2022 standouts headed to Southern California Academy

[Streak One]

2022 prospects Oziyah Sellers and Jaylen Thompson are heading to Southern California Academy, which is a prep school.

Sellers was at Modesto Christian and Thompson was at St Joseph.

They are with Team Arsenal this summer

 

[Streak One]

Thompson has recently picked up SEC offers

 

[bones40]

Tough blow for st Joe's to lose Thompson Especially moving into the new league.

 

[SmoothJay]

Non CIF program that isn't delaying start of season?

 

[superle]

Why?

 

[Norcal_Fan]

I wonder if they will be able to compete against CIF competition. Wasn't there an academy here in CA or nationally (not PP) that the CIF explicitly said they were not allowed to play against? Just seems like a lot of work to uproot and move to socal when you have programs here in the bay area that are successful and proven to send kids to college. smdh

 

[Streak One]

It was IMG in Florida. I guess there is a better chance academies/prep school can go earlier.

It is a risk/reward move

 

[larry legend33]

Thompson appears to have a really high ceiling. I really like st joes and how there kids compete.
Wish he stayed

 

[ArmchairGOAT]

Headscratcher for me. Both of these programs are near the top of NorCal virtually every year. Both have good coaches and play in tournaments with major competition.

 

[bones40]

I thought there was talk of him going to o'dowd to team up with jalen lewis and with the competitive schedule that o'dowd plays
Every year and all the eyes that are already
On lewis from an exposure standpoint that may have been even better then having to go to southern California.

 

[ankleassassin]

Well it is Los Angeles...

I wonder if they will be able to compete against CIF competition. Wasn't there an academy here in CA or nationally (not PP) that the CIF explicitly said they were not allowed to play against? Just seems like a lot of work to uproot and move to socal when you have programs here in the bay area that are successful and proven to send kids to college. smdh

The varsity team plays in the Southern Section for CIF. The national team looks like it competes against other prep and academies.

 

[ankleassassin]

I thought there was talk of him going to o'dowd to team up with jalen lewis and with the competitive schedule that o'dowd plays
Every year and all the eyes that are already
On lewis from an exposure standpoint that may have been even better then having to go to southern California.

Would he be eligible if he went to O Dowd?

 

[Streak One]

I would guess he would have been eligible at O'Dowd following the sit out period

 

[ankleassassin]

I would guess he would have been eligible at O'Dowd following the sit out period

so the only time you have to sit out a season is if a coach is involved?

 

[bones40]

In a year such as this and with all that's going on i highly doubt that there will be sit out periods for transfers this year.

 

[Coach FJ]

it will be in our section April 19th is the end sitout date

 

[Streak One]

There are sit out periods this year.

I think if a player/school isn’t brazen about it, they aren’t sitting out the full year. But transfer rulings can still be a little head scratching.

 

[bones40]

This is not pertaining to Thompson but if a family could no longer afford 18 grand for tuition because of this pandemic and struggling economy they will make the student athlete sit out? I would imagine there will be many hardship private to public school transfers this year it would seem pretty harsh to make those kids sit out.

 

[Streak One]

That’s a good point on the circumstances around transfers this year. However with the new rules, I think the sections have tried to make it cut and dry and less up to interpretation.

That said, there have still been some head scratcher decisions from the sections.

 

[OtherBrotha]

Adding Sheldon’s Yaru Harvey to this list too..

 

[superle]

Did Yaru Transfer? AND if so. Where?

Adding Sheldon’s Yaru Harvey to this list too..

 

[OtherBrotha]

Did Yaru Transfer? AND if so. Where?

To Southern California Academy as well according to multiple tweets

 

[SmoothJay]

No history on Maxpreps for SCA, so a new program? Not an actual school, they have an arrangement with a charter school to provide education. Since learning is on-line right now, have these guys relocated to So CAL, still in NorCal? Not allowed to scrimmage, or even practice right now per CIF, State mandates. Just a whole lot of questions about how this works, how parents afford to relocate their sons, the Academy makes no mention of tuition

 

[Streak One]

New program started by Julius V, who is a trainer in SoCal and runs the Cali Stars program.

Yes, a lot of questions still with how it is set up and how it will run now given the current times

 

[da real]

These academies are the future of elite level high school basketball.

 

[ayalar09]

First, It ticks me off that Socal stole three of our best players. But that doesn't bug me the most.

The schools these kids are leaving SJND, and Sheldon for example are two of the top programs in the Bay Area. Why leave those places, with established coaching staff and history, for a complete gamble. Not to mention they can say all they want the academic opportunities are the same, but its different when you play for YOUR SCHOOL. Not for A School that only focuses on basketball.

The Future......Who knows what the Future holds until there is a vaccine!

 

[MC415]

First, It ticks me off that Socal stole three of our best players. But that doesn't bug me the most.

The schools these kids are leaving SJND, and Sheldon for example are two of the top programs in the Bay Area. Why leave those places, with established coaching staff and history, for a complete gamble. Not to mention they can say all they want the academic opportunities are the same, but its different when you play for YOUR SCHOOL. Not for A School that only focuses on basketball.

