WCE Beach Bash: Top Performers

This weekend I covered the West Coast Elite Beach Bash tournament which was held at The MAP Sports Facility in Garden Grove. My main focus was on the 15, 16, and 17U Elite teams. I was looking to see what the best team’s strengths and weaknesses are and what makes each of them compete. I was also able to gather two players from each team that stood out from the rest.

What did they excel at? Where can they improve? Top players?

17U

Freestyle Elite (CO)

A team filled with all guards and smaller wings that run and gun the entire game. Always pushing the pace keeps their opposition tired and on-guard. The entire roster playing is 15-16U playing up, and they have a lot of potential with combo guards and shooters. No one on the team has a problem scoring and stroking it from deep. They put a lot of points on the board, but they do struggle against teams with a traditional center and bigger wings.

Top Players:

Lucas Dickinson – Has decent size to play the guard and forward position / Excels in the open court as a ball handler / Good as a finisher that can use both hands at the rim

Carson Flowers – Slashing combo guard that doesn’t settle for bad shots / Pushes the pace in transition and gets his teammates involved

Reach Higher Kings 17U (UT)

This is a team that likes to take their time and get good shots. Every player uses the fundamentals of the game and out hustles their opposition. The mix of positions and different styles of play within their roster is what makes them so tough to beat. One way they can improve would be to develop some pure shooters to be ready off their driving mentality. Besides that, they are very complete and have a great inside and out game.

Top Players:

Luke Johnson – A leader of a point guard / Doesn’t shy away from a challenging defender / Pure scorer that will have a steady dose of paint touches and threes

Carter Campbell – Lefty rim-rolling big / Makes his presence felt on the defensive end and on the boards / Not scared to bring the ball up the court as a big

Pacific Hoops Black 17U (CA)

High volume three-point shooting team that is impossible to beat when they’re on. They push the pace and love to crash the offensive boards, and to no surprise they will kick it back out for three afterwards. They run a great drive and kick offense that leads to a lot of wide open layups off block passes. They underuse their big man as he is very skilled and would improve the team by getting him in more action. Defensive help has room to improve, but their on ball pressure is impressive.

Top Players:

Aten Hasan – This is the guard that you give the ball to when you need a bucket / He likes to iso on the perimeter, but will also put the ball on the floor and finish at the rim

Lucca Trujillo – Agile and lengthy / Has a good mix of big man and guard skills / Likes to grab boards and push himself

WCE SD 17U UA Elite (CA)

Watch this team if you want to see the game played the right way. There is no hero ball on this team. There is constant movement, extra passes, and cutters galore. They excel in getting good shots through ball movement and playing a good mix of inside-outside basketball. They lack a pure scorer that can go get them a bucket when nothing is working, but they make up for it through team ball.

Top Players:

Sam Galindo – Agile big man that thrives in the post / Has go-to post moves and does an excellent job of punishing smaller defenders / Goggles up rebounds and finishes through contact

Grayson Mundis – Strong point guard that sets up his guys / Excels as both an on and off-ball defender / Does whatever the team is looking for to win

California Select Gold 17U (CA)

High octane team full of athletic players that give maximum effort. They do a fantastic job of switching up things on both ends of the floor. On defense they run a well-executed press that leaves their opponent in shambles. On offense they are constantly cutting and flashing, which leads to wide open threes and layups. They could use some development on shooters, but they make up for it through hard work and effort on the glass.

Top Players:

Jesse Wood – A traditional point guard that has a great feel for the game / Controls the pace and excels in the open floor / Shoots well off the catch and creates opportunities through drives

Ben Gavani – Agile big man that boxes out hard and is always ready on the inside / Makes up for teammate’s mistakes on the defensive end

AZ Warriors (AZ)

The roster is filled with defensive guards that all compete on both ends. Their biggest strength is that everyone works together. The team has a variety of scorers with guys who can shoot and guys who can finish at the rim and create for others. They lack size and struggle to defend true centers and bigger wings. On the other hand, they will out hustle you and play team ball to beat you.

Top Players:

Silas Aruizu – Excels as a playmaker / Doesn’t let anyone speed him up in the halfcourt / Spot up shooter but also likes to create around the rim

Jerry Leyva – Small but doesn’t let anyone stop him from getting to the hoop / Quickest player on the court / Recovers well on defense if beat

WCE OC 17U OC National (CA)

The team is filled with size and athleticism at every position. They continued to make the defense work by putting pressure in the paint and on the perimeter. No one on this team shies away from the moment, and they have resilience to deal with strong bodies. One thing they are missing is a true big man that can stay inside and clean up the glass.

Top Players:

Michael Wright – Has wing size but plays like a point guard / Finishing ability is elite / Has the confidence to defend the best player every game

Zaid Younis – Lengthy wing scorer / Super quick on defense / Likes spot up shots but can get his own when needed

Big Red Var (CA)

The Mater Dei club runs length at every position and does their work on the defensive end. On defense they do a fantastic job of keeping their man in front of them. As scorers they spread the wealth and love to kick it out for open threes where they all can shoot. They are missing a big man that can battle down low, but they do their best to collectively do that effort.

Top Players:

Vince Van Niekerk – Competes on both ends / Undersized big with strong guard skills / Great passer in the lane

Cooper Reed – Wing that makes himself known as a perimeter defender / Can shoot when needed but much stronger as a slasher

Kings of Basketball Var (CA)

Full of hustlers that play the right way, this team can score in bunches. They play the right way and love to spread the wealth. Even the guards love to crash for offensive boards. Their two biggest strengths are their full court pressure defense and the constant motion on offense, where both lead to good shots. They do struggle against teams with a big man, but they make up for it with their speed and quickness.

