Last weekend the Chronicle posted their Boy's Metro Awards. Always a good primer for the recruiting scene. It's been a long time since we had a Bay Area player on the team. I hope we can snag someone---the team is more interesting when you can add local appeal. Also good to keep tabs on these guys since they may enter the portal down the line and want to come home. Some notables:

Player of the Year: Ardarius Grayson JR 6'1 combo guard Oakland Tech
-Do everything type of player that lead Bulldogs to a state championship. Has a 40-inch vertical. Did not mention any interested colleges.

First Team:
Alec Blair 6'6 JR Forward De La Salle
-Was expecting him to be player of year. Also a great baseball player. Getting a lot of high major interest: Oklahoma, Clemson, USC

Jase Butler SR 6-3 Branson
-Recently de-committed from Illinois. Some have him rated as a 4-star.

Semetri Carr JR 6-1 Branson
-Several offers including from Washington

Aaron Hunkin-Claytor 6-3 SR Salesian
-Lead their offense. Signed with Hawaii.

Zion Sensley SR 6-8 Riordan
-Son of Julian. Committed to Saint Mary's

Jalen Stokes 6-5 JR Dublin
-20ppg, clutch player

I watched the POY at Oak Tech vs Del Oro. I said at halftime, "he's good, but not all that good!" He then made a bunch of second half plays/shots to fuel the win. I imagined the guy in front of me thinking "oh brother".

I also said Eddie House of Hayward high was good but could never play beyond college. He had just scored 30 in the NorCal playoffs at St Mary's.

And MoragaBear will recall my less than impressed self after seeing a bit of Sabrina Ionescu (on tv).

Can I get a prize?

Lots of local talent missed last year from the EBAL
Ryan Beasley (USF)
Andrew McKeever (St. Mary's)
Courtney Anderson Jr. (Colorado)

I've seen Butler play three times this year. Tremendous player, would contribute immediately

BC Calfan said:

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Last weekend the Chronicle posted their Boy's Metro Awards. Always a good primer for the recruiting scene. It's been a long time since we had a Bay Area player on the team. I hope we can snag someone---the team is more interesting when you can add local appeal. Also good to keep tabs on these guys since they may enter the portal down the line and want to come home. Some notables:

Player of the Year: Ardarius Grayson JR 6'1 combo guard Oakland Tech
-Do everything type of player that lead Bulldogs to a state championship. Has a 40-inch vertical. Did not mention any interested colleges.

First Team:
Alec Blair 6'6 JR Forward De La Salle
-Was expecting him to be player of year. Also a great baseball player. Getting a lot of high major interest: Oklahoma, Clemson, USC

Jase Butler SR 6-3 Branson
-Recently de-committed from Illinois. Some have him rated as a 4-star.

Semetri Carr JR 6-1 Branson
-Several offers including from Washington

Aaron Hunkin-Claytor 6-3 SR Salesian
-Lead their offense. Signed with Hawaii.

Zion Sensley SR 6-8 Riordan
-Son of Julian. Committed to Saint Mary's

Jalen Stokes 6-5 JR Dublin
-20ppg, clutch player

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I don't like having to point this out, because I like to support following and supporting local high school players, but to state that Cal hasn't had a Bay Area player on the team for a long time is just not true. You only have to look at this year's Cal team, which had Wrenn Robinson of Oakland, who went to St Ignatius high school and SF City College, and Monty Bowser, who graduated from Bishop O'Dowd high school in Oakland, and was named to the Chronicle Metro and Bay Area Honorable Mention teams. The year before last, the Cal team included those same two players, plus Marsalis Roberson, who was named First Team All Metro Bay Area by the Chronicle, Bay Area Preps High School Player of the Year, Max Preps 1st Team All-State. Go back a little further to the Cuonzo era, and Cal had Brendan Glapion, who went to high school in San Francisco, and was name the AAA Player of the Year.

I submit to you that all of these players were little better than walk-on quality. Bay Area high school basketball has been over the last several years the worst I've ever seen it. You have to go back to Ivan Rabb to find a Northern California player winning the "Mr. Basketball" award for the best player in the state. Before that, it was Aaron Gordon, and then many years back to Jason Kidd. The overwhelming majority of the best players in the state, year after year, are found in Southern California.

Back in my day, the '50s and the early '60s, Northern California was where college basketball was at. The Bay Area was one of the centers, maybe THE center of college basketball, and we had the NCAA titles to prove it. We stomped the SoCal teams. NorCal players were winning most of the "Mr Basketball" awards for best player in California. Now it has all been reversed. You and I saw Marsalis Roberson play for Cal, didn't we? How did Marsalis Roberson win a Metro POY award? Because the competition is even less formidable. I'm sorry to go off on him and you, when I sincerely hope you are right, that Bay Area high school basketball is getting better. I loved it when our high schools produced better players, because many of them stayed home and attended Bay Area colleges, and that made those teams some of the best college teams in history.

I stand corrected. I guess I meant to say an impact Bay Area player that played consistently. I was stoked when we got Marsalis since he was POY but unfortunately things didn't pan out for him/us.

Highlights of the SF Chron Metro Player of the Year Ardarius Grayson. The next great Oakland point guard?

Ardarius Grayson (2025) will be a player to watch at @Section7Az !! A true leader and winner on the court. @justAD___

Section 7 Norcal Player Watchlist: https://t.co/TIMEPN02bu@teamlillardaau @HartKarega pic.twitter.com/it8CNSs3C3

— SIMPLY BASKETBALL (@simplyy_bball) June 14, 2024

Is Sensley in play if he's released from his St Mary's NIL?

Wanted this kid but never heard of any shared interest.

Alec Blair the No. 39 ranked prospect in the class of 2025 just announced live on the @247Sports College Basketball show that he's committed to Oklahoma wher he will play both basketball and baseball. He goes in depth about his decision https://t.co/NsjZkRSIQR pic.twitter.com/NDHxgb7UmV

— Eric Bossi (@ebosshoops) July 23, 2024

Ardarius Grayson (2025) is catching the attention of D1 coaches after impressive showing in Vegas! @justAD___

Last season led Tech Bulldogs to state championship and league MVP@teamlillardaau @FrankieBur @lvbigtime pic.twitter.com/D0TY13QTNH

— SIMPLY BASKETBALL (@simplyy_bball) July 25, 2024