San Diego's Finest

Amanda Johnson, a 2008 prospect from El Camino High School, was one of several dozen San Diego area prospects who shined during the 28.5 E/A Sports Fall Showcase.

PHOTOS BY GLENN NELSON & MARLON WELLS

LA JOLLA, Calif. - The third annual 28.5 E/A Sports Fall Showcase at the Bishop's School featured four games - the Diaper Dandies game (2012-2010), the Future Star game (2009), the Rising Star game (2008), and the Cream of the Crop game (2007) - plus a three-point shootout. The games featured the best players from all over San Diego County in each of those classes competing.

Brittany Solomon defends Danasia Williamson

"This was a good event to showcase San Diego talent," said Marlon Wells, the organizer of the event. "But it is also a good event to bring the kids together right before the season."

The San Diego area is not thought of as being a basketball hotbed such as the Los Angeles area. However, over the last few years San Diego basketball has produced a large number of great high school players. layers such as Mercedes Fox-Griffin (Oregon State), Tamika Lipford (San Diego State), Allison Duffy (San Diego State), Charlotte Otero (U of Idaho), Latoya Cunningham (Miami), Jordan Franey (UC Santa Barbra), London Houchin (San Diego), Lindsey Beckner (Long Beach State), Jerica Williams (UCLA), and many others have played in San Diego and have now moved on to play collegiate basketball.

"San Diego has had high caliber players in the last few years," Well said. "Charde Houston (UCONN), Candice Wiggins (Stanford), Linda Pace (Arizona) come to mind. Even dating back to the Terri Mann years. In recent years, though, there has been an over abundance of talent. This has helped to put San Diego on the map and college scouts are coming out to watch these kids play."

* Diaper Dandies All-Showcase Team *

Myeshia Watkins

Andrea Bird, 6-0, San Diego (2010)
Very improved has nice upside and demonstrated several good offensive moves. Soft touch and if she gets the ability to finish with regularity it will make her one to watch in this class. Excellent student

Tia Dixon, 5-5, Middle School (2012)
Dixon is a young but skilled combo guard that has nice 3-point range on her jump shot as well as the creativity off the dribble to create her own shot. Excellent passer has nice court savvy

Yvont’e Neal, 5-3, Eastlake (2010)
Athletic combo-guard is an aggressive defender and streaky shooter.

Elaina White

Briana Martinez, 5-9, Hilltop (2010)
Skilled small forward has nice perimeter skills. Excellent student!

Sherika Miller, 5-11, West Hills (2010)
Sleeper combo-guard is aggressive and a tenacious defender. Strong body allows her to keep defenders at bay when she takes them off the dribble.

Myeshia Watkins, 5-3, Middle School (2011)
Small spark-plug point plays hard and makes things happen. Great three-point range was named MVP of the Diaper Dandy’s game.

Elaina White, 5-11, The Bishop’s School (2010)
Promising forward is long and has a nice perimeter stroke, very skilled, will be one of the premier three-point shooters in the state. Was a finalist in the three-point shootout.

* Future Star All-Showcase Team *

Victoria Lippert

Sonja Berson, 5-6, Horizon (2009)
Sleeper combo-guard in the 2009 Class is aggressive and a tenacious defender. Strong body.

Cheyne Curley-Payne, 5-4, Eastlake (2009)
Very underrated point in the California class of 2009, Cheyne has potential to be one of the top prospects to come out of San Diego in her class. Terrific at getting teammates involved as well as creating her own shot! Remember the name!

Victoria Lippert, 5-11, Cathedral Catholic (2009)
Smooth and silky wing has plenty of offensive weapons and is a name to watch nationally in the Class of 2009. Lippert has the potential to be the top recruit ever out of the North San Diego County area. Victoria is the No. 1 player overall in the class of ’09 for San Diego County, and is one of the top five players overall in the county. She was the game MVP, scoring 30 points. Victoria also won the three-point shoot-out.

Julie Ruiz, 5-0, San Diego (2009)
Sleeper Class of 2009 point has excellent potential! Quick as a jet with ability to penetrate defenses, Ruiz is a young PG with much promise.

Madison Victor, 5-11, The Bishop’s School (2009)
Combination of size, and toughness & if she gets an accurate perimeter stroke she will become attractive to college coaches. Victor has great academics.