The Future......Who knows what the Future holds until there is a vaccine!

sheldon isn’t in the Bay Area

 

[OtherBrotha]

First, It ticks me off that Socal stole three of our best players. But that doesn't bug me the most.

The schools these kids are leaving SJND, and Sheldon for example are two of the top programs in the Bay Area. Why leave those places, with established coaching staff and history, for a complete gamble. Not to mention they can say all they want the academic opportunities are the same, but its different when you play for YOUR SCHOOL. Not for A School that only focuses on basketball.

The Future......Who knows what the Future holds until there is a vaccine!

Maybe he wants exposure, change of scenery, or a new challenge... whatever the reason is it’s ultimately up to him and his family. He’s a 4.0 student with some mid major offers he will be fine either way. Best of luck to Yaru

 

[TwitterLegend]

For the first time ever, i agree with Ayalar. Leaving the programs these kids are leaving for a popup "prep school" seems strange...... only logical explanation i can think of is the CIF calendar limbo...

 

[ankleassassin]

For the first time ever, i agree with Ayalar. Leaving the programs these kids are leaving for a popup "prep school" seems strange...... only logical explanation i can think of is the CIF calendar limbo...

it is in beautiful Santa Clarita. Amazing hiking and it is close to LA

 

[En4cr]

There are sit out periods this year.

I think if a player/school isn’t brazen about it, they aren’t sitting out the full year. But transfer rulings can still be a little head scratching.

I believe CIF rule is if student transfers from school A to B and is enrolled at B for 15 days they are considered enrolled. If they transfer back to A then it is 3rd school and 1 year sit out. Basically they have a few weeks to see if plan B is better than A.

 

[Streak One]

I believe CIF rule is if student transfers from school A to B and is enrolled at B for 15 days they are considered enrolled. If they transfer back to A then it is 3rd school and 1 year sit out. Basically they have a few weeks to see if plan B is better than A.

Thanks for the info!

 

[superle]

Headscratcher..Unless all three players hated there coaches and or schools/situations. Risking a certainty for a fly by night school, a first year start up, and or situation is head scratching.

NOW maybe if it was a more established prep. Yeah..Maybe.... But too many uncertainties...AND on another note watching all three players. THIS was the year to dominate and or exert themselves at Sheldon, Modesto Christian and St Joe's.

Which hasn't been the case at the high school basktball regular season. I know some will bring up rankings and offers... etc. To me that needs to be translated. AND NOT in camps, aau and open gym.... BUT in real games.

 

[CoachDViks]

Add 6'6 F Lendl Henderson to that list as well. He was at Bakersfield Christian. I don't know what SCA is selling but they are selling like hot cakes lol

 

[ankleassassin]

Add 6'6 F Lendl Henderson to that list as well. He was at Bakersfield Christian. I don't know what SCA is selling but they are selling like hot cakes lol

coach,
do you see anything positive out of these programs? obviously IMG, Findley, Oak Hill and some others are/were established and definitely were good things. i am wondering about a current coaches take. i was a public school kid who never once thought of leaving my school however these academies were not around then.

 

[CoachDViks]

The way i see any transfer is if you have a relationship with your player and you are doing what you are suppose to be doing kids wont leave. Just because you have a good program doesnt mean all the kids are happy. Sheldon, MC are very good programs. I personally know the MC coach and I think he is a good guy with good intentions.

Maybe it was the parents decision. I know MANY parents that are living their own dreams through these kids which isnt fair.

I wish good luck to all transfers that it works out and I wish well to all the programs losing these good student athletes.

 

[Streak One]

I think the prep academies (or whatever term you want to use for that pillar of prep basketball) can be beneficial for certain players.

However, I think players and their support groups tie playing at one of these programs as showing you are at a different level which isn’t always the case.

In those situations, players end up getting lost in the shuffle in terms of finding a college home.

 

[ankleassassin]

I think the prep academies (or whatever term you want to use for that pillar of prep basketball) can be beneficial for certain players.

However, I think players and their support groups tie playing at one of these programs as showing you are at a different level which isn’t always the case.

In those situations, players end up getting lost in the shuffle in terms of finding a college home.

good point. since this one is relatively new then they needed some trailblazers. new and shiny is attractive. lets be 100 though. sierra canyon and mater dei are pretty much prep academies as well.

 

[CoachDViks]

Depends on if you mean athletically or academically. Talent wise of course those schools can compete with prep schools. Who's education is better and who is preparing kids to get to the next level? So many different factors when comparing schools a kid can transfer from/to.

 

[ArmchairGOAT]

I understand Findlay Prep in NV shut its doors last year. This story from 60 Minutes came out in March about "middleman" recruiters/grifters sending kids to scam prep schools promising kids from Africa a high school and college education, fame and money. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/african-basketball-nba-ncaa-schemes-60-minutes-2020-03-29/