WCE Beach Barrage: Top Performers

Beach Barrage

I had the chance to watch the high school talent this past weekend at Cerritos College and there was some high-level competition during the tournament. At the West Coast Elite Beach Barrage, there were seventeen high school teams from 15U through 17U. Take a look below to see each team’s strengths, weaknesses, and a standout performance.

17U

Ironmen Basketball 17U

Long and strong group of scorers that will put up big numbers. They talk on defense and will not give up easy baskets. Their biggest strength is their talent at the center and forward spots. They know how to run a good inside-and-outside game and do an excellent job of getting everyone involved. There is room for improvement with their guard’s shooting touch, but the entire team takes quality shots and does what they need to win on both ends of the floor.

Jayden Keogh – Two-way forward / Steady three-point shooter who moves well without the ball / Plays defense with so much energy as a shot blocker and always in help for his guys

WPTD1 17U Hood

Watch this roster force the ball inside relentlessly. They have athletes at every position that are willing to sacrifice their body when going to the basket. They do an excellent job of communicating defensively and finding open cutters on offense. Their spacing and shooting as a team is a little lackluster, but they do a good job of taking quality shots. If they can improve their consistency shooting as a team, they could be dangerous.

Kenai Carter – Point guard that makes quick decisions with the ball on the perimeter / Does a good job of causing problems without fouling / Excellent at finding the open space around the arc without the ball

Pacific Hoops

This is a very guard heavy team with shooters at every position. They never let up and are always attacking. On the defensive end, they cause a lot of pressure and force tough shots. However, they did struggle talking on the defensive end as they lost a lot of shooters and gave up second chance points. On the plus side, they have a lot of offensive talent to make up for their mistakes which will win them some games.

Lucca Trujillo – Combo guard that plays well on or off the ball / Intense defender that will lock up the opposing better guard / No fear when going up in the paint

Westminster HS

They run a solid motion offense that gets them open looks from three and good looks in the paint. Everyone is always moving with a lot of back cuts and flare screens. They know the game well, and this creates fun competition every time they step on the floor. Their length and size are a problem, but they are surprisingly good at finding ways to get inside and rebound. Their transition game is also imposing.

Sean Le – Lightning quick first step and an underrated go-to scorer / Shoots well with the ball in his hands and without / Brings tons of energy as a pesky on-ball defender

16U

Ironmen Basketball 16U

Pushing the pace is what this team does no matter what the other team shows. When they get in transition, they are dangerous with guys that aren’t afraid of contact and willing to put their body on the line. They have shooters to fill out the rotation that get a lot of open shots off of their heavy pick and roll sets. They struggle with length at the defensive end and there isn’t much they can do about that. They cause a lot of on-ball pressure to negate those issues.

Landon Kim – Defensive-minded guard / Brings intensity slashing to the basket and is always looking for others / Wonderful job spacing the floor while having hands ready to knock down three-point shots

WPTD1 16U

This is a team full of guys that compete on both ends until the final buzzer. They all play hard and will make the right decisions. They have great guard play and with players that can all dribble, shoot and pass. Setting them apart is they have one kid who can get his whenever they want which sets up the other players for open lanes. They lack a defensive big man who can protect the paint, but they do a good job of making it hard for the opposition by working collectively. 

Noah Kanowsky – Lefty combo guard / Wicked crossover to pull-up game / Three level scorer who doesn’t need much to get himself going

Santiago HS

A roster full of slashers that are constantly putting pressure on the rim. No one needs to be the hero as they all like to move the ball and get each other involved. They do a great job of crashing the boards to limit the opposition to one shot and creating secondary opportunities on the offensive end. They struggle shooting the ball from the outside, so they try to take advantage of fast break opportunities. Well balanced with defenders and shot makers.

Brett Baughman – Under control point guard / Quick bursts of speed to the basket and can finish with both hands / Puts teammates in positions to succeed with his passes

HOH 16U Black

This is an undersized team that plays a lot bigger than they are. They can outsmart their competition by using sharp play and playing to their strengths. Their strengths include playing situational basketball and taking quality shots. They attack hard to create for one another and defend at a prominent level even when giving up size. They do struggle to rebound at times due to their lack in size. If they can collectively box out and learn good spots on the floor to succeed, they could be a complete team.

