The New Class: Introducing San Diego's 2020 Class
The 2020 class in San Diego continues the recent trend of top end talent hailing from the region. This is evidence by the city being home to the Top 14u AAU team in the country last season, San Diego Select.
While several members of the vaunted team have reclassified to the class of 2021, the ones who did not sit atop a very deep and talented class that could wind up rivaling 2016-2018 in terms of its impact at the high school level and beyond.
So who are the top prospects? Who are the sleepers? Who are the best players by position. Full-Time Hoops will provie you with a breakdown with the freshman class.
Who has the pole position?
At this stage, the top prospect in the 2020 class is 6-6 St. Augustine F Chibuzo Agbo. Agbo is an athletic forward with a very well-built frame and a nice dose of agility in the paint. What is really intriguing about Agbo is the rapid development of his face-up game, which was on display a the Creme of the County. If Agbo continues to grow and polish his perimeter game, he has a chance to be one of the nation's elite forward prospects.
Who are the top contenders for top prospect?
Agbo's AAU teammate, 6-7 Bishop's School F Nakial Cross, has a chance to be a special prospect in his own right. He reminds me a lot of former NBA player Larry Sanders: A long, wiry and bouncy utility forward who stands out on the defensive side of the ball due to his elite rim protection
and rebounding. But he's displayed improvement on the block and also shooting off the catch. While he has a ways to go to catch up to Agbo's skill set, his physical tools suggest that he could eventually pass Agbo if he does.
Another prospect with a load of potential at the point guard position is 6-foot-2 guard Beon Riley, who is headed to Mater Dei Catholic, and was also a member of the San Diego Select AAU team. Riley is a talented, flashy combo guard who can make some highlight scoring or passing plays, and has the strength to attack the basket with aplomb. He's been compared to a young Chauncey Billups, which is not a bad thing at this stage.
Other top prospects include combo guard Savaughn Davis out of Mission Bay, Saints PG Kimo Ferrari, Sage Creek PG Jailen Nelson and San Marcos F Elijah Randall (more about him below).
*Note: another top prospect from San Diego, PG Yassine Gharram, attends Fairmont Prep in Orange County.
Who are the most intriguing prospects?
Outside of Cross, the player who is the most intriguing in the class is 6-foot-4 San Marcos guard/forward Elijah Randall. Randall recently moved back to San Diego from Illinois, and spent the summer playing on the 15u level for Coastal Elite, where he was the best player on the team. A bigger-bodied guard, Randall has high-level vision, feel and scoring ability from all three levels. If he can get his conditioning in order, his ceiling is quite high, considering that he will not turn 14 until November.
A guard who also has some intriguing upside is 5-foot-11 Philix Kilbourne of San Ysidro. He
didn't play high-profile travel ball in middle school, but it's evident that he has some physical gifts that should bode him well throughout high school. The lefty was a surprise at the Creme of the County, and if he continues to improve his off hand, as well as continue to grow in stature and in feel, he is a guard who could become a Division 1 prospect. His teammate, Kailen Rains, is another prospect who, depending on his growth, could also develop into a nice prospect.
Another intriguing pair of prospects hail from El Camino in Oceanside and are a big duo. Six-foot-six Logan Cremonesi is a rapidly improving four/five who has the length and ability to take bigger players off the dribble and score in the
post. He'll get the call on El Camino's Varsity as a frosh. His 6-foot-8 compatriot Christian Kerwin has a long way to go in terms of being a prospect, as he is slow footed and has very slow reaction time on the floor. But he's growing every time we see him, and it wouldn't be far fetched if he wound up at 7-feet or taller before his senior year. If he really puts in the work, he could be a nice prospect in the post.
Who are the biggest sleepers?
As far as sleepers go, this class has a few. Mater Dei Catholic, which has arguably the second-best class in San Diego, has a couple of names that we believe have a chance at becoming
solid prospects. For starters, there is 6-foot-2 G Jalai O'Keith, who has come into his own after a big growth spurt. He possesses a fluid jump shot and can score it off the dribble. O"Keith has a ton of upside and is one to track. Beon Riley, Tyler Morris, Jake Tawhiao and Vincent Warren comprise the other pieces of the Crusaders big class.
Another wing who has rapidly improved and has some big time potential is up in North County, Vista G Matt Rivera. Rivera, standing at 6-foot-2, is wired to score from all three levels. Vista Head Coach Anthony Bolton said Rivera might be one of the most naturally gifted scorer's he's seen, and considering the pedigree of players he has coached at both Mission Hills and for AAU program Gamepoint, that says a lot.
Top players by position (all players listed in alphabetical order):
Point guard
Adrian Calderon- Improving point guard is highly skilled, growth will be a factor.
Kimo Ferrari- The fastest player with the ball in the class, Ferrari could carve out a role with the Saints in his first year.
Philix Kilbourne- Athletic lefty has the feel, scoring and defensive ability to contribute right away for Terry Tucker at San Ysidro.'
Gio Martinez- Undersized point guard is an absolute bulldog on both ends. Should be an impact player in his first year for Olympian.
Jailen Nelson- Blessed with a high-level feel and court vision, Nelson is arguably the best player to step foot on the campus Sage Creek in its second year of varsity athletics.
