The 19th Annual
Martin Luther King, Jr. Classic
At UC Berkeley Haas Pavilion
January 18, 2016
Hosted by De La Salle High School
The Lineup
10 a.m. — Albany vs. Newark
11:30 a.m. — Manteca vs. Berkeley (Calif.)
1 p.m. — Salesian College Preparatory vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral
2:30 p.m. — El Cerrito vs. The Albany Academy
4 p.m. — Sacramento vs. Moreau Catholic
5:45 p.m. — Orange Lutheran, Orange vs. De La Salle
7:30 p.m. — Bishop O’Dowd vs. Saint Francis
Dear Basketball Enthusiasts:
On behalf of De La Salle high school and our DLS basketball program, I would like to welcome you to the 19th annual Martin Luther King Classic. Since the events inception, this marvelous day of competition has been the premier basketball event for California basketball fans. The De La Salle community is delighted to host another great day of interscholastic basketball at Haas Pavilion on the beautiful campus of UC Berkeley. The lineup for these electrifying games will provide great match ups for some of the finest basketball programs in the state of California and across our nation. From the opening tip to the final buzzer this day is certain to entertain and showcase some of the finest players and teams in Northern California and the country. This national holiday provides us with an opportunity to recognize Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the greatest human rights activists of all time. A man of great courage and commitment to “the right things” his words and actions still reverberate around us calling us to action. His selfless actions and commitment to others truly were the embodiment
of what a great teammate should be. This day of friendly competition tests are young men on the hardwood from New York to California, just like his speech reminds us to “Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York to the
curvaceous slopes of California, it calls us to remember this great American and to take a moment to accept his call to change the world in a better way each and every day.
Embracing his words, each of these school communities playing in this event today are making a profound impact for the greater good. This fall, through the use of the Annual Darius Jones Foundation community heart screening at De La
Salle we were able to help save the life of Ellis Mimms, a sophomore De La Salle basketball player who was screened and alerted to irregularity that could have been fatal. Ellis recently had surgery on his heart and is in great spirits and
making a full recovery. As a community we should ask, what are we doing to help others? We all can make a difference. We would like to thank all the foundations and groups that give back to their communities and provide opportunities for
young men and women to learn life lessons through sports, education and a commitment of service to others. Each of the schools represented here today on the hardwood have demonstrated a commitment to make a difference in their communities. So let us take this special moment to be truly aware that despite our differences, we are all in this together and ultimately that should be the lesson for this wonderful day. I hope you enjoy the games and I thank you for making this event such a memorable day for all these participants.
Sincerely,
AJ Kuhle
DLS Head Basketball Coach
Mitch Stephens: It’s a long day of basketball. About 11 hours. A select few will watch the 19th MaxPreps Martin Luther King Classic Jan. 18 at Haas Pavilion from start to finish.
Here’s 20 players — in order — who will keep fans in their seats.
1. Hameir Wright, Albany Academy for Boys, Jr.
The 6-foot-8 small forward is a four-star recruit and perhaps the most recruited player in the one-day extravaganza. The lanky-lefthander is averaging 18.6 points per game through seven games and 8.4 rebounds. He's ranked the No. 69 junior overall in his class and strongly considering offers from Maryland, Iowa and Villanova.
2. Solomon Young, Sacramento, Sr.
The 6-7 senior has been a four-year starter for the Dragons, who opened the season with 12 straight wins. Always unselfish and a big defensive presence, the high-flying Young averaged a team-best 14.4 points in that span, with 8.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game. The Iowa State-bound has seven other offers, including from USC and Tulsa. As of Jan. 4, the Associated Press ranked Iowa State No. 13 nationally.
3. Oscar Frayer, Moreau Catholic, Sr.
The 6-6 wing and fourth-year starter has been ranked one of the top 100 seniors in the country by several services for his athleticism, shot blocking, ability to get to the rim and three-point shooting. Originally a Cal commit, Frayer is being coveted by Arizona, Memphis, Oregon and Stanford. Through 11 games, he's averaging 15.8 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.
4. Alfred Hollins, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Jr.
The 6-foot-6 small forward is the second-ranked junior in Northern California by NorCalpreps.com. A slasher and shooter, Hollins is getting loads of interest from Cal, San Diego State, USC and Washington. He averages better than 16 points per game and close to 10 rebounds. His game is complete, says NorCalPreps.com analyst Doug Benton. "His game easily translates to the next level."
5. Sayeed Pridgett, El Cerrito, Sr.
The 6-4 guard has already signed to Montana. A versatile do-everything player, Pridgett can score from anywhere on the court but is best slashing to the basket. He fills up a stat sheet with his passing, rebounding and defensive skills. Pridgett, a four-star recruit, is ranked the seventh best senior in Northern California. On last year's 29-4 team, Pridgett averaged a team-best 17 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game.
