Basketball: Freshmen attempting to fit in with teammates at next level

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Before we go any further, let me make something perfectly clear: I’m not a big believer in putting added pressure on any high school player to be something they’re not. There’s too much hype surrounding the hoops game anyway. Besides, I’m not sure anyone would listen to me if I said someone was the next big thing.

Moving on, the purpose of this blog is to provide a glimpse of what the future could hold for some of the Southland’s incoming freshmen. You might have heard some of the names I’m about to mention, and others, perhaps not. Either way, there are quite a few ninth-graders capable of making an impact.

• I’ve seen Landon Drew of Taft play a couple of times this summer and he possesses tons of upside. Then again, basketball is in his bloodlines. His father is Larry Drew, a 10-year NBA veteran. And his brother is Larry Jr., who will be attending North Carolina next year. My guess is Landon’s game will improve quite a bit by the time he’s a senior.

• Had the opportunity to see Michael Avery in action on Thursday night and I must say, the youngster from Crespi showed flashes of immense potential. For him, consistency will be key. He does have a couple of good things going for him. For one, Russell White is a great coach. And two, with Blake Stanton around, Avery won’t have to carry the Celts.

• Rumor has it that Orange Lutheran might have a keeper in Gabe York. I haven’t seen him play, but Dinos Trigonis has. Given that he’s considered one of the better evaluators of Southern California talent, I fully trust his judgment. That said, one of the things on my summer bucket list is to get out of the house, head to the O.C. and see York for myself.

-- Sean Ceglinsky