Beon Riley- Not too many guards in the class boast Riley's combination of elite size, court vision, and upside.
Adam Sevier- Unheralded guard out of Poway is an elite shooter and passer. Dare we say, Nash-like in his skill set?
JD Singson- Crafty scoring point guard gets after it on both ends, and should be a factor in a year at Olympian.
Brady Williams- Scrappy San Marcos floor leader isn't the biggest player on the floor, but has biggest heart.
Jalen Wilson- Lightning quick guard whose length and foot size suggests a big growth spurt is on the way. If it happens, the Lutheran point guard could quickly rise the ranks.
Top Combo Guards:
Dakarai Allen- Physical scoring guard is making the transition to point, and could help Point Loma immediately as a freshman.
Marquese Allen- Athletic lefty is one of the top on-ball defenders in the class for Lincoln.
Savaughn Davis- The brother of former Mission Bay star Justin Moore has a nice combination of size, shooting and court savvy.
Nick Hermann- Versatile guard is a savvy floor general, but can play off the ball in a pinch. Headed to Torrey Pines.
Solomon Little - Balboa City isn't a CIF school, but Little, a wiry scoring guard, has serious game.
Anthony Loza- Bigger bodied Rancho Bernardo combo guard is a physical presence on or off the ball.Tyson McWilliams- Younger brother to former San Marcos wing Johnny McWilliams can shoot it like brother, but handles it and can run the point for Saints.
DJ Owens- Athletic and speedy guard is a lockdown defender and a nice scorer off the dribble for Poway.
Kailen Rains- Sharpshooter has improved off the dribble, and continues to grow.
Kobe Sanders- Steele Canyon's slick sharpshooter honed his skills playing 15s this year for Gamepoint.
Steve Stinson- Hard-nosed ambidextrous guard can fill it up and will need to do so early for Lutheran.
Luke Shepard- One half of the Shepard twins is a very skilled scorer, playmaker, both attend Poway.
Jake Tawhiao- New Zealand product rivals his big brother as a playmaker, but plays with an edge. Plays for Mater Dei.
Top wings
Brandon Angel- One of the purest shooters in the class fits the Torrey Pines mold perfectly
Jack Bailey- Big time shooter has improved a lot over past year, arguably RBV's top freshman prospect in a while.
Anthony Bland- LJCD's football and lacrosse stud can also fill it up off the wing. Son of USC Associate HC Tony Bland.
Joel Calhoun- Fallbrook hasn't had a player like him in a while. Big, athletic shooter.
Luke Haupt- Saint's head coach's son has the size, savvy and playmaking ability that few possess.
Grant Mahler- Deceptively athletic combo wing could be best player to don a Pacific Ridge jersey.
Taylor Martinez- Scored at will from outside and off the drive for San Diego Bulldogs.
Kaenin Miller- Strong wing type out of San Marcos has a D1 pedigree (father, Courtland, starred at SDSU).
Jalai O'Keith- Fluid shooter and scorer is a major sleeper at Mater Dei.
Xavier Otis- Athletic three man is one of the youngest prospects in the class, will play big role early for Lutheran.
Elijah Randall- High IQ "point forward" type can fill it up, serve table for others. San Marcos product.
Matt Rivera- Scoring wing out of Vista has a prototypical frame and heats up in a hurry.
Jacob Sauls- The willowy Escondido wing type is the youngest prospect in the class, but his upside is insane.
Top fours/ posts
Logan Cremonesi- Skilled four man can shoot it from mid-range, score in the paint.
Christian Kerwin- Ponderous El Camino big has size and length, rest must come.
Chibuzo Agbo- Big and athletic four/post is starting to develop game away from basket.
Nakial Cross- Hyper-athletic post is a defensive ace with touch from midrange.
Trevor Gonzales- LCC forward has shot up to 6-5, prototypical stretch four.
Maurice Holmes- Athletic four man has among the highest upside in class. Nice player for Helix.
Kaleb Lowery- Skilled and versatile four man is further along than brother, TJ at same stage.
Tyler Morris- Improving Mater Dei four man has length, skill and playing harder than in the past.
Albert Pichardo- Strong Dominican combo forward is a surefire starter early for Army Navy
Patrick Roberts- Willowy 6-5 post out of Christian High School is rapidly on the come. Skilled, but needs strength.
CJ Taylor- Athletic rebounder will be asked to play role early for Mission Bay
Sam Coleman- LJCD big man will be a nice understudy to Matt Bender, Jayson Taylor
Vincent Warren- 6-3 Mater Dei forward is growing, and could slide to the wing.
Nakial Cross
Chibuzo Agbo
Beon Riley
Elijah Randall
Savaughn Davis
Kimo Ferrari
Jailen Nelson
Logan Cremonesi
Tyson McWilliams
Luke Haupt
Jack Bailey
Joel Calhoun
Dakarai Allen
Gio Martinez
Adam Sevier
Philix Kilbourne
Maurice Holmes
Matt Rivera
Xavier Otis
Kailen Rains
Tyler Morris
Patrick Roberts
Christian Kerwin
Adrian Calderon