Danasia Williamson, 5-5, Mt. Miguel (2009)
Promising young point has a motor coaches love and the capacity to change speeds to keep defenders off balance. Williamson had a great summer and is getting a lot of attention already from major DI schools.

* Rising Stars All-Showcase Team *

Amanda Johnson

Robin Brandos, 5-4, Cathedral Catholic (2008)
Very good point is a very good passer

Michelle Brunker, 5-9, The Bishop’s School (2008)
Smooth-operator has offensive firepower. Combo-guard has a nice handle and plays solid defense. Brunker is already receiving attention from major DI programs.

Amanda Johnson, 5-6, El Camino (2008)
Strong and assertive point has nice three-point stroke. High basketball IQ, excellent student a lot of major DI colleges are paying close attention to Johnson.

Leticia Ridley, 5-7, San Diego (2008)
Skilled guard has a very nice all-around game and is a very effective scorer. Ridley is a great student and is definitely a mid major prospect.

Autumn Spikes, 6-0, Mt. Miguel (2008)
Versatile forward looked real good the showcase – showing very nice offensive moves as well as nice improvement in her strength and her ability to be a physical presence in the paint. Spikes scored a game high 19 pts. and was Co-MVP of the Rising Star game. She is getting a lot of looks from Pac-10 schools.

Jamesha Townsend, 6-2, La Jolla Country Day (2008)
Scrappy post-forward bangs well down low and has nice hands, which help her finish on the block. Very good student is drawing serious DI interest.

Raquel Tucker, 5-6, Crawford (2008)
Solid combo-guard makes plays on both ends of the floor and is a very underrated passer.

Butter Wheeler, 5-4, Serra (2008)
Solid scoring guard has a very nice perimeter stroke and is very skilled with the ball.

Brittany Williams, 5-8, Helix Charter (2008)
Solid scoring guard has a very nice perimeter stroke and is very savvy with the ball. Needs to get a lot of exposure this summer, and she will definitely catch the eye of some major DI schools. Williams was Co-MVP of the Rising Star game.

* Cream of the Crop All-Showcase Team *

Tay Harris

Marnesha Hall, 5-11, Mt. Miguel (2007)
Very interesting player can play inside or outside has nice 3-point range committed to UC Riverside.

Tay Harris, 5-8, Kearny (2007)
Aggressive wing player with energy plays excellent defense! Exceptional slashing scorer can really get to the basket off the dribble.

Lashawn Johnson, 5-9, Mt. Miguel (2007)
Strong and physical wing has nice scoring skills.

Chelsea Jugo, 5-7, Morse (2007)
“Cool as ice” combo-guard hits the three-point shot consistently. Dependable ball handler has nice scoring ability.

Elizabeth Moten, 5-7, Torrey Pines (2007)
Athletic and strong off-guard has a reputation as big-time defender and has committed to Navy.

Ali Pia, 5-11, Francis Parker (2007)
Very improved post-player displayed a nice touch around the basket and (including the ability to finish with either hand).

Precious Robinson, 6-1, Mt. Miguel (2007)
Outstanding prospect has all the ingredients to be another San Diego star. Robinson is athletic, long, agile, and skilled and has a knack for the ball, which allows her to be a force on the offensive end. Robinson’s physical skills and upside project her to also be a potential fearsome defender as well. Scored 19pts. In the game and had a few monster blocks, also was Co-MVP.

Morgan Sabala, 5-6, Granite Hills (2007)
Smooth two-guard makes good decisions and always plays with poise. Sabala has a nice mid-range game with a great long-range game that gives her the potential to be a threat every time she touches the ball.

Erika Sanchez, 6-2, Eastlake (2007)
Smooth and athletic kid makes plays at both ends of the floor. Has nice outside range from the three. One of the surprises at the Showcase. Sanchez is a West Coast sleeper in this class. Had 15 points, 5 boards in the game. Also was Co-MVP.

La’Kenya Simon-West, 5-7, Grossmont (2007)
Very impressive scorer has improved the range on her jump shot and is now a legitimate D-I combo-guard prospect. San Diego-s best kept secret.

Cha-Cha Simpson, 5-2, La Costa Canyon (2007)
Crafty point with nice upside, she is one of the finest passers in San Diego.