Team Elite — 2027 Justice Linares | Foothill Justice was a go-to option for Team Elite throughout the day, creating scoring opportunities off the catch and dribble while also setting up his teammates. He made an impact on both ends and was consistently one of the most vocal players on the floor, bringing energy to every game. Team Spotlight — 2027 Magnus Lawson | Foothill Magnus helped Team Spotlight set the tone early as the group jumped out to a 3–0 start. He found his rhythm with his shot right away and carried that confidence throughout the runs. He was especially effective in transition, consistently getting out on the break and making himself available for outlet passes. Team SoCal — 2029 Miles Iribarne | Aliso Niguel Miles delivered some of the flashiest plays of the day, dropping impressive dimes and finding teammates in the paint. His confidence grew as the runs went on, knocking down deep pull-up shots from near half court. His performance showed encouraging signs of growth heading into the season. Team Elevate — 2029 Joey Newton | Capo Valley Joey set the tone by winning King of the Court and carried that momentum into the runs. A quick, shifty guard, he attacked defenders with a tight handle and an explosive first step, consistently working his way into the paint. He created plenty of looks for himself while also making some nice passes to set up his teammates. Team Next Up — 2027 Carter Jedlick | Marina Carter made his presence felt in both King of the Court and the runs. He impressed with tough drives to the rim, using his strength to create space and finish through contact. His ability to work inside and get his shot off in traffic stood out throughout the day along with his mid-range.

@SOHSBBall 2027 Jayden Barnes and Luca Pirona are establishing themselves as one of the more underrated duos in Orange County. As we know, Jayden has already solidified himself as a top PG in the county. His confidence, quick first step, and natural scoring ability make him a serious problem for any team he faces. I got to watch him plenty of times with Magic Select Elite, and now as a senior, expect him to take on even more of the load for Sonora after Ty Holmquist graduated last year. The growth of Luca Pirona has been special to watch. He’s become much more disciplined with his decision-making on both sides of the ball. He came away with three steals very early yesterday and was on fire offensively to start the game for the Raiders. His shooting continues to improve, knocking down a couple threes while also attacking the rim and finishing in the paint. He’s a vocal player on and off the court who brings a ton of energy, and now as a senior, expect that to continue throughout the season. 2029 Max Camacho, 2029 Jacob San Martin, and 2027 Jair Linares all contributed well yesterday and look ready for increased roles this season. Max knocked down a couple shots from beyond the arc and had some great takes to the rim. He’s very aggressive on the glass for his size and created a couple second-chance opportunities off rebounds. Love the hustle he brings. Jacob San Martin is a lengthy wing with great shooting ability. He knocked down a couple shots around the perimeter, and after watching him throughout the summer, it’s clear he’s ready for more responsibility this season. Max and Jacob are only entering their sophomore years, so they still have plenty of time to continue developing and earn quality varsity minutes. Jair Linares, a 2027 transfer from Cal High School, was a great pickup for Sonora. His hustle, soft touch around the rim, and shooting ability should make a difference in games this season. He had a great drive in transition where he finished through the foul and also knocked down some key threes throughout the game. Overall, the Raiders will be competing in what looks to be a very competitive Freeway League, and at this rate, it could be one of the more competitive leagues in Orange County. Sonora was still able to bring some key pieces back from last year’s team, so the chemistry is already there. Now it comes down to continuing to put in the work and building off that foundation. Excited to see how this group develops as the season gets underway!

@foothillbball_ Another up-and-coming team to keep an eye on is the Foothill Knights. I watched them take on Canyon, and although they didn’t get the result they wanted in that one, it was still a great weekend overall for the Knights, picking up a couple of wins and showing plenty of positives throughout the event. 2027 guard Magnus Lawson continues to be one of the more underrated players in the area. He plays with a ton of confidence and was one of the best players on the floor throughout the game. He’s lethal off the catch from beyond the arc and found his rhythm quickly, while also showing the ability to attack the rim and make plays in transition. He should be a guy who sets the tone for this group on most nights. 2027 Christian Kimlin may not have made a huge impact in the scoring column, but his presence was felt defensively, on the glass, and through the energy he brought. As a senior, he’ll be one of the key leaders for this team, and I’m excited to see him continue to embrace that role. A few younger players who also stood out were 2029’s Damir Buckingham and Sean Dao, along with 2028 Lucas Garcia. All three have a great feel for the game, and getting meaningful varsity experience this early should only help their development. Damir is a shifty guard who can create for himself and had a couple of nice takes to the rim. Sean knocked down a few shots from beyond the arc and gives Foothill another reliable option who can come in and produce. Lucas did a great job attacking his defender, getting into the paint, and using his footwork to get defenders off balance, including a tough contested finish at the rim. 2027 Justice Linares didn’t play due to injury, but he’ll be another important senior leader and is one of the better shooters on this team. Even after losing some big-time senior pieces from last year’s group, the future definitely looks promising for Foothill. With several younger guys stepping into bigger roles, it’ll naturally take some time for this group to build chemistry and get fully comfortable playing together. The talent is there, though, and the experience these younger players are getting now should only help as the season progresses. Overall, it was a productive weekend for the Knights, and they should be ready to compete once the season gets underway. The Freeway League should be action-packed, and I think Foothill has the pieces to be right in the mix. Their ball movement stood out, and you can already see the trust developing within this group. The energy they play with is another major positive, and as that chemistry continues to build, this should be a fun team to follow!

