LAGUNA NIGUEL – Southern California’s boys’ basketball Class of 2026 has more “star power” – current and future – than any of the region’s other three classes
And, from start to finish of the 2023-24 season, no star shinned any brighter than Brandon McCoy Jr. – especially over the final month.
The 6-foot-5 McCoy capping a terrific sophomore campaign by helping the St. John Bosco Braves win the program’s second-ever CIF State title with a 78-62 victory over San Ramon valley in the Division I final in Sacramento on March 9.
McCoy’s role in helping the Braves pull out three down-to-the-wire regional wins over SoCal’s No.’s 8 (Windward), 9 (Damien) and 5 (Mater Dei) teams in the BurlisonOnBasketball Top 30 en route to the trip to Sacramento secured his “SoCal Sophomore of the Year” selection.
McCoy (photo courtesy of Greg Stein) got the nod over some formidable candidates, including Jason Crowe Jr. of Lynwood (and soon-to-be Inglewood), last season’s Freshman of the Year, who averaged 37.4 points per game; Alijah Arenas (33.0 ppg for a Chatsworth team that lost to Monterey in the State D-IV final) and Brannon Martinsen (who shared Trinity League Player of the Year with McCoy after leading Mater Dei to the outright league title before suffering a season-ending broken bone in a foot on Jan. 30).
He averaged 18.6 points, 8.0 rebounds 2.4 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocked shots per game and seemingly turned in about 4.5 “wow” plays each game.
In terms of sheer vertical and horizontal explosiveness, he’s as good a “basketball athlete” as has played in Southern California in a long while.
“As spoiled as we are, seeing him every day,” said St. John Bosco Coach Matt Dunn, “he still finds way to regularly shock us with his athleticism and (basketball) talent.”
McCoy averaged 20.0 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game over his team’s final four games.
“Brandon is as good a competitor as I’ve ever been around,” Dunn said. “Combine that with his elite work ethic, and you have a special player. He’s also a tremendous student and an even better young man.”
As a reminder, these selections are based upon on-court performance this past season, not “college potential” or “how I rate them as prospects.”
Sophomore of the Year
Brandon McCoy Jr. 6-5 St. John Bosco
First Team
Alijah Arenas/6-6/Chatsworth
Tajh Ariza/6-8/St. Bernard
Jason Crowe Jr./6-4/Lynwood
Brannon Martinsen/6-7/Mater Dei
Joey Sterling/ 6-3/Crespi
Second Team
Kaiden Bailey/6-3/Crean Lutheran
Luke Barnett/ 6-3/Mater Dei
Eli Garner/6-5/Damien
S.J. Madison/6-5/Redondo Union
Isaiah Rogers/6-3/Corona Centennial
Third Team
Maximo Adams/6-7/Serra
Dominique Bentho/6-8/Harvard-Westlake
JRob Croy/6-5/Riverside Poly
Brayden Kyman/6-8/Santa Margarita
Zachary White/6-5/Sherman Oaks Notre Dame
Fourth Team
Tim Anderson/5-10/Blair
Christian Collins/6-7/St. Bernard
Jonathan Dzabatou/6-7/Orange Lutheran
Caleb Ogbu/6-2/Sherman Oaks Notre Dame
Joseph Wicker/6-3/St. Anthony
Fifth Team
Braeden Davidson/6-3/Crean Lutheran
Chace Holley/6-1/Lynwood
Josh Irving/6-10/Pasadena
Yeshua Kessa-Beda/6-7/Rancho Christian
Markee White/6-5/Corona Centennial
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