Wrapping up ’24 and jumping into ’25

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LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA – The Roosevelt High Mustangs – after knocking off the now-No.’s 2 and 3 teams in the ratings in the past two weeks – have moved atop the updated BurlisonOnBasketball SoCal Top 30.

Coach Steve Singleton’s squad improved to 15-1 after handing St. John Bosco its first loss, 56-55, in overtime of the Platinum Division title game during the 8^th The Classic at Damien Monday night.

The Mustangs’ repeat Platinum title, coupled with their 76-58 Platinum title victory over Notre Dame on Dec. 21 in the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas, makes Roosevelt the first program to win Platinum championships in both west’s top pre- and post-Christmas high school tournaments in the same year.

In the process Rosevelt senior Brayden Burries (pictured, guarding SJB junior Christian Collins Monday night, courtesy Greg Stein Media) became the first player to bag Most Outstanding Player at both events in the same season.

And he joined Evan Mobley of the Cleveland Cavaliers (when he played for Rancho Christian’s back-to-back Platinum winner) in winning back-to-back Platinum MOP at The Classic at Damien.

The Mustangs also moved atop the state (Cal Hi Sports) and national  (Maxpreps.com) ratings, as well, with the Monday night triumph.

No. 4 Harvard-Westlake joins Roosevelt, St. John Bosco and Harvard-Westlake in the HoopHall West in Gilbert, AZ, this week.

The logistics of the event dictate that none will have the opportunity to play each other at Highland High (where the event is held), however.

Nikolas Khamenia-led Harvard-Westlake opens against three-time, Arizona State champion Perry and Koa Peat at 9 p.m. MT Thursday in the first round of an eight-team bracket.

Concord De La Salle (12-0) in the only other California program in the bracket and faces Duncanville of Texas at 4:30 MT.

Roosevelt (vs. Coronado of Henderson, NV/9 a.m.), St. John Bosco (Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor/noon) and Notre Dame (Layton Christian Academy/10:30 a.m.) are guaranteed three games in three days in a “showcase” format – each against the same opponents.

But No.’s 5 La Mirada, 7 Redondo Union and 29 Centennial play in the eight-team Saguaro Bracket, in an adjacent event (Phoenix Nike TOC) and a near-by facility (Skyline High in Gilbert).

La Mirada and Centennial are in the same side of the bracket and could meet in a Friday semifinal.

In the same event and at the same site but in the Sonoran Bracket are No.’s 8 Santa Margarita, 11 St. Pius X/St. Matthias and 21 Campbell Hall.

In the Jackrabbit Bracket (at Red Mountain High in Mesa) are No.’s 17 Rolling Hills Prep and 27 Rancho Cucamonga, while in the Grand Canyon Bracket (and at Red Mountain) is No. 15 Canyon.

No. 22 St. Anthony is the Pioneer Bracket at Mesa High.

Strong events in Southern California this week include the 17^th Real Run Winter Classic (Friday and Saturday, at Inglewood and Morningside high schools), and the BSN Showcase (Saturday at Newport Pacifica Christian).

The host and No. 18, Jason Crowe, Jr.-led Inglewood Sentinels play Narbonne, at Inglewood, at noon Friday, and Westchester Saturday night at 7:30 (also at Inglewood).

No. 14 Crespi, fresh off an impressive run while winning the Gold Division during The Classic at Damien, faces Modesto Christian at 6:30 in a BSN headliner.

 

Top Players I watched in previous Week

(all at the Classic at Damien)

Most Outstanding Player: Brayden Burries/Roosevelt/Sr.

 

Next 25

Seniors

*Alijah Arenas/Chatsworth

*Brandon Benjamin/Canyon

*Alan Gballou/Layton Christian Academy (UT)

*Aaron Glass/Rancho Cucamonga

*Julien Gomez/La Mirada

*Elzie Harrington/St. John Bosco

*Isaiah Johnson/Campbell Hall

*Chris Komin/St. John Bosco

*Hudson Mayes/Redondo Union

*Michael Simcoe/Phoenix O’Connor

*Tae Simmons/Heritage Christan

*Braylon Singleton/Culver City

*Uriah Tenette/Prescott (AZ)

*Myles Walker/Roosevelt

*Peyton White/Crespi

*Issac Williamson/Roosevelt

 

Juniors

*Antoine Almuttar/Dallas Parish Episcopal

*Kaiden Bailey/Santa Margarita

*Semaj Carter/Rancho Verde

*Christian Collins/St. John Bosco

*Jason Crowe, Jr./Inglewood

*Brayden Kyman/Santa Margarita

*Isaiah Rogers/Centennial

 

Sophomores

*Gene Roebuck/La Mirada

*Chris Sanders/Redondo Union

 

SoCal Top 30

(Records thru games of Dec. 23-30, 2024)

School/Record/Last Week

1. Roosevelt/15-1/2

This Week: HoopHall West/Showcase games at Gilbert, AZ, Highland High, Thursday, vs. Henderson (NV) Coronado, 9 a.m., MT.

