WALNUT CREEK, Ca. – As was the case in its debut a year ago, the second annual Pro-West Exposure Camp created a nifty platform this weekend for some of the best boys high school basketball players in Northern California.
Saturday’s first day of competition in the event’s return to the Tice Valley Community Center featured approximately 120 athletes spread across the classes of 2028 (freshmen) thru 2025 (seniors).
And, not surprisingly, some of the first-day standouts came from programs expected to challenge for NorCal championships in 2025.
Richmond Salesian and Danville San Ramon Valley were the respective Open and Division I runners-up in the state title games in Sacramento last March.
And, based upon the players on display Saturday, aspirations of return trips to Sacramento come with plenty of merit for the Pride and Wolves.
Salesian (31-2 last season, with the only losses coming to Harvard-Westlake in the Open finale and to D-I champion St. John Bosco in Classic at Damien Platinum semifinal last Dec. 29) was repped at Tice Valley CC by juniors Isaiah Davis and Leon Powe III and sophomore Elijah Stanley.
Each played as reserves last season, with the 5-foot-10 and left-handed Davis closing strong over the final six weeks.
Davis, Powe and Stanley also stood out for Coach Bill Mellis’ program during the June Section 7 and Cali Live competition.
San Ramon Valley (29-8 last season after its loss to St. John Bosco in Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center) is scheduled to return multiple key contributors, including twins Elliot and Thomas Conley. Each played well Saturday here.
The 6-3 and left-handed Elliot Conley (pictured), plays with maximum effort on every possession on either end of the floor, with some spectacular offensive finishes as well as blocks and steals Saturday.
He and his brother helped the Wolves go a combined 6-2 during their Section 7 and Cali Live competition and had strong summers with the Lakeshow Club program.
The Branson School lost some key players thru graduation (including Jase Butler, not a freshman at the University of Washington) and transfer (including Class of 2025 guard T.T. Carr, now at Redwood).
But, based upon the performances of sophomores N.J. Gray and Heath French, and junior Chase Robertson at the camp Saturday, last season’s 23 wins could be approachable in 2024-25.
Camp action resumes Sunday morning at 9:30, with two rounds of camp games (the players were divided amongst 12 teams).
All-star games follow, with “frosh-soph” and “Top 40” tilts tipping at noon (on adjacent courts) and the “Top 20” contest wrapping things up at 1 o’clock.
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