Article 402: Classic: NorCal 2 for 8

December 28, 2014

The 12th MaxPreps Holiday Classic continued its Open Division competition on Saturday at Rancho Mirage High School (Calif). The four Northern California teams in the division repeated their day one results with just one win on day 2 as well.

Sacramento 66, Saddleback Valley Christian 55
Sacramento was the lone winner in day 2 from Northern California as they wore down Saddleback with 38 free throw attempts. Sacramento took a 14-10 first quarter advantage as sophomore guard Sayvon Hines had two of his three 3-point makes in the quarter. The Dragons extended their advantage to 27-22 at the half as Solomon Young was more aggressive and more effective than day one as he had 17 free throw attempts in the game. Saddleback took a lead midway into the third quarter but Sacramento had a 13-4 run to close the quarter with a 43-39 lead. The Dragons' physical play in the fourth quarter allowed them to stretch the lead to a 66-55 victory.

Saddleback had players with height but not with the same length and size as Sierra Canyon that posed problems for Young. Sacramento's interior depth could be exposed if Young gets into foul trouble. Young had 13 of the team's 31 rebounds and Saddleback hacked him to prevent easy scores in the paint. He made 11 of 17 free throw attempts.

The Dragons had seven players who scored more than seven points in a balanced effort. Hines leads the team in the two games with 26 points, including six 3-point shots. Sacramento moves to 7-2 and continues on in the 9th place bracket with a matchup against Rufus King High.

Rufus King (WI) 62, Archbishop Mitty 57
Mitty had the interior size advantage but the guard play was a deciding factor early on. King would take leads of 18-10 and 31-23 after the first two quarters as guard Jordan Poole made five 3-point baskets in the game including three consecutive to start the second quarter. The Monarchs would come as close as 40-38 in the third quarter before losing the game.

Mitty's point guard play was spotty at stretches as they turned the ball over in spurts. The team does not have a true point guard to direct the offense or to break the press. Dakari Monroe is an athletic guard who had a few breakaway steals and plays pressure defense but is not a pure point guard.

Mitty drops its second straight game and are now 5-2. They face Saddleback Valley on Monday who matches up well against the Monarchs both inside and outside.

Damien 68, Folsom 62
Folsom came out sluggish and trailed 19-11 after the first quarter to a more active and athletic Damien program. Jordan Ford was aggressive in looking for his perimeter shots as he helped the Bulldogs pull back from a 38-32 halftime deficit and 53-49 disadvantage. Folsom's 6-foot-9 post Colin Russell looked less tentative in the second half as he helped the Bulldogs to tie the game at 61-61 late in the fourth quarter before losing 68-62.

Folsom has looked flat at the start of both games. They face Issaquah (WA) and should have the size advantage but need to match their guard play to avoid losing a third straight game.

Mater Dei 70, Moreau Catholic 51
Mater Dei is the No. 2 seed in the tournament and the defending state champions. The size advantage was evident as they won every quarter against Moreau Catholic. Moreau cut the deficit to single digits several times but never really threatened to regain the lead. Center MJ Cage set the tone in the interior for Mater Dei, as they were able to kick out for many open shots including eight 3-point makes.

Oscar Frayer was effective scoring inside and outside as he had 20 points including two 3-point shots. He was aggressive and used his athleticism against a bigger Mater Dei frontcourt. The Mariner guard play was aggressive but had many turnovers and was smothered by the bigger Mater Dei team.

As an undersized team, the Mariners will need to win the perimeter shooting battles to be successful. Moreau Catholic evens up to 4-4 as they play in the 5th place bracket on Monday.

Players of Note

Ben Kone 6-foot-8 F Archbishop Mitty (2016): Kone had 23 points in the loss but was effective offensively in all phases as he also had a 3-point make. Against a team with no one taller than 6-foot-5, Kone could have dominated more as his height and athleticism was superior.

Solomon Young 6-foot-7 PF Sacramento (2016): The junior is physical and aggressive in the paint and with his rebounding. Young will be an active defender and rebounder on the college level. His offensive skills development will be critical to taking him to the elite status of players. During the two days, he would often just bull his way to the basket but could benefit from some finesse post moves or a mid-range jumper in his offensive arsenal.

