Here are 15 of the top standouts from the South heading to 2014 CIF State Basketball Championships at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento.
Sedrick Barefield, Centennial-Corona
Photo by David Steutel
Arica Carter, Long Beach Poly
Photo by Mark Jones
The sleek 6-foot-1, 180-pound junior point guard already has committed to SMU. He averages 13.4 points and 5.3 assists.
Kennedy Burke (Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth) — The 6-foot wing is the No. 49 junior in the country. She had 14 points and 16 rebounds in D-5 state title win last year.
M.J. Cage (Mater Dei-Santa Ana) — The 6-9, 215-pound post is son of former NBA standout Michael Cage and ranked the No. 7 sophomore in the country. He averages 14.9 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game.
Six reasons to give NorCal boys hope versus SoCalArica Carter (Long Beach Poly) — The 5-8 senior guard will not only try to guard Salesian's Mariaya Moore, but the No. 78 recruit in the country will join her at Louisville next season.
Tyler Dorsey (St. John Bosco-Bellflower) — The 6-4 shooting guard is one of the top juniors in the country and is averaging 21.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.6 rebounds a game for the Division II champions.
Lajahna Drummer (Long Beach Poly) — The 6-3 senior post and UCLA signee is the No. 8 recruit in her class.
Tyler Dorsey, St. John Bosco
Photo by Louis Lopez
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Stanley Johnson, Mater Dei
Photo by Louis Lopez
The 6-7 do-everything guard is Arizona-bound and is projected as the No. 7 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. He averages 25 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. "In terms of greatest California prep players, I think of Jason Kidd and Stanley Johnson," — O'Dowd coach Lou Richie
Daniel Hamilton (St. John Bosco) — Surprising that the 6-7 forward, who averages 20.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game, wasn't a McDonald's All-American choice. He's headed for Connecticut. He's the No. 13 senior recruit in the country according to 247Sports.
Steve Herve (Renaissance Academy-La Canada) — The 6-6, 230-pound post is one of the few players who can actually match up physically with St. Joseph's 6-7, 240-pound Temidayo Yussuf.
Amber Melgoza, Santa Barbara
Photo by John Downey
The 5-9 sophomore is averaging 22.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per game for the D3 champion Dons.
Deontae North (Centennial) — The 6-5, 190-pound senior averages a team-best 19.3 points and 8.5 rebounds and is headed to Long Beach State.
Devin Stanback (Chaminade) — The 6-2 forward, who averages 14.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks for the Division II champs, is committed to Pepperdine.
Trevor Stanback (Chaminade) – Same last name, same school, indeed this Stanback is the younger brother of Devin and is rated the No. 47 sophomore in the country by 247Sports. The 6-10 post already has offers from UNLV and USC.
Stephen Thompson Jr. (Bishop Montgomery) — The 6-4 shooting guard is ranked the No. 60 junior in the country by 247Sports and has offers from Gonzaga and Arizona State, among others.
Jack Williams (Chaminade) — The active 6-8 senior forward averages team bests of 16.4 points and 11.5 rebounds for Chaminade and has offers from ASU, Colorado and Rice.
