The Orange County boys basketball preseason top 10.
BOYS BASKETBALL PRESEASON TOP 10
1. Canyon (25-5 in 2021-22): The Comanches bring back Orange County’s best freshman of last season, forward Brandon Benjamin who is 6-foot-5, plays like he is 6-9 around the basket and was All-Orange County first team last season and a Crestview League MVP. Goodall twins, 6-6 juniors Jaden and Joshua, are excellent scorers; Jaden was All-County fourth team in 2021-22. Canyon’s usual frantic offensive pace and aggressive defense will be on display all season.
2. Mater Dei (26-5): Gary McKnight, in his fifth decade as Monarchs coach, has a roster of young talent that will improve as the season progresses. Zack Davidson (6-8, Sr., F) was All-Orange County first team last season and Trinity League player of the year when he averaged 18 points and nine rebounds. Brady Karich (6-2, Jr., G) and Scotty Belnap (6-5, Jr., G) played significant minutes last season and highly-regarded Che Brogan (6-6, Fr., F) is the son of former Mater Dei CIF player of the year Tom Lewis.
3. Santa Margarita (20-4): Rockwell Reynolds (6-8, Sr., F) was All-County third team last season. Ethan Rhee (6-3, Jr., G) is another returning starter. Dallas Washington (6-8, So., F) had a fine freshman year last season at St. Francis of Mountain View and, like Brayden Kyman (6-6, Fr., G), brother of former county player of the year Jake Kyman, will see plenty of action.
4. JSerra (20-11): The outlook for the Lions would be better had junior guard Sergio Magette not suffered a major knee injury. They still have a fine team that includes Sebastian Rancik (6-9, Jr., F) who has offers from a variety of NCAA Division 1 schools. Aidan Fowler (5-10, Jr., G), All-Trinity League second team last season, will score plentifully, Miles Song (6-3, Sr., G) was All-Trinity League second team at Servite last year, and EJ Bryson (6-3, Sr., G) will make the Lions better when he returns perhaps in January when he finishes rehabilitating his knee injury.
5. Tesoro (22-6): Five starters return for the Titans, including Carson Brown (6-3, Sr., G) who was All-Orange County second team and South Coast League MVP last season. Kyle Gleason (6-5, Sr., F) and Blake Manning (6-2, Sr., G) were all-league first-team selections last season. Jake Bennett (6-7, Sr., F), all-league second team, and Nathan Draper (6-3, Sr., F) are also returning starters for what could be South County’s best public-school boys basketball team.
6. Sonora (18-8): Mike Murphy, in his 33rd season coaching the Raiders, said he has never had a better shooting team than this year’s team. Yoda Oke (6-4, Sr., G) was All-Freeway League first team last season. Troy Jenkins (6-4, So., G), a transfer from Mater Dei, will contribute as will Tyler Holmquist (6-0, Fr., G), son of all-time coaching great Dave Holmquist of Biola University.
7. Pacifica Christian (17-13): The Tritons return four starters from last season’s team including Northwestern-committed Parker Strauss (6-4, Sr., G) who was All-County third team last season. Alex Stewart (6-6, Jr., F) was All-O.C. fourth team. Salim Semaan (6-4, Sr., G) and EJ Spillman (6-3, So., G) started several games in 2021-22.
8. Fairmont Prep (17-7): Some of last season’s better Huskies graduated are moved on. Fairmont, though, has another athletic group including 7-1 sophomore Maper Maker. Bowen Hammer, a 6-8 senior who moved in from Utah with several Division 1 college basketball scholarship offers, is an all-around scorer.
9. Capistrano Valley (12-13): The Cougars should be vastly improved. Veteran coach Brian Mulligan offered high praise for 6-4 senior guard Efe Gucoglu. Jalen Constantino (5-8, Sr., G) is a pace-pushing point guard, and Jackson Gray (6-3, Sr., G) and Matthew Leyco (5-10, Jr., G) will help make Capistrano Valley a challenge for any opponent.
10. Crean Lutheran (25-7): The Saints, a CIF Southern California Regionals finalist last season, lost Vyctorious Miller, All-County first team last season as a sophomore who would be Orange County’s best returning player had he not moved to Arizona. They still have plenty of good players on the roster, including brothers Kenneth Bailey, a 6-2 senior guard, and 6-3 freshman Kaiden Bailey. Dylan Gomez, a 6-1 sophomore, is a fine shooter.