Top Players:

Kenneth Bailey – A strong and intense combo guard / Excels with the ball in his hands to create for himself and others

Kavon Ray – Lefty slasher that finishes well through contact / Brings so much attention to himself with the ball that he’s easily able to find open teammates

WCE Central Hill (CA)

A roster that runs impressively deep. There isn’t a player on this team that isn’t contributing to help them succeed. They are filled with shooters and playmakers. Their two biggest strengths are having a go-to scorer and a big that allows them to be able to play inside. One way they can improve is to give some extra effort to talking on defense as they tend to lose their guys more than they should.

Top Players:

Troy Lei – Guard you give the ball to when you need a bucket / Excellent rebounder for his size / Shifty in transition

Cole Gilcrest – True big man skills with a solid build / Does an amazing job of protecting the paint and helping his teammates around the rim

16U

WCE UAA (CA)

For a young team they are very patient and move the ball for good shots. They are compiled with a good variety of scorers, playmakers, and defenders. They thrive in the open court and love to kick it out for open threes. One area they lack is their help defense. Where they do make their mark is through playing team ball and creating open shots and layups from slashing. In transition, they’ll throw down some dunks that will bring the energy up as well.

Top Players:

Malakai Perrantes – Calm and collected point guard / Shoots the lights out / Thrives in P&R and one-on-one settings

Samaj Carter – Lightning quick wing that plays hard-nosed defense / Good mix of three-point shooting and slashing through contact

WCE SD 16U UA Elite (CA)

Moves the ball with constant energy on both ends. All five guys don’t give up on the defensive end. They have a traditional center in Elijah Bragg who takes control of the boards on both ends. The other four guys surrounding him are all three level scorers. They excel when defending full-court and pushing in transition. One area of weakness would be to help develop a second ball handler to control the pressure to help Hall.

Top Players:

Dax Hall – Shoots from deep with a high clip / Sets up his teammates through P&R / Finishes at the rim through traffic with the best of them

Dylan Griffin – Defensive animal / Jumps out of the gym to block shots and sky for rebounds / Thrives when getting offensive rebounds and putting them back up

California Select Gold (CA)

A very well organized team that plays the right way. Their defensive intensity is one of the biggest things that sets them apart. To go along with that, they also have the offensive firepower to fight with the best of them. They have decent size but struggle with staying in front of their man and don’t have a big to protect them. Working on defensive mobility and developing shooters would make them an even better team.

Top Players:

Carson Giles – Crafty ball handler with a great shot / Small but mighty as a defender and causes a lot of on-ball pressure

RJ Miller – With the size of a big forward, he brings a strong feel for the game / Scores in bunches, but his passing ability is what makes him shine

WCE SD UA Elite – Gray (CA)

This team will run up the score on you with pressure defense and pushing in transition. All five guys on the court are always in the passing lanes racking up steals. On offense they do a good job of mixing it up and getting everyone involved. They have go to guys and shooters to fill out the roster. They should look to add/develop a true point guard to help set guys up.

Top Players:

Jayden Gray – Strong in the paint as a guard / What he lacks in size he makes up for with effort

Tavin Johnson – Energizer bunny / Grabs boards for a guard and defends up in position very well

WCE OC 16U (CA)

Constantly attacking the paint and going after loose boards is where this team is successful. They bring a great mix of guards, wings and bigs. Each of them provides something different which makes them a complete team. The roster lacks a go-to perimeter scorer, but they do their best to make up for it on the glass and by hustling on the defensive end.

Top Players:

Yuri Klines – Skinny frame but continued to grab an abundance of offensive rebounds as a guard / Plays excellent perimeter defense and also helps protect the paint / Lives in the lane as a finisher

Omar Flores – Always has his eyes up in transition / Better as a spot up shooter but can get his own shot when needed

15U

California Select Open 15U (CA)

A very small and young team that just keeps putting up numbers. The roster is compiled of kids that can score and give maximum effort every play. What makes them so successful is their unselfishness and ability to play for each other and not for themselves. As they grow in both height and maturity, they should look to develop being vocal on defense and learning spots on the defensive end to set themselves up to succeed.

Top Players:

Beaxton Hatcher – Talented and lengthy wing with elite guard skills / Three level scorer / Plays just as well off the ball as he does with it

Vaughn Young – Small and shifty ball handler / Gets wherever he wants to on the floor / A great vocal leader on both ends of the floor for his age

WCE SD 15U National (CA)

The team runs and guns but plays the right way. Their zone defense is what puts teams in the hole, but they also know when to go man when teams are hitting outside shots. Incredibly young team but they look experienced when they are out on the court. The only thing they are missing is something you can’t teach, which is size. They don’t seem to care though because they all play bigger than they are.

Top Players:

Kannon Seal – Smallest player in the gym but that doesn’t phase him / His handle and ability to get by his defender every single time vastly sets him apart / Knock down shooter off the dribble and in spot-up situations

Kai Jones – Strong and efficient as a scorer in the paint / Unstoppable truck in transition / Punishes defense on switches

KAO 15U (CA)

Young team that put in effort every single play no matter how much they are up by. Their defensive intensity is what wins them games. There was not one play that any of the players gave up on. On the offensive end they push the gaps and have constant motion with flashers towards the middle. There is room to grow as shooters, but they make up for it in transition.

Top Players:

Sam Ramirez – The controller of the game at all times / Pushes the pace as a shooter and a strong finisher for his size

Cody York – Always ready to shoot and will knock them down / Never takes a play off on defense / Small but quick and strong on defense