegas Valley).
Leave a Reply