2. Saint John Bosco/14-1/1

This Week: HoopHall West/Showcase games at Gilbert, AZ, Highland High, Thursday, vs. Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor, noon, MT.

3. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame/13-1/3

This Week: HoopHall West/Showcase games at Gilbert, AZ, Highland High, Thursday, vs. Layton Christian Academy (UT), 10:30 a.m., MT.

4. Harvard-Westlake/15-1/4

This Week: HoopHall West/Championship Bracket, at Gilbert, AZ, Highland High, Thursday, vs. Gilbert Perry, 9 p.m., MT.

5. La Mirada/13-3/8

This Week: Nike TOC, Saguaro Bracket, Mesa Skyline High, Thursday, vs. Phoenix Brophy Prep, 1:30 p.m., MT.

6. JSerra/14-3/9

This Week: Friday, vs. Servite, 7 p.m.

7. Redondo Union/13-2/5

This Week: Nike TOC, Saguaro Bracket, Mesa Skyline High, Thursday, vs. Phoenix St. Mary’s, 7:30 p.m., MT.

8. Santa Margarita/12-2/6

This Week: Nike TOC, Sonoran Bracket, Thursday, Mesa Skyline High, vs. Anthem (AZ) Boulder Creek, 4:30 p.m., MT.

9. Heritage Christian/14-2/10

This Week: Saturday, Real Run Winter Classic, vs. Pasadena, at Morningside, 6 p.m.

10. Sierra Canyon/11-3/7

This Week: Friday, Memphis Showcase, at Briercrest High, vs. Bartlett (AR), 7 p.m., ET.

11. Saint Pius X/Saint Mathias Academy/9-4/11

This Week: Nike TOC, Sonoran Bracket, Thursday, Mesa Skyline High, vs Gilbert Higley, 9 a.m., MT.

12. Mira Costa/17-0/12

This Week: No games scheduled.

13. Windward/12-4/13

This Week: Saturday, Jack Pollon Showcase, Pierce College, vs. West Ranch, 5:15 p.m.

14. Crespi/13-4/23

This Week: Real Run Winter Showcase, Friday, vs. L.A. Washington Prep, Inglewood High, 4:30 p.m.

15. Anaheim Canyon/11-3/19

This Week: Nike TOC, Grand Canyon Bracket, Mesa Mountain View High, Thursday, vs. Chandler (AZ) Valley Christian, noon, MT.

16. Saint Bernard/12-4/22

This Week: Saturday, Real Run Winter Classic, Inglewood High, vs. Brentwood, 1:15 p.m.

17. Rolling Hills Prep/12-5/UR

This Week: Nike TOC, Jackrabbit Bracket, Mesa Red Mountain High, Thursday, vs. Prescott, 1:30 p.m., MT.

18. Inglewood/13-4/20

This Week: Real Run Winter Showcase, Inglewood High, Friday, vs. Narbonne, 9 a.m.

19. Rancho Verde/14-3/UR

This Week: No games scheduled.

20. Los Alamitos/8-6/16

This Week: Friday, at Edison, 7 p.m.

21. Campbell Hall/10-3/28

This Week: Nike TOC, Sonoran Bracket, Mesa Skyline High, Thursday, vs. Phoenix Desert Vista, 3 p.m., MT.

22. Saint Anthony/6-4/24

This Week: Nike TOC, Pioneer Bracket, at Mesa High, Thursday, vs. Tempe McClintock, noon, MT.

23. Mater Dei/11-4/17

This Week: Saturday, vs. San Marcos, 7:30 p.m.

24. La Habra/15-4/18

This Week: Thursday, at Pilibos, 7 p.m.

25. Culver City/15-2/UR

This Week: No games scheduled.

26. Etiwanda/12-7/26

This Week: No games scheduled.

27. Rancho Cucamonga/12-6/12-7

This Week: Nike TOC, Jackrabbit Bracket, Mesa Red Mountain High, Thursday, vs. Chandler (AZ) Willow Canyon, noon, MT.

28. Damien/13-6/15

This Week: No games scheduled.

29. Corona Centennial/6-11/UR

This Week: Nike TOC, Saguaro Bracket, Mesa Skyline High, Thursday, vs. Chandler Basha, 1:30 p.m., MT.

30. Riverside Poly/10-7/14

This Week: No games scheduled.