Meet the 2023-24 Sacramento Bee Boys All-Metro Basketball Teams and Players of the Year
Brandon Gibson competed this season like a man making up for lost time.
The Monterey Trail High School senior guard missed the better part of his first two prep seasons with injuries, showed promise a year ago and then unleashed on all comers this record-setting season with the attitude of someone with something to prove. Because he led the area’s top-ranked team with production and set a tone with a tireless work ethic on defense, Gibson is The Sacramento Bee’s Boys Basketball Player of the Year, an honor that goes to a player who exemplifies results and sportsmanship.
At 6-foot-5, Gibson could handle the ball, take people off the dribble as a crafty left-hander for a layup or thunder dunk. He improved his outside shooting and was a threat to hit from 3-point range or with runners or midrange jumpers. Gibson also defended with purpose, be it in the paint or the perimeter in leading the charge for the best Mustangs team since the school opened in the Elk Grove Unified School District in 2004.
Gibson averaged 23.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 blocked shots for a team that went 27-5, the best record in school history. The Mustangs won the Metro League outright and pushed their season well into the CIF Northern California playoffs. The season ended with a loss to San Ramon Valley of Danville in the Division I tournament despite 33 points from Gibson.
“What BG did this year was show how determined he was to be the best player in the city,” Monterey Trail coach Robert Fields said. “And he showed it in the first game, from November and into March. He’s relentless. He’s a tireless worker. He competes in an age when some kids don’t compete. His toughness and refuse-to-lose attitude stands out the most to me. You really can’t measure it. You have to see it.”
Gibson’s recruiting stock has improved this season, though he still does not have a full Division I offer on the table. This is reflective of Gibson’s late charge to prominence and the changing landscape of college basketball, where the transfer portal has in many instances become the go-to source for adding new players.
“College basketball is like musical chairs, but you’ve got to have a chair to have a chance,” Fields said. “This is a kid you want in your program. He is going to compete.”
Competing is what drives Gibson, whose cool off-the-court demeanor belies his in-game drive. He is friendly to everyone, until it’s game time.
“I love basketball,” he said. “It’s what I do.”
Coach of the Year
Brian McKenzie of Natomas is The Bee’s Coach of the Year after leading the Nighthawks to their finest season since 2007.
Natomas went 25-10 with a young team. The Nighthawks won the Greater Sacramento League championship, lost a heartbreaker in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV finals and reached thee CIF Northern California regional semifinals. There, Natomas suffered a last-second 64-61 loss to eventual state champion Monterey.
Other coaches considered for Coach of the Year included: Fields of Monterey Trail, Ryan Williams of Union Mine, Jermaine Brown of Christian Brothers, Geoff Broyles of Del Oro, Tim Kelly of Jesuit, Steve Taylor of Rocklin, Joey Rollings of Sheldon and John Hunter of West Park.
Large School Player of the Year
Jaylen Valdez of Capital Christian is The Bee’s Large School Player of the Year. The junior guard averaged a team-high 18.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists for the Capital Athletic League champions, helping the Cougars finish 23-9. At 6-3, Valdez has seen his recruiting stock soar due to his playmaking and scoring ability and feel for the game.
Medium School Player of the Year
Sir Marius Jones of Sacramento High is The Bee’s Medium School Player of the Year.
The junior guard led the Dragons to back-to-back Sac-Joaquin Section Division III championships. He averaged 21.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists for a team that went 25-8, attacking with drives, runners and jumpers.
Small School Player of the Year
Nate Sweet of Union Mine in El Dorado is The Bee’s Small School Player of the Year.
The senior guard averaged 25.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.9 steals as the only returning starter from last season, when he averaged 8.5 points. The Diamondbacks went 31-4, won the Sierra Valley Conference championship and finished with the most wins in program history.
Smallest School Player of the Year
Romello Bruhn of Woodland Christian is The Bee’s Smallest School Player of the Year.
The sophomore guard averaged 29.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists for a team that went 22-7 and won the Central Valley California League championship. Bruhn played the last part of the season with a protective face mask, and he kept on scoring, a year after averaging 20.9 points as a freshman.
Jenkins of Natomas wins online poll
Manno Jenkins of Natomas was the “People’s Choice” for Player of the Year in online voting at sacbee.com.
The sophomore guard averaged 18.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 3.4 steals for a Nighthawks team that went 25-10 and reached the CIF Northern California Division IV playoffs.
Sacramento Bee 2023-24 Boys All-Metro Teams
Player of the Year
G Brandon Gibson, Monterey Trail, Sr.
Large School Player of the Year
G Jaylen Valdez, Capital Christian, Jr.
Medium School Player of the Year
G Sir Marius Jones, Sacramento, Jr.
Small School Player of the Year
G Nate Sweet, Union Mine, Sr.
Smallest School Player of the Year
G Romello Bruhn, Woodland Christian, So.
Coach of the Year
Brian McKenzie, Natomas
First Team
G Caden Pinnick, Del Oro, Sr.
G Kevin Haupt, Jesuit, Sr.
G Manno Jenkins, Natomas, So.
F Mark Lavrenov, Rocklin, Jr.
C Tallis Toure, West Park, Sr.
