Prep basketball rankings: Folsom, Elk Grove, Rocklin near top; Antelope No. 1 in girls
If you haven’t run into Jaylen Wells recently, you might do a double take. For starters, he’s taller, and better, but just as motivated.
The Folsom High School senior basketball guard/forward is up to 6-foot-6 now, a leap of some 3 inches since last season. Otherwise, same dude: a versatile, skilled leader.
The lone starting senior for coach Mike Wall, Wells has been the driving force behind No. 3 Folsom’s 6-0 start, including a 5-0 showing in the Sierra Foothill League. Able to score inside and out, on the run and above the rim, Wells is averaging 27.2 points, and he makes the extra pass and yanks down rebounds.
He fits right into the mix for another unselfish team for Folsom, a longtime regional powerhouse since coach Stan Harms in the 1980s to Wall the last two-decades plus.
“I really like this team,” Wall said after Folsom beat Rocklin on Friday night in Placer County 71-60 in which Wells went for 33. “They play for each other. I’m really proud of Wells. He’s earned his success. His bag is full with what he can do. He can play in the post, shoot outside, and he’s crafty and ambidextrous. He’s grown and he still has all of his skills and just gets better and better. During COVID, he never stopped working. He’d walk through the caution tape at a park and work. He’s the kind of kid you root for.”
Wells is off to Sonoma State, leaving Wall to say, “they got a steal.”
Folsom also includes guards/wings Micah Johnson, Miles Macayan and Tariq Ali. There is more size in forwards Jake Thoensen and Brycen Shackeleford, both 6-5. Shackelford averages 14.8 points.
Due to the pandemic and squeezed-in seasons, Folsom’s schedule includes few nonleague foes, including an 84-74 win over Vanden and a Tuesday game at Sheldon. The SFL schedule concludes a rematch with Rocklin on Wednesday, two games against Oak Ridge and then an SFL Tournament to crown a league champion, ending on May 22.
Prolific scorers
First-year Christian Brothers coach Jermaine Brown has a third-year starter to work with in Michael Moreno, the school record-holder in three-pointers made. He is closing in on 1,000 career points.
James Cook of Center is averaging 21 points with a season-high 38.
Malik Madsion had quite a stat line for the Sacramento Dragons in beating Rio Americano 77-67, the 6-9 big man going for 22 points, 16 rebounds and 10 blocks. In a 77-65 win over Del Campo, Dragons freshman Ben Roseborough went for 34 points, eight boards and three steals.
Reunion tour
Drew Hibbs will return to familiar turf Thursday when the coach takes his Woodcreek team to Foothill on Thursday night. Hibbs as Foothill’s coach led the Mustangs to CIF State basketball championships in 1994 and 2003. Foothill remains the region’s only boys team to win two CIF State banners.
“We may have to remind him which locker room and bench he can use,” longtime Foothill and Twin Rivers District administrator Mike Baker said with a laugh. “He had a great career here.”
Girls’ basketball
Antelope, The Bee’s top-ranked girls team, lost its first game of the season to Bay Area-power Salesian of Richmond 72-67. The game was down to the wire until Salseain pulled away in the final minute with a few steals and made free throws. Antelope’s Jzaniya Harriel had 27 points, Kaiija Lesane had 21 and freshman Samaya Dillard 10. The Titans are 6-1.
Colfax blew out St. Francis 63-23. Sophomore Gabriella Biittner finished with a game-high 20 points after opening the game with four straight three-pointers. Christiane Carlisle, who was a transfer from Pleasant Valley in Chico, hit six three-point shots.
Del Oro earned a key SFL win over Whitney 58-26. Madison Butcher had a team-high 17 points. Natalie Moulos added 13 and Megan Williams 10.
THE BEE’S TOP 20
Girls’ basketball
1. Antelope (6-1)
2. Folsom (2-0)
3. Del Oro (5-2)
4. Oak Ridge (3-2)
5. Whitney (4-4)
6. Laguna Creek (1-0)
7. Vanden (4-0)
8. Inderkum (4-1)
9. Woodcreek (3-3)
10. McClatchy (0-0)
11. Granite Bay (3-2)
12. Grant (3-0)
13. Lincoln (4-1)
14. Christian Brothers (3-1)
15. Colfax (5-2)
16. Vista del Lago (1-2)
17. Franklin (1-0)
18. West Campus (0-0)
19. Monterey Trail (2-1)
20. Sacramento (1-2)
Bubble (alphabetical): El Dorado (3-2), Elk Grove (0-1), Davis (5-4), Pioneer (3-0), Placer (2-5), Rio Americano (3-2), River City (2-1), Rocklin (0-3), Sacramento Adv. (8-0), Sheldon (3-0). - Cameron Salerno
THE BEE’S TOP 20
Boys’ basketball
1. Jesuit (10-0)
2. Capital Christian (4-1)
3. Folsom (6-0)
4. Elk Grove (3-0)
5. Rocklin (9-2)
6. Grant (2-0)
7. Sheldon (1-2)
8. Inderkum (5-0)
9. Sacramento (3-1)
10. Christian Brothers (3-3)
11. Burbank (0-0)
12. Cosumnes Oaks (1-1)
13. Franklin (0-2)
14. Ponderosa (4-0)
15. Antelope (9-4)
16. Lincoln (5-3)
17. Woodcreek (8-3)
18. Center (4-2)
19. Wood (3-1)
20. Vanden (2-2)
Bubble teams (alphabetical order): Bradshaw Christian (3-4), Davis (2-1), Del Campo (1-2), El Dorado (8-3), Florin (0-1), Granite Bay (4-7), Kennedy (0-0), Laguna Creek (2-1), Natoms (4-0), Oakmont (6-5), Placer (5-3), Rio Americano (2-3), River City (1-0), Sacramento Adventist (4-4), Union Mine (3-2), West Campus (0-0), Whitney (2-2). - Joe Davidson