@CanyonBoysBball Canyon has established itself as one of the most promising teams in the county, with a roster full of players who understand how to play the game the right way. The trio of Dean Dohrmann, Jonah Kim, and Tolu Akomolafe has the potential to be one of the best Big 3 in the county. 2028 Tolu Akomolafe is the real deal. Right from the start against Foothill, he set the tone offensively. At 6’5”, his explosiveness combined with his ability to shoot the basketball makes him a tough matchup, and I expect him to draw plenty of college attention this season. 2028 Jonah Kim is a true point guard with a quick first step who can get into the lane, create for others, and be a threat from the perimeter. He knocked down some crucial shots for the Cobras that helped them create some separation throughout the game. 2029 Dean Dohrmann, who I currently have as a top-two player in my OC 2029 rankings, continues to impress with his poise and confidence. Even when his shots weren’t falling, he stayed aggressive, created for himself to find a rhythm, and does a great job getting others involved. He can impact the game in multiple ways, a player any team would love to have. Another name to watch is 2027 Nick Shorts. He knocked down a couple of shots and showed he can be a reliable option offensively. At 6’4”, he moves well for his size and showed the ability to finish through traffic around the paint. 2028 Corona Centennial transfer Ian Awoleye also provides a much-needed boost for the Cobras. At 6’7”, he gives Canyon legitimate size and can be a major presence defensively. If he continues developing his offensive game, particularly his outside shot, he has the tools to become a very impactful two-way player. Both Nick and Ian were also very active on the glass this weekend, giving Canyon a strong rebounding presence. As a team, Canyon plays with great pace and looks to get out in transition whenever possible. Their active hands defensively create turnovers and allow them to turn defense into quick offense. There was a lot to take away from all of their games combined, but overall, it was a productive and positive weekend for this group. There’s plenty of depth on this roster as well, with guys ready to make an impact whenever their name is called. Excited to see how this group continues to grow as the season gets underway and progresses. Villa Park transfer Jacob Lopez will be another name to keep an eye on. Despite the transfer sit-out period, expect him to provide another boost once he becomes eligible midway through the season.

@CreanHoops The Saints are an intriguing team heading into the season. After losing a major part of last year’s roster to graduation, there were plenty of questions surrounding how they would fill those gaps. From what I saw, 2027 Earl Bryson, 2028 Shane Gloger, and 2030 Logan Gardner have the potential to form a dangerous Big 3 as this group continues to come together. As the leader of this team, Earl was very aggressive on both ends. He consistently looked to create, whether that was attacking the rim, pushing in transition into a pull-up, or getting his teammates involved. That type of production and leadership will be important for the Saints as they look to compete in a tough Crestview League. One thing that stood out was Crean Lutheran’s willingness to get out in transition and turn defense into offense. Earl and Logan specifically looked comfortable pushing the pace and attacking before the defense could get set, which could become a real strength for this group. Shane Gloger and Logan Gardner already seem to have developed a nice connection. Both have a quick first step, can get downhill and finish at the basket, and have the confidence to pull up from anywhere on the court. Gardner is arguably one of the top freshmen not only in California, but in the country, and it’ll be exciting to watch his game continue to progress. A couple other names to watch are 2030 Jordan Fang and Leo Morrow-Brown. Fang is an underrated freshman with a great feel for the game. He loves to push the pace, plays under control, and has shown the ability to be a reliable threat from the perimeter. Morrow-Brown is a unique prospect at 6’8”, bringing size and physicality in the paint. Expect both freshmen to see plenty of minutes this season. Taking on bigger roles against older and more experienced competition will come with its challenges, but getting those opportunities early should only help them become more comfortable and improve as the season goes on. Dirk Slaughter is another forward who should provide a boost once he’s cleared following the transfer sit-out period. This Saints team still has a lot of chemistry to build and challenges to overcome, especially with a blend of new faces and players stepping into different roles. It’s going to take time for everything to mesh together. I know this weekend was filled with its share of ups and downs, but there’s still plenty for this group to take away and build on. With a proven coach leading the way, expect the Saints to continue figuring things out and becoming more comfortable with one another as the season progresses!