October 17, 2010
El Cerrito High School was home to some of the best prep basketball talent in Northern California on Saturday at the Super 100 camp. The event featured a mix of established prospects and younger ones breaking onto the scene. Some of the standouts included a 2012 big from Elk Grove, Pac-10 commits, an athletic forward from Marin County and potential national team members.
Pac-10 duo headlines at El Cerrito: Sacramento's Josiah Turner (Arizona) and Oakland's Jabari Brown (Oregon) left their mark on the Elite 20 All-Star game. Brown displayed his trademark offensive arsenal both from the outside with range and getting inside off the dribble. In a spirited one-on-one battle with College Park's Mckenzie Moore, Brown showed why he is the best pure offensive player in Northern California. For Turner, he picked his spots more on Saturday in finishing with 10 points. Donning a pair of Arizona shorts, he showed strong hands on offense and defense and does a good job protecting the ball once he goes up.
Looking ahead to 2013: There was high-level 2013 talent on display, led by Salesian's Jabari Bird. The guard prospect has really good touch on his mid-range game and can keep defenders off his shot with the ability to stop quickly and reign in the ball with his length. Bird also brings athleticism to the table and it is evident the improvement in his game from the start of the summer until now. Other players who stood out in this class are Mitty's Aaron Gordon, St. Ignatius' Stephen Domingo and Franklin (Elk Grove) guard Ikenna Iroegbu.
Wing talent on display for 2012: Berkeley's Langston Morris-Walker and Sheldon's Kyiron Thomas are rated No. 5 and 6 respectively and showed why on Saturday. Morris-Walker is a terrific finisher around the rim and really works his body well to get in a position to score in the paint. Thomas was one of the most dominating players on display in challenging the passing lanes and getting into consistent positions to become a playmaker. He can work on getting better separation on his shot, but he isn't a player teams should forget about when they play Sheldon this season.
Watch for the Wolverines: With the high school basketball season just around the corner, the Deer Valley Wolverines looked primed to be a legitimate threat in Division I. They return power forward Andre McPhail and also bring in transfer Quincy Smith to go with a well-rounded group of younger players. McPhail has the enviable combination of strength and athleticism to go with excellent feet down low. While he doesn't have prototypical size at the four position, he was a strong rebounder in the Elite 20 All-Star game. For Smith, he has the length and feel for the game to be a real quality off-guard prospect. He could be in line for a big year in Antioch.
Athletes abound for Franklin: Head coach Jesse Formaker has to like the look of his team returning from a section runner-up finish in 2009. Already mentioning Ikenna Iroegbu as one of the top sophomores, his older brother Chukwuemeka Iroegbu was impressive in the Elite 20 game for his jumping ability and play above the rim at 6-foot-3. 2012 product Theo Johnson (6-foot-5) was one of the most pleasant surprises of the day with the ability to alter shots and make plays from the high post on offense. 2013 prospect Darin Johnson is another player to keep an eye on as the Wildcats have to be one of the most athletic teams in the region heading into the year.
2011 forwards showcase versatility: Sheldon's Ramon Eaton is a Pepperdine commit and showed some of the reasons why he is considered one of the top prospects in the region. He was strong off the dribble and caused mismatch problems when left in one-on-one looks. For San Marin's Stuart Wesonga, recruiting has slowed down after the summer, but his play will warrant more as the season gets going. He has excellent length and is continuing to fill out his frame. He had a number of nice finishes in the Elite 20 game.
Castlemont ready to defend title: Much of the attention coming into the season for the Oakland Athletic League is on Oakland High School, but don't sleep on Castlemont. Two of the better returners were on display in Gary Williams and Devareaux Manley. Both players are NCP Top 40 players for 2011 and bring a physical characteristic to the off guard/wing spot.
More players who stood out: With an event chalk full of talent, here are more players who performed well on Saturday: James Davis G Arroyo (2011), Jaliil Eppenger G Berkeley (2011), Jabri Jenkins G El Cerrito (2011), Andy Toor G American (2011), Philip Smith PF Spanish Springs (2011), Bobby Syvanthong G El Cerrito (2011), Jamil Brown W Oakland (2012), Tajai Johnson G Vallejo (2012), Matt Mareno W Redwood (2012), Delvon Nisby F San Leandro (2012), Noah Allen W Palma (2013)
McConnell commits: Sacred Heart Prep shooting guard Reed McConnell has verbally committed to UC Irvine.
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