Burlison on Basketball

Frank Burlison | High School Basketball | College Basketball

Hometown Hero is top SoCal 2023-24 frosh

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LAGUNA NIGUEL – There were  more than a dozen players in Southern California who started as freshmen for quality high school teams and turned in exceptional seasons.

But only one of them led their squad to a CIF Southern Section championship.

And that’s why Jeremiah Profit of Temecula Valley High is the 2023-24, BurlisonOnBasketball SoCal Freshman of the Year.

The 6-foot-5, multi-skilled Profit scored a game-high 18 points with three rebounds, five assists and three steals to lead the Golden Bears past Northview, 53-40, on Feb. 24 at The Toyota Arena in Ontario during the D-4A title game – the program’s first-ever Southern Section title.

As of one of the more high-profile middle school players in Southern California, Profit and his family had a multitude of choices of where he could attend high school.

But he opted for his hometown school.

And that’s why there was so much to celebrate in the Profit household after that title win.

The program’s head coach?

James Profit – yep. He’s Jeremiah’s pop.

“He understood the ‘assignment’, the elder Profit said by text message this week.

“We talked about (Jeremiah) leading a team that no one believed in (to a CIF title) but us. And that’s what he did.”

Jeremiah Profit (picture, vs. Northview, courtesy of Greg Stein) grew up with a lot of his teammates in Temecula Valley.

“He and (sophomore guard) Taj Jackson have known each other since they were 5 or 6,” Coach Profit said. “And he and (freshman guard) Fabian Ruiz have played on the same teams since they were 10.”

Profit will showcase his skill against players two or three years older this spring and summer since he will be playing for 17s squad of the San Diego-based Gamepoint club program (for which his father also coaches).

Among those who challenged Profit for top frosh honors were prolific scorer Gene Roebuck of La Mirada and next-level rebounder G.C. Eboigbodin of JSerra (the top freshman in the Trinity League).

As a reminder, these selections are based upon on-court performance this past season, not “college potential” or “how I rate them as prospects.”

 

Player of the Year

Jeremiah Profit               6-5  Temecula Valley

 

First Team

Mahamadou Diop/6-10/San Gabriel Academy

G.C. Eboigbodin/6-6/JSerra

Josiah Nance/6-5/Heritage Christian

Gene Roebuck/6-5/La Mirada

Chris Sanders/6-4/Redondo Union

Second Team

Carter Barnes/6-0/Crespi

Isaiah Barnes/6-0/Crespi

Maxwell Scott/6-2/Corona del Mar

T.J. Wansa/6-2/Cleveland

Nick Welch Jr./6-8/Rolling Hills Prep

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