F Jaden Woodard, Sheldon, Sr.
Second Team
G Jeremiah Butler, Inderkum, Sr.
G Andre Gomez, Grant, So.
G Kendahl Hearne, Sacramento, Sr.
G Aiden Rollins, Franklin, So.
G Jaden Spears, Sheldon, Sr.
F Shawn Underwood, Christian Brothers, Jr.
Third Team
F Kaleb Edwards, Oak Ridge, Jr.
G Ethan Gines, Union Mine, Sr.
G Siincere Hudson, Inderkum, Fr.
F Cole Epperson, Jesuit, Jr.
G Kanyon Rice, Rocklin, Sr.
G Chase Rawlins, Folsom, Jr.
C Jake Williams, Del Oro, Sr.
Fourth Team
G Josiah Andrews, Rocklin, So.
F Shobal Barksdale, Sacramento, Jr.
C Kentrell Kelly, Monterey Trail, Sr.
G Ben Manley, Placer, Sr.
G KJ Ramey, Laguna Creek, Sr.
F Myles Wiggins, Capital Christian, So.
G Derron White, Monterey Trail, Jr.
Fifth Team
G Chase Clary, Valley Christian, Sr.
G Michael Butcher, Burbank, Jr.
F James Sweet, Twelve Bridges, Sr.
G Zach Villanueva, West Campus, So.
F Jace Thompson, Rio Americano, Jr.
F Stephan Hewitt, Christian Brothers, Jr.
G Julian Witt, Nevada Union, Sr.
Sixth Team
G Benny Ambriz, Casa Roble, Jr
F Taylen Goodman, Inderkum, Jr.
G Mason Marsh, Whitney, Sr.
C Greg Piotrowski, Franklin
G Jaylan Virgil, Laguna Creek, Fr.
C Max VanLaningham, Woodcreek, So.
Honorable mention: Davis Abell, Granite Bay, Sr.; Jagger Beck, Sutter, Sr.; Patrick Bingham, Del Oro, Sr.; Reid Brear, Del Oro, Jr.; Kenny Brown, Mira Loma, Sr.; Jacob Butler, Lincoln, Jr.; Shine Od Chinzorig, Mira Loma, Sr.; Sergio De La Cruz, Encina, Sr.; Adrian Devenecia, Rio Americano, Jr.; Dylan Donley, Bear River, Sr.; Joven Dulay, Folsom, So.; Jayden Ferreira, El Dorado, Sr.; Keylen Garth, Futures, Sr.; John Harb, Western Sierra, Fr.; Brenden Hawkins, Del Oro, Fr.; Rashawn Inglemon, Montery Trail, Jr.; RayShawn Johnson, Cordova, Sr.; Lucas Keller, Delta, Jr.; Daniel Kozlov, Futures, Jr.; German Kudashov, Sacramento Adventist, Sr.; Larry Lewis, Vacaville, Sr.; Ryder Lyons, Folsom, So.; Isaiah McKee, John Adams Academy, Sr.; Chancey Minshew, Pioneer, Sr.; Zavion Mitchell, Galt, Sr.; Tarun Nijar, River Valley, Jr.; Clark Nielsen, Roseville, Sr.; Moses Oginni, Casa Roble, Jr.; Josh O’Neal, Bradshaw Christian, Sr.; Keenan Patterson, Ponderosa, Sr.; Dondre Prothro, Kennedy, Sr.; Tyler Rattler, Sheldon, Sr.; Damien Rickett, Bella Vista, Sr.; Amir Sabir, Cordova, Sr.; Dylan Sayer, Oak Ridge, Sr.; Asher Schroeder, Jesuit, Jr.; Antonio Seastrunk, Esparto, Sr.; Javi Sidhu, Del Campo, Sr.; Cedric Smith, Faith Christian, Sr.; Aidan Triplet, Woodcreek, Sr.; Aeron Wallace, Natomas, Fr.; Ely Willis, Whitney. Jr.; CJ Willenborg, Capital Christian, Sr.; Isaac Zmerzlikar, Union Mine, So.
THE BEE’S TOP 20
Boys basketball
Final rankings
1. Monterey Trail (27-5)
2. Rocklin (28-4)
3. Capital Christian (23-9)
4. Sacramento (25-8)
5. Inderkum (23-8)
6. Del Oro (26-9)
7. Jesuit (24-9)
8. Sheldon (20-10)
9. Christian Brothers (19-4)
10. Franklin (23-7)
11. Folsom (17-12)
12. West Park (24-8)
13. Placer (25-5)
14. Natomas (25-10)
15. Union Mine (31-4)
16. Woodcreek (23-7)
17. Whitney (17-13)
18. Grant (17-11)
19. Laguna Creek (18-11)
20. Burbank (20-10)
Bubble: Kennedy (15-13), Rio Americano (17-12), Oak Ridge (16-13), Twelve Bridges (25-5).
▪ How the teams were picked: The Sacramento Bee All-Metro basketball teams were selected through personal observation, coaches’ nominations and regional media insight from Matthew Bessette, Nick Pecoraro and Scott Tedmon. Team playoff success enhanced a player’s standing.
This story was originally published April 3, 2024 at 5:00 AM.