Oscar Frayer 6-foot-6 SF Moreau Catholic (2016): The junior had 20 of his team's 51 points. He looked the least intimidated or frazzled of the Mariner players on the court. The Cal commit is playing out of position in the paint, but should benefit from the gained versatility of battling bigger and taller players like Cage.

Colin Russell 6-foot-9 Post Folsom (2015): The Portland commit has not looked consistent in the first two games so far. He seems to be bothered by contact and pressure in the post. He is Folsom's most legitimate post presence and will need to increase his intensity in order for the Bulldogs to make another postseason run.

Article 401: Holiday Classic Day 1

December 27, 2014

The 12th MaxPreps Holiday Classic started its Open Division competition on Friday at Rancho Mirage High School near Palm Springs, California. Four teams from Northern California are participating in the most competitive bracket at this event. Here is a summary on their games and some of the highlight players.

Sierra Canyon 62, Sacramento 55
Sierra Canyon is the overall No. 1 seed in the tournament even without sophomore forward, Ira Lee (shoulder injury). The Dragons jumped out to a 15-13 first quarter advantage as junior guard Christian Terrell connected twice from 3-point range. Sierra Canyon used pressure defense that led to several fast break opportunities to help them take the 28-23 halftime advantage. Sierra Canyon held double digit leads during the second half as they led 46-36 after the third quarter before finishing off the Dragons.

Sierra Canyon features two other touted sophomores in point guard Remy Martin and post Cody Riley as they outplayed their Sacramento counterparts in the second half. The Dragons battled against an elite team that has a very complete roster.

Listed at 6-foot-7, Solomon Young usually dominates against most high school opponents in the paint. He had to face a taller and longer defender in the 6-foot-8 and 240 pound Riley who limited Young to one made field goal. The lack of depth in the post after Young may cut short the Dragons later in the postseason. Sacramento's leading scorers was Terrell and fellow guard Sayvon Hines with 13 and 15 points respectively. But the two also combined for eight turnovers.

Sacramento drops to 6-2 and into the loser's bracket. They face next Saddleback Valley Christian which has three players listed at 6-foot-8.

Etiwanda 68, Archbishop Mitty 49
Etiwanda had a superior post presence with Wyoming commit Jordan Naughton who is 6-foot-10. Etiwanda had bigger and more physical players at each position to give them a distinct advantage. As a result, the Monarchs lost every quarter and could never stage a serious threat in the game.

For the average high school program, Mitty has good size in Ben Kone and Sebastian Much. Much is a face up forward who hit several perimeter shots with a quick and smooth release. The guard play is composed mainly of Dakari Monroe and Cameron Korb. Monroe is a slasher while Korb is a spot up shooter, but neither seems to be pure point guards to direct the team. Archbishop Mitty drops to 4-1, as they will face against a formidable Wisconsin program in King High who lost in double overtime to Oakley College, a Spanish program.

Moreau Catholic 67, Issaquah (WA) 56
Issaquah is a top program from the state of Washington but the team has no listed player taller than 6-foot-5. Issaquah jumped out to a 9-0 lead but the size and quickness of Moreau Catholic swung the momentum of the game. The Mariners would rally to take a 19-16 first quarter lead and win every subsequent quarter en route to their victory.

The game was the return of point guard Damari Milstead who was finishing a school violation suspension. Prior to this game, he had been part of three team practices. Milstead was rusty early on with some turnovers but settled down in the second half with his attacking offense and aggressive defense. He did not start and came in as the sixth man.

Moreau's size and quickness was the difference, especially that of Oscar Frayer. He altered a few opposing shots in the paint and also went strong to the basket several times. Moreau now has won three straight games to go to 4-3 and will now face Mater Dei who is the overall Np. 2 seed in the winner's bracket.

Prestonwood (TX) 77, Folsom 51
Folsom faced a Prestonwood program that really came onto the scene this decade, as current Los Angles Laker rookie, Julius Randle, is an alumnus. The current program has two 6-foot-11 players in Djery Baptiste and Schnider Herard who are both athletic back to the basket post players.

Prestonwood jumped out to a 20-10 first quarter lead and extended the advantage to 38-23 at the half. Folsom had connected on three 3-point shots midway in the third quarter but still trailed 61-43.

Folsom lost the battle in the paint on both sides of the ball, as they looked tentative in their interior offensive plays. Jordan Ford hit multiple 3-point shots as the perimeter game had its moments. Folsom drops to 9-1 and will face Damien in the loser's bracket.

