Burlison on Basketball

Frank Burlison | High School Basketball | College Basketball

Frank Burlison

K.J. Martin & Co. lead 2019 team to SoCal Clash win

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PLAYA DEL REY, Ca. – Santa Margarita High’s Max Agbonkpolo and Jake Kyman combined for 41 points and 12 rebounds to help the Class of 2019 squad out-run its 2020 counterpart, 161-143, Sunday afternoon in the first-ever boys basketball SoCal Clash at St. Bernard High.

The 6-foot-8 Agbonkpolo, who plans to USC with USC in November, scored 22 points (16 of those in the first half) and grabbed five rebounds while Kyman (bound for UCLA) added 19 points to go with seven rebounds and seven assists.

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HBU Skills Summit attracted dazzling turnout

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IRVINE, Ca. – If the first-ever “Hoops by Ugland Skills Summit” was any more of a smashing success, the Beckman High gymnasium might have been left in a shambles Saturday.

Some 90 or high school players from Southern California (and a notable couple from Milwaukee) were on hand Saturday for the event – run by Devin Ugland and multiple family members – as were some of the most respected “skills” instructors in Southern California.

And players were also able to hear from notable speakers, including broadcaster Casey Jacobsen (a McDonald’s All-American at Glendora High and college All-American at Stanford before being a first-round pick of the Phoenix Suns) and Ronnie Flores (Ball Is Life).

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SoCal Clash on tap Sunday at St. Bernard High

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PLAYA DEL REY, Ca. – The first-ever SoCal Clash – a game between some of Southern California’s best boys’ basketball players in the high school Class of 2019 against their 2020 counterparts – is set for 2 o’clock Sunday afternoon at St. Bernard High (9100 Falmouth Ave. in Playa del Rey, near LAX).

Two of the players set to play for the 2019 squad are Santa Margarita’s Jake Kyman and Max Agbonkpolo, who have committed to UCLA and USC, respectively.

Admission is $5 for adults (18 and older) and $3 for students.

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WCE Rising Stars camp a Class of 2021 showcase

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HENDERSON, Nev. – Some of the outstanding prospects from the high school Class of 2021 were among those in attendance during the West Coast Elite Basketball/Rising Stars Invitational held Saturday and Sunday at Coronado High.

There were approximately 60 players in attendance, with the bulk of those soon-to-be sophomores.

Many of the better players were members of the West Coast Elite and Texas Hard Work club programs.

Noteworthy among them were Class of 2021 members in 6-foot-5 Kevin “K.J.” Adams (Austin St. Andrew’s Episcopal) and 6-4 Langston Love (Cibolo Byron Steele), each a member of the Texas Hard Work 17U squad that played in the UAA Finals earlier in the week, as well as 6-10 Nathan Bittle (Central Point, OR, Crater), who played for the WCE NorCal 16U team.

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Cali Stars stun Mac Irvin in L.V. Summer Classic finale

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LAS VEGAS – Two Southern California-based programs were “surprise” finalists Sunday afternoon in the top divisions of the major national grassroots tournaments that were held in front of 100s of college coaches over a five-day stretch in the city.

But just one of those proved to be a stunning tournament champion.

The Cali Stars of director and Coach Julius von Hanzlik aren’t “sponsored” by an athletic apparel company, unlike dozens of programs in town for the various events that receive funding from adidas, Nike and Under Armour.

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