Luis Tsai – Point guard that controls the pace of the game / Undersized but willing to take on any challenge on the defensive end / Creator off the dribble with his change of direction handle

Da Vinci

They roll out with some high-flying athletes that will attack the rim every possession. There will be a full court press the entire game to force the opposition to play at their pace and get them into taking low quality shots. Easily one of the more skilled teams in the tournament because of their basketball IQ and unselfishness to make the right play. Shooting from the perimeter is a struggle for the entirety of the roster. If they can improve their shooting percentages, they will be even harder to defend because they couldn’t be stopped by sagging off.

Caleb Ortiz – Combo guard who will step up to defend the opposing team’s best player / Strong build that helps when finishing in the lane / Has a solid jumper that is effective from mid-range but can still shoot from deep

15U

Ironmen Basketball 15U

Athletes that like to run in transition is the name of their game. They do a fantastic job of talking on defense to limit easy baskets. Another strength is their willingness to make the extra pass which you don’t see with a lot of young teams. They could look to develop the guards as shooters to help improve their offensive struggles at certain points. On the other hand, the fact that they play hard and together helps silence their struggles.

Emanuel Igbekoyi – Energizer big man / He brings a paint presence to the team and brings intensity as an offensive rebounder / Has a guard skillset being able to bring the ball up the court

LSBA 15U

Lengthy team that crashes the boards and likes to get out in transition. They do a fantastic job on the defensive end with their size because they are able to switch everything, and they also run a suffocating full-court press. Ball movement is another point they excel at as they will swing the ball and cut until there is a quality shot. One thing they can get better at is their transition defense and communication because they tend to lose players on that end of the floor. They have the size, athleticism, and skills to compete in every game.

Ian Escobar – Lefty slasher / Has the size to play on the perimeter and around the basket / Super active hands as a defender when guarding the ball and even without

The Squad 15U

The combination of size and skill on this team is very entertaining to watch. They all know how to use their bodies effectively. Their transition game is scary good when they look up because there isn’t anyone that can compete with their athleticism. The guard play has some room to grow with their ball handling and setting guys up. Their ability to push in transition and play through their big men is how they put away the opposing team.

Isaac Orozco – All around big man that can stretch the floor and punish the defense inside / He can bring the ball up and has a reliable three-point shot / Monster on the glass

WPTD1 15U Hood

With size at most positions, they love to crash the boards as a group and create pressure on the defense. Most of their shots come within the paint which can be a blessing or a curse. They struggle to shoot from the outside, but they also do a decent job of not taking too many. Everyone defends at an elevated level and constantly move as cutters behind the defense.

River Gutierrez – Agile big man who competes on both ends of the floor / Turns defense into offense with active hands for blocks and steals in the passing lane / Punishes the defense with offensive rebounds and second chance points

Chosen 1z 15U

A team who likes to slow down the pace and create good shots off the dribble. With the whole roster being athletic and able to create for each other, it doesn’t matter who has the ball or where. They run an effective tight zone that forces their opponent to take bad shots. They are a bit small and have trouble guarding one-on-one, which is why they will run a zone for most of the game. The way they talk on the offensive end and run real sets is impressive though.

George Pamilton – Acrobatic point guard / Surveys the floor and is always the leader on the floor / Loves to get in the lane and take shots from beyond the arc

HOH 15U Black

They play their heart out no matter what is on the scoreboard. As a team they like to drive and kick in their motion offense which brings opportunities for open layups and paint touches. Shooting is definitely an issue, but they all have good basketball IQs, so with some development they can work on that. Heart and hustle are the name of their game, and you will not see them give up at any point.

Blake Beasley – Point Forward who brings spirit as a passer, and defender / You will never see him take a play off / 

HOH 15U Gold

A team that will always be able to stay in games because of their defensive identity. They play hard and compete until the final buzzer. There are a good variety of playmakers and shooters on the team, so there is never a shortage of scoring on the floor. They are in need of some more size as they will lose the battle of the paint a lot of the time. Their zone is something that helps that problem and keeps teams out of the paint.

Kyle Chang – Shifty point guard / Has a calmness about his play as a leader to set up his teammates / Spaces the floor as a shooter and plays well in help on the perimeter

DP Hoops Coach Powell

A packed-in defense is how they hold their opponent to low numbers on the scoreboard. They have active hands and do a fantastic job of creating second chance points by crashing for offensive boards throughout the entire game. They are stagnant on offense a lot of the time, so that is definitely something that they can work on. What they do a good job of is attacking the paint and force feeding the ball inside.

Randall Sanders – Light-footed big man / Very nimble and controls the paint on both ends of the floor / Has decent post moves and a mid-range jumper