The Fab 50: We pick the Sacramento-area’s best boys’ basketball players this season
There is no shortage of scorers, rebounders and playmakers on the regional high school boys’ basketball front.
Scores of talents are having sparkling seasons for the smallest enrollment schools, be it in Carmichael or Yolo County, or at the regional powerhouse programs such as Sheldon, Grant, Folsom, Jesuit and Capital Christian, or upstarts such as Inderkum and Ponderosa, both in the midst of record seasons.
To have one player who can lead the charge is indeed a charge. Imagine having two? That’s what Elk Grove coach Dustin Monday has in four-year starting anchors in guard Ameere Britton, a load at 6-foot-3 and a shock of hair, and the powerfully built 6-8 center/forward Dajon Lott inside, he of the cool nickname, “Money,” and the high hair that matches his emphatic interior play.
“Great players,” is how coach Monday put it.
If you’re top-ranked Inderkum, there are two leaders of note in 6-6 scoring playmaker and scorer Derrick Claxton and the 6-6 interior presence of Anthony Williams.
“Those have been our leaders,” Inderkum coach Fred Wilson said.
And there’s No. 2 Ponderosa. The Bruins are the lone unbeaten in California in large part because of the 6-10 Aaron Bliss and the steady and prolific guard play of Nick Von Zboray, who hit for 40 in a game this season when he hit 10 3-pointers.
“We’re in good hands with those two, but we’ve been good enough that they haven’t had to carry us,” Ponderosa coach Clark Woods said.
It’s not easy making any top-player list. Those who have no statistics on MaxPreps may not have made this list. Of the Cal-Hi Sports Top 100 list, Claxton of Inderkum topped the local list for Cal-Hi at 57, followed by Rashaud Bradley of Sheldon at 59, Lott at 73 and Britton at 77.
In other words, the talent pool is crowded. None of the players listed below have signed full scholarship packages with a Division I or II program yet. This list isn’t so much who the very best players are as much as it’s a peek at who’s had the best seasons.
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The best boys’ basketball players
Samrat Adhikary, Pioneer, 5-foot-10 guard, Pioneer, Sr.
Sneaky effective and wildly productive of late, with recent games of 29, 32 and 28 points, Adhikary averages 16.8 points for surging the Patriots of Woodland.
Harrison Alexander, 6-5 center, Bear River, Sr.
Big men do exist, including Big H, who muscles inside for an 18.7 scoring and 11.6 rebounding average for the Bruins.
Braeden Beaman, 6-2 guard, Sacramento Adventist, Jr.
What a prolific family of scorers, and here comes Beaman averaging 24.3 points and 10.0 rebounds, including 45 to start this week.
Miko Bear, 6-3 guard, El Dorado, Jr.
Bear plays the part, scoring 19.4 points while pulling down 5.5 rebounds for the Cougars of Placerville.
Aaron Bliss, 6-10 forward, Ponderosa, Sr.
The area’s next talented big is the focal point of a 25-0 team, averaging 15.8 points, 13.7 rebounds, 4.8 blocked shots, and he goes by “Stretch.”
Rashaud Bradley, 6-3 forward, Sheldon, Sr.
Leads the storied Huskies across the board statistically, and never seems to tire. Relentless and able to hit inside and out or snap the rim.
Ameere Britton, 6-2 guard, Elk Grove, Sr.
A four-year starter and The Bee’s Large School Player of the Year from spring season, Britton is averaging 17.1 points. Fearless.
Joshua Brown, 5-11 guard, Marysville, Jr.
In scoring 17.9 points, the versatile leader has the Indians off to a 24-3 start, one of the best in program history.
Rishod Brown, 6-2 guard, Grant, Sr.
Entertaining, tireless, effective, Brown leads the powerhouse Pacers with a 20.4 average. Can hit 3’s or dunks.
Caleb Byers, 6-2 guard, Foresthill, Sr.
Scoring 17.8 points and averaging 11.7 rebounds for the Wildfires, Byers is a one-man show.
Kayne Clark, 6-0 guard, Capital Christian, Jr.
A football burst guy, Clark makes plays in high tops and is averaging 15 a game for the Capital Athletic League champions.
Derrick Claxton, 6-6 guard, Inderkum, Sr.
The focal point of The Bee’s No. 1 team, which happens to be the best team in program history, Claxton is averaging 21.9 points and 8 rebounds.
James Cook, 6-4 forward, Center, Sr.
The Cougars are a playoff team in large part due to Cook, averaging 17.4 points.
Troy Crighton, 6-0 guard, Sheldon, Sr.
A good shooter who averares 11.5 points, he’ll need to connect some more as the powerhouse Huskies seek another Section championship.
Lamanz Cummings, 6-0 guard, Florin, Sr.
A great first name to go with his game, Cummings went for 42 and can score inside and out.
Garret Dutro, 6-5 forward, Placer, Jr.
Long, lanky, skilled, smooth, Dutro has done his part to get the Hillmen back into the postseason.
Joseph Espy, 6-9 center, Pleasant Grove, Sr.
A bulk of a guy, Big Joe averages 13.9 points and 10.2 rebounds and is proof that there’s always room for inside muscle.
Drew Fischer, 6-0 guard, Liberty Ranch, Sr.
Steady as he goes, leading the charge for the Hawks of Galt in averaging 17.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists.
Anthony Garcia, 6-3 guard, Capital Christian, Sr.
QB star is just as smooth and dunk-emphatic fun to watch in hoops and averages a team-best 16 points.
Isaiah Griffin, 5-11 guard, Burbank, Sr.