Players of Note

Sebastian Much 6-foot-7 F Archbishop Mitty (2017): Much returned to action as he was battling a flu virus previously. The sophomore has good height and length as he hit several perimeter shots with a quick release. Opposing teams will have trouble defending the inside-outside combination of Kone and Much.

Christian Terrell 6-foot-5 SG Sacramento (2016): Terrell has a smooth release from the perimeter as he connected on three 3-point shots. He has good length and a long wingspan to help on rebounding and passing lanes. He was sloppy with the ball as he made careless turnovers in the backcourt.

Sayvon Hines 5-foot-10 G Sacramento (2017): The undersized sophomore was fearless in his perimeter looks as he connected on three 3-point shots including two that was at least a few feet from the arc. Hines is an attacking, scoring point guard as he led his team with 15 points. His development of his point guard skills and of his height will be key to watch in his recruiting the next few years.

Damari Milstead 6-foot-2 PG Moreau Catholic (2017): The sophomore made his season debut and looked rusty early on with several turnovers. But as the game wore on, Milstead settled down and scored in the double digits and was aggressive going to the rim. He had a tendency of gambling on steals in the open court which he got away with against a smaller, slower team.

Jordan Ford 6-foot-0 G Folsom (2016): The wiry guard hit several 3-point shots and looked comfortable creating with the dribble or pulling up. Ford is an attacking, scoring point guard but also guides the offense well.

Remy Martin 5-foot-11 G Sierra Canyon (2017): Martin played in another gear, as he was a step quicker than the opposing Sacramento defenders. He created several fast break opportunities and was also fearless in attacking the rim. Martin and teammate, Ira Lee, played with Oakland Soldiers program this past summer.

Article 400: Winter Classic recap

December 21, 2014

The Third Annual Catholic School's Winter Classic at Chabot College in Hayward featured primarily Bay Area programs and one from Nevada. The schedule had five boys games with the final two games featuring four of the top seven teams in the most recent NCP Boys Basketball Top 20.

Here is a summary on those two games and some of the highlight players.

Game 1: St Francis 59 Clayton Valley 38
Game 2: James Logan 74 Stellar Prep 32
Game 3: St Patrick's St Vincent 59 Bishop Manouge 52

Game 4: Archbishop Mitty 70 El Cerrito 61 OT
Both El Cerrito and Mitty played turnover prone and poor shooting basketball in the first half. The Gauchos had leads of 8-6 and 21-17 after each of the first two quarters. Mitty had improved guard play and the Gauchos had foul trouble in the third quarter as the Monarchs took a 34-28 advantage into the final quarter. Three Gaucho starters fouled out late in the final quarter but a buzzer beater 3-point field goal by junior Nyima Sherab sent the game into overtime at 56-56. But the Monarchs dominated the extra time with their size by winning 70-61.

Archbishop Mitty stays undefeated at 4-0 as they travel to Rancho Mirage for the Maxpreps Holiday Classic. The Monarchs are the clear favorites in the West Catholic Athletic League. El Cerrito drops to 5-1 as they go to the Modesto Christian Tournament next. The challenging preseason schedule should make the Gauchos the favorites in the Tri County Rock League.

Game 5: Moreau Catholic 59 Modesto Christian 51
The finale turned into a battle of the committed players as Cal commit Oscar Frayer led his Mariners to victory over Modesto Christian's duo of Anthony Townes (Pacific) and Jeff Wu (Sacramento State). The game was tightly contested in the first half as the Crusaders had a 26-25 advantage. Moreau Catholic led 43-39 after the third quarter but Modesto Christian scored the first ten points to lead 49-43 midway into the final quarter. The Crusaders got outscored though 16-2 to end the game as they had several turnovers to self-destruct during that scoring drought.

Moreau Catholic had lost their last three games to out of state opponents but now stand at 2-3. They have a matchup with Castro Valley before making the trip to Rancho Mirage for the Maxpreps Holiday Classic. All the teams in the Mission Valley League have at least three losses each but the Mariners are still the prohibitive favorites. Modesto Christian falls to 5-1 as they had many turnovers that cost them this game. The Crusaders will get a chance to rebound at their Modesto Christian Holiday Hoop Tournament next week.