6. Jordan Ratinho, De La Salle, Sr.
The 6-5 guard is a fourth-year starter for the Spartans and a USF-signee. Noted as a pure shooter to start his career, he's developed steadily in all facets and was last year was the EBAL's Co-MVP. He's ranked the eighth best player in Northern California by norcalpreps.com.
7. Christian Terrell, Sacramento, Sr.
The 6-5 do-everything guard with 3-point shooting range has already committed to UC Santa Barbara. Through 12 games — all victories — Terrell averaged 13.2 points and team-bests of 8.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.
8. Damari Milstead, Moreau Catholic, Jr.
The 6-1 point guard has upped his scoring average to 20.1 points per game on a senior dominated squad, to go along with 4.6 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game. Ranked the fourth best junior in Northern California, no moment is too big for Milstead, a starter since his freshman season.
9. Kenny Wooten Jr.., Manteca, Sr.
The 6-foot-9 power forward had offers from George Washington, Georgia Tech, Kansas State, Fresno State and Cal Poly, but picked Nevada, where he'll play for former NBA coach Eric Musselman. Through his first 13 games, Wooten average 14.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 4.0 blocks per game for the 11-2 Buffaloes.
10. Nikhil Peters, De La Salle, Sr.
The 6-5 senior is a fourth-year starter for the Spartans and is as tough and strong as any senior on the West Coast. Besides being a rugged defender, he also gets to the basket and shoots effectively from outside equally well, making him hard to defend. His size causes troubles for most guards and quickness causes headaches for longer forwards.
11. Elijah Hardy, Bishop O'Dowd, So.
The 6-2 point guard is ranked the third best sophomore in Northern California and is part of the USA Basketball program. A dynamic passer and decision maker, Hardy is explosive to the basket and has unlimited skills.
12. Anand Hundal, Manteca, Sr.
One of two huge forces down low for the Buffaloes, Hundal was the team's second leading scorer at 14.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per game through 13 games. He shot at 56 percent. Twice Hundal poured in 24 points, in wins over St. Mary's (Stockton) and Bradshaw Christian.
13. Jamario Bibb, Salesian, So.
Ranked as the eighth best sophomore in Northern California by NorCalPreps.com, the 6-foot-4, 190-pound wing is a four-star recruit with huge upside literally and figuratively. Athletic, superb defender with high motor, Bibb makes a lot of plays at the rim.
14. Terrell Brown, Moreau Catholic, Sr.
The 6-3 shooting guard showed his much more than an all-around hustle standout when he opened the season with a driving bucket near the buzzer of Moreau's stunning 60-59 win over nationally-ranked Sierra Canyon. With many options, the Mariners went to Brown, who has signed to San Jose State. Through 11 games, Brown was the team's third leading scorer at 14.4 points per game.
15. Chris Williams, Orange Lutheran, Jr.
The 6-2 point guard is rated the 52nd best player at his position in the country among juniors. Though a keen distributor, he was the team's leading scorer through nine games at 14.0. He averaged 7.7 points as a sophomore when he made 46 three-pointers.
16. Peter Hewitt, Saint Francis, Sr.
The 6-9 post is rated the 11th best senior in Northern California and has already signed to UC Davis. Blessed with a strong mid-range game, Hewitt also runs the court very well and is a solid defender.
17. Kavaughn Scott, Orange Luthern, Sr.
The 6-7, 220-pound power forward is a fourth-year player for the Lancers and through nine games, he was second on the teams in points per game (13.8) and first in rebounds (9.7). He's steadily improved all four seasons to turn himself into one of the top players in Orange County.
18. Noah Stapes, Saint Francis, Sr.
The 6-5 wing stands out among the versatile and deep St. Francis team with his length, ability to attack the basket and three-point shooting range. He's committed to Point Loma Nazarine.
19. Marcus Simon, Albany, Sr.
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound point guard led the Cougars to a break through 28-3 record in 2014-15 averaging better than 12 points, five assists and four rebounds per game. He was an All-Metro selection by the San Francisco Chronicle. Simon is a superb athlete, who does the brunt of the ball-handling and play-making for Albany.
20. Aaron Banks, El Cerrito, Jr.
At 6-foot-7 and close to 300 pounds, Banks is one of the state's top offensive tackle recruits in football. But he's also a huge force in basketball, not only as a defensive and rebounding presence, but with nimble moves and effective shots around the basket.
1. General Admission bleacher seating: $10 for adults, students, seniors, children.
2. Reserved chair back seating: $20 includes all day in and out access.
3. Courtside: $30 for each game, includes all day in and out access. These are sold on game day only.
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