Can score on the break, from deep and from the line, Griffin will remind old timers of his father Ben Griffin, a Burbank scoring star in the 1990s.
Kevin Haupt, 5-10, guard, Oakmont, So.
Heating up as the season does, Haupt is averaging 27.9 points for a rising-fast Vikings team.
Brandon Herrera, 5-10 guard, Foothill, Sr.
He started the season with a 40-point effort and is scoring 26.0 a game for the storied Mustangs, the only regional program to win two CIF state titles.
Matt Hoffman, 6-3 guard, Rio Americano, Sr.
Averaging 16.6 points and doing a little bit of everything for the playoff regulars, Hoffman can impact a game by scoring 30 or 8.
Mark Lavrenov, 6-6 forward, Rocklin, Fr.
The lone freshman on this list, Big Lav has big upside, averaging 15 points, 10 rebounds, and hits 3’s.
Varick Lewis, 6-2 forward, Jr.
After a slow start, Lewis has heated up, including a 47-point effort; is averaging 21.9 as a difficult-to-handle talent.
Dajon Lott, 6-8 center, Elk Grove, Sr.
A 4-year starter with the best nickname around in “Money”, Lott is averaging 13 points and 10.7 rebounds for a Herd team talking championships.
Amrin Mann, 5-10 guard, Sutter, Jr.
A lethal scorer in the Northern Section, Mann averages 21.7 points for the upstart Huskies who join this section this fall.
John Marengo, 6-3 guard, Christian Brothers, Sr.
The Falcons haven’t won a lot of games, but it’s not for a lack of effort by Morengo averaging 16.4 points with a high of 42 against Elk Grove.
Jayson Matthews, 5-9 guard, Grant, Sr.
Good ball handler, quick to the bucket, effective passer and shooter for the defending section Division II champions.
Yaqub Mir, 6-3 guard, Granite Bay
Smooth, effective, versatile and the driving force the Grizzlies.
Jayden Morris, 5-10 guard, Sacramento, Sr.
Speed, burst and quickness define Morris and one of the fastest teams around.
Mason Mottashed, 6-0 guard, Union Mine, Jr.
Averaging 14.0 points, Mason has heated up of late with games of 31, 20, 18 and 29, and passes and rebounds.
Jacob Olson, 6-4 guard, Oak Ridge, Jr.
Steady as he goes, averaging 17.8 points, 4.9 rebounds for a program battling in the Sierra Foothill League.
Jake Overbay, 6-2 guard, Lincoln, Sr.
The Fightin’ Zebras have a fighting chance with Overbay in overdrive as he averages 17.0 points and 3.8 rebounds.
Omari Nesbit, 6-0 guard, Burbank, Sr.
In a long line of prolific Titan scorers, here’s the next one, averaging 22.6 points and 5.5 boards.
Kiku Parker, 6-0 guard, El Camino, Jr.
Already the most prolific scorer in the school’s history, which opened in 1951, Parker averages 18.2 points and 5.6 rebounds for a Division III title contender.
Wyatt Rumfelt, 6-3 guard, Woodland Christian, Sr.
Small-school or not, Rumfelt can fill it up, including games of 44, 35, 34 and 35 while averaging 25.0 a game.
Juanluis Rubio, 6-2 guard, Rio Linda, Sr.
Sac-Joaquin Section’s leading scorer at 29.2 points per game, Rubio went for 40 against Nevada Union, 41 against Lincoln and 38 against Oakmont.
Gabe Santiago, 5-10 guard, Victory Christian, Sr.
Another small-school marvel, Santiago averages 20.6 points for the 14-4 Vikings of Carmichael.
Cody Smith, 6-7 forward, Liberty Ranch, Jr.
Loves to compete, to grab boards, to post up, and he scores 15.4 and rebounds at 7.7 a game for red-hot Hawks.
Majer Sullivan, 6-7 forward, Antelope, Sr.
A rock inside and averaging 12.1 points and 10.3 rebounds, including 30 boards against Roseville.
Antonio Tercero, 6-5 forward, River City, Sr.
As A.T. goes, so too do the Raiders of West Sacramento. He averages 17.4 points and 9.7 rebounds.
Jake Thoensen, 6-4 forward, Folsom, Sr.
For the Sierra Foothill Leauge champs and Division I title contenders, Thoensen can shoot it, can defend the post or guards.
Brycen Shackelford, 6-5 forward, Folsom, Sr.
The next top player for storied Folsom, Shackleford leads the charge with skills and grit for a Division I title contender.
Andrej Stojakovic, 6-7 guard, Jesuit, Jr.
Yes, he’s the son of former Kings All-Star Peja, and yes, the son is legit, terrifically skilled and has a season-best of 47 points.
Nick Von Zboray, 5-11 guard, Ponderosa, Sr.
Terrific shooter hit for 40 in one game with 10 3’s; a leader on No. 2-ranked Bruins, averaging team-high 20.9 points.
Leo Wagner, 6-5 forward, West Campus, Sr.
Leo the leader is setting career scoring and rebounding marks in averaging 23.2 points and a section-leading 17.3 rebounds as a four-year anchor.
Kai Wallin, 6-4 forward, Jesuit, Sr.
Every playoff team needs a banger, a screen setter, an insight force. That’s Wallin.
Anthony Williams, 6-6 forward, Inderkum, Sr.
Long, lean and tireless, Williams is a rim protector who can run the floor for the top-ranked Tigers.
Davion Wright, 6-2 guard, Franklin, Sr.
Basketball career is over due to heart concerns, but he makes our list because it feels right.
▪ Who did we miss? Email insight and comments to jdavidson@sacbee.com
This story was originally published February 11, 2022 at 5:00 AM.