Players of Note

Ben Kone 6-foot-9 Post Archbishop Mitty (2016): Kone was held scoreless in the first half, but ended with 17 points. He was the most physically dominant player on the floor, especially after El Cerrito got into foul trouble. According to Kone, his most recent recruiting activity includes offers from Cal and San Diego State while Oregon State is very interested.

Riley Grigsby 6-foot-4 SF Archbishop Mitty (2018): The lone freshman on the Monarch roster, Grigsby played significant minutes off the bench as he scored eight points and made the only Monarch 3-point field goal. He has a long body and played well from the perimeter. Grigsby will be a key bench player as he played most of the final quarter before fouling out in overtime.

Cameron Korb 6-foot-1 G Archbishop Mitty (2015): Corb also had 17 points as he is deceptively crafty and quick. Korb did not display much of a perimeter game but found his scoring chances on layups in the paint to keep the defense honest. He could be a lower division prospect.

Carlos Johnson 6-foot-4 Wing El Cerrito (2016): Johnson played in foul trouble through the night but still tallied 13 points. The transfer from Arizona played aggressively on both ends but that may have led to his foul trouble. He has plus strength and athleticism but his ball handling, perimeter shooting, and height will be factors in his recruiting ceiling.

Tyrell Alcorn 6-foot-1 PG El Cerrito (2015): The senior floor leader was basically invisible for the first three quarters as 17 of his 19 points came in the fourth quarter and overtime. After three Gauchos started to foul in the fourth quarter, Alcorn basically took over from the offensive side with strong drives to the basket.

Oscar Frayer 6-foot-6 SF Moreau Catholic (2016): The Cal commit had 22 points to help rally the Mariners. As the tallest player for his team, Frayer was often found battling in the paint against more physical opponents. He looked most comfortable with a dribble start and in the perimeter where he had more space to utilize his length and athleticism.

Terrell Brown 6-foot-3 G Moreau Catholic (2016): Brown is a wiry guard who had 15 points on a combination of drives to the basket, floaters in the paint, and a few perimeter shots. The Mariners will often be running three guard sets and Brown is a good addition to that rotation.

Anthony Townes 6-foot-5 F Modesto Christian (2015): The Pacific commit had all 11 of his team's first quarter points and had 25 overall points. Townes was definitely the most physical player in the paint in the game. He plays active and aggressive but will his height and perimeter game be enough at the college level.

Jeff Wu 6-foot-1 G Modesto Christian (2015): The Sacramento State commit had 13 points and three 3-point field goals. The overall Crusader guard play was at times frenetic and sloppy. Wu was the most calming presence and probably should be the primary ball handler for the team.

Tyler Williams 6-foot-0 G Modesto Christian (2018): The lone freshman listed on the Crusader roster, Williams had six points. His athleticism and size make him an interesting prospect to watch. In addition, he played significant minutes for a Crusader team that seems thin as the listed roster only had ten players.

Additional Notes

Cal Head Coach Cuonzo Martin and two of his assistant coaches arrived for the final two games. Frayer is a Cal commit while Kone has a Cal offer.

Former Cal forward Al Grigsby was in attendance. His son, Riley, is a 6-foot-4 freshman on Mitty.

Moreau Catholic's Damari Milstead will make his season debut at the Maxpreps Holiday Classic next week.

Article 399: Verhoeven on the loose

December 17, 2014

For Northern California basketball fans, the last name Verhoeven should sound familiar recently. The Stanford Cardinal roster includes junior center Grant Verhoeven who is from the Hanford area as he prepped at Central Valley Christian High. Further north at Manteca High, the Buffaloes have a Verhoeven of their own in sophomore, Tydus Verhoeven.

Manteca was the runner up in the Valley Oak League (VOL) last season with a 19-9 overall record (10-4 league). As a freshman, Verhoeven was the sixth man as he averaged nine points, seven rebounds, and six assists per contest. In the current season through seven games, he has been quite effective, averaging 15 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 blocks.

Most of the past Verhoevens who have played basketball had positions in the post. Verhoeven is related to second cousin, Grant Verhoeven, as Tydus' mother is a cousin of Grant's father. Grant's father, 6-foot 9 Peter Verhoeven, played collegiately at Fresno State and then competed professionally for the Portland Trailblazers. Kenneth Wooten is another cousin (through their fathers) who is a 6-foot-8 post on the same Manteca team.

This Buffalo has post size at 6-foot-8 and 192 pounds but expects to be a guard at the next level. He compares his game to both Magic Johnson and Kyle Anderson who are taller point guards with good vision and feel for the game.

During the past summer, Verhoeven competed with the Team Superstar program based in Fresno. Team Superstar Coach Lerohn Dodson started the program in 1997 with the goal and mission to help local talented high school basketball players in Central and Northern California to gain exposure to the college recruiting system. This was Verhoeven's first year with the program as he had been with the Manteca Wildcats for the previous four summers.

Dodson comments on Verhoeven's strengths, "At 15 years old, being a 6'8 wing with his skill set and basketball IQ make him special. He is a very smart player who very seldom hurts his team. Can impact a game without scoring. Very good passer, also a really good rebounder and shot blocker."

Verhoeven competes on the football and track and field teams as well but plans to only play basketball in college. He considers his best play to be the pick-n-roll, which creates space and provides options for him to pass or to shoot. He is a versatile player who can play anywhere on the court that his coach may need him. He prefers facing the basket as he is an unselfish player.

Coach Dodson believes Verhoeven will be a major prospect, "Reminds me of DJ Wilson, who is now at Michigan. Might even be more skilled than DJ was at this age. Sky is the limit with Tydus. If he ends up being a 6'10 wing, there won't be too many kids in the country with his size, length and skill set when it's all said and done. He is big time in the classroom. His academics will open up many doors for him. His mom was a former student athlete (played basketball at Fresno State) and works in the education field so academics come first in that household."

Despite only being a sophomore, Verhoeven has an offer from Fresno State. In addition, he has made unofficial visits to Cal (Coach Hufnagel), Cal Poly SLO (Coach Fortier), Fresno State (Coach Terry), San Diego State (Coach Hutson), and UCLA (Coach Grace). His freshman GPA was 3.50 as he considers History to be his best subject and he would like to major in Sports Management.

Manteca has started this young season at 6-1. Watch for the Buffaloes to be on the loose with Verhoeven leading them in Manteca, Calif.

Article 398: Wooten leads Buffaloe herd

December 10, 2014

Manteca was the runner up in the Valley Oak League (VOL) last season with a 19-9 overall record (10-4 league). With the addition of athletic 6-foot-8, 205 pound center Kenneth Wooten, the Buffaloes are looking to be the top herd in the VOL this upcoming season.

The junior transfer had been playing for Stagg in Stockton his first two years with his sophomore year being on varsity with 10 wins. As a sophomore at Stagg, Wooten averaged eight points, nine rebounds, one assist, and five blocks per contest. The 2016 prospect will be teamed with his cousin, Tydus Verhoeven, to establish a formidable frontcourt for Manteca.

During the past summer, he competed with the Team Superstar program based in Fresno. Team Superstar Coach Lerohn Dodson started the program in 1997 with the goal and mission at the time to help local talented high school basketball players in central and Northern California to gain exposure to the college recruiting system.

Dodson comments on Wooten's strengths, "His freakish athleticism! Kenny has done things in games that have made me say WOW, did he just do that. He's a natural shot blocker and can control the glass."

Wooten competes on the track and field team as well but plans to only play basketball in college. He considers his style of play to be a combination of finesse, craftiness, and athleticism with plus shot blocking abilities.

Coach Dodson believes the best is yet to come from Wooten, "While still raw offensively, his game has improved drastically over the past 6 months. He's starting to see what his potential is on the court. His hunger and desire to be better is what's going to put him over the top."

Wooten has good size, height, and mobility for his grade level. With a winning season at Manteca and another summer with Team Superstar, he should garner more collegiate interest. Currently, Cal Poly SLO (Coach Fortier), Grand Canyon University (Coach Benson), Fresno State (Coach Terry) and Portland (Coach Pfaff) have been in contact. Wooten is still open with his recruiting and has no real geographic preferences. He wants to play for a team that runs an open and spaced offensive scheme to take advantage of athleticism.

Dodson assesses his college potential, "I think he's a solid mid major prospect right now. If his offense catches up to his shot blocking and rebounding, no question high majors will jump onboard. He reminds me of Jordan Bell (LB Poly/Oregon). Attacks the rim on offense and protects on defense."

Wooten will be eligible to play the first week of January after sitting out due to his transfer. He should enable the Buffaloes to make a run for the VOL title. Watch for Wooten to lead the Buffalo herd in Manteca, Calif.