High School

High school basketball: California Live 2025 takeaways, stock risers, top performers

More than 160 high school boys basketball teams competed at CaliLive where college coaches come in droves to evaluate some top players and programs.

Tarek Fattal

Oak Hills' Damarian Landry caught the attention of college coaches, media members and evaluators at 2025 CaliLive.
Oak Hills' Damarian Landry caught the attention of college coaches, media members and evaluators at 2025 CaliLive. / Tarek Fattal

LADERA RANCH, CALIFORNIA — One of the biggest draws to summer events like Section 7 (in Arizona) and CaliLive (in California) is the ability to watch high school basketball players compete with their high school programs.

Though an AAU tournament might have more talent on the floor at one time, most would agree the basketball is better in an event like CaliLive, which ran from June 27-29 in Southern California this past weekend. Prospects competing with their schools means more continuity and better-defined roles, which more often than not produces a better arena for college coaches to evaluate talent.

The following detailed observations came from a full day at CaliLive on Saturday, June 28, and most of the coverage pertains to the CIF Southern Section and LA City Section.

Before diving into the details, here's a quick recap of notable winners at CaliLive:

St. John Bosco led by Christian Collins (but without Brandon McCoy and Tajh Ariza) defeated Crespi (without Carter Barnes) 45-42 to win the Aussie Basketball Travelers bracket ... NorCal juggernaut Salesian defeated Notre Dame Sherman Oaks (without Tyran Stokes) 64-62 to win the Kangaroo bracket ... Harvard-Westlake beat Inglewood 69-60 to win the OCYSF bracket ... and JSerra topped Redondo Union 69-56 to win the Grip Spritz bracket.

TOP TAKEAWAYS, STOCK RISERS, PERFORMERS

1. STOCK RISER: Damarian Landry of Oak Hills

Damarian Landry
Oak Hills' Damarian Landry caught the attention of college coaches, media members and evaluators at 2025 CaliLive. / Tarek Fattal

There is buzz surrounding Landry and it's likely to get louder. The 6-foot-6 junior will continue to turn heads this summer with his long, wiry frame and impressive handle. He's a dynamic athlete with an above-the-rim game.

Landry's jump shot mechanics need smoothening out, but he did make perimeter shots off the catch and the dribble. With two years of high school to go, Landry could emerge a quality prospect.

2. PERFORMER: Jason Crowe Jr. leads Inglewood

Jason Crowe Jr.
Jason Crowe Jr. (5) of Inglewood High led CaliLive in scoring with 37 points per game. / Tarek Fattal

No surprise here. Just another affirming update on prolific scorer Jason Crowe Jr. who averaged an event-high 37 points per game in four games. He scored 47 points in an overtime win over Eastvale Roosevelt.

The 5-star guard led Inglewood to their bracket semifinal final before falling to Harvard-Westlake.

3. TAKEWAY: Expected CIF-SS Open programs deliver

High School Basketball: Chris Sanders, Redondo Union
Chris Sanders of Redondo Union. / Tarek Fattal

CaliLive provided a good indication of which teams are likely to make up the CIF Southern Section Open Division field (or 'Division 1' if the section office chooses to change the name of the top playoff division).

No surprise. Harvard-Westlake, St. John Bosco and JSerra won its respective brackets. Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks, Santa Margarita and Redondo Union made finals. All six of those teams were Open Division teams this past season.

At full strength in a way-too-early look ahead to February of 2026, these teams would be ranked as such:

1. Notre Dame
2. St. John Bosco
3. JSerra
4. Santa Margarita
5. Redondo Union
6. Harvard-Westlake

4. PERFORMER: JSerra adds Jaden Bailes

High school basketball: JSerra's Jaden Bailes
Jaden Bailes of JSerra. / Tarek Fattal

JSerra was already a contender, but with the addition of St. Augustine transfer Jaden Bailes, the Lions upgrade their guard play exponentially. Bailes has great command, a high motor, an alpha approach to the floor, the capability to make shots from range, and showed flashes of elite athleticism in the open floor.

Bailes picked up an offer from Cal Berkeley over the weekend.

5. STOCK RISER: Jasiah Williams gives Crespi scoring punch

Jasiah Williams
Crespi's Jasiah Williams. / Farley Anunciacion

Crespi is having a great summer. After winning Section 7 in Arizona, the Celts reached the finals at CaliLive without Carter Barnes (injury) and fell to a strong St. John Bosco team by just three (45-42). Holding SJB to 45 points is impressive in itself ...

Junior-to-be Isaiah Barnes had a stellar weekend, averaging almost 20 per game. But the Celts new 2027 addition in 6-foot-4 Jasiah Williams gives them a nice scoring punch from the perimeter. Williams is long, dynamic and confident when looking to make a play.

Williams is an All-Mission League-caliber player.

6. STOCK RISER: Campbell Hall adds 6-10 Kyle Sanders

High school basketball: Campbell Hall's Kyle Sander.
Campbell Hall's Kyle Sanders. / Tarek Fattal

Campbell Hall has gained an impact transfer in Kyle Sanders, a 6-foot-10 center who will be a sophomore this 2025-26 season. Sanders is a transfer from Bishop Montgomery who's already picked up notable offers from Stanford and USC this summer.

His skills are still raw, and sometimes the game moves a little fast for him, but his size and length impacts the game when he's running rim to rim, altering shots and grabbing rebounds.

Along with Sanders, Campbell Hall looked really well-rounded with sparkplug guards in Duece Newt (2026) and Christian Rogers (2027). Nikita Kochnev is all of 6-foot-7, 220 pounds. And NBA point guard Chris Paul's son, Chris Paul Jr., has gotten a nice growth spurt. Paul Jr. didn't just grow, but is clearly getting better and more confident for coach David Grace.

Chris Paul Jr.
Campbell Hall's Chris Paul Jr., son of NBA point guard, Chris Paul. / Tarek Fattal

7. STOCK RISER: Josiah Johnson of Mayfair

It's been a great summer for Josiah Johnson, who picked up offers from Long Beach State and UC Santa Barbara this summer. The 6-foot-4 guard has bloomed late, but has caught the attention of college coaches, evaluators and pundits alike.

Johnson averaged 27 points per game at CaliLive.

8. PERFORMER: Freshman Will Conroy Jr. of Village Christian

Conroy Jr. has made his presence known. The incoming freshman will be on all the class of 2029 watchlists in early November. Conroy Jr. led Village Christian to a 3-1 record at CaliLive and averaged 31.3 points per game, which was the 5th-best average for the weekend.

9. TAKEAWAY: La Mirada adds new faces

Jordyn Houston, La Mirada
Jordyn Houston of La Mirada / Tarek Fattal

La Mirada is coming of a historical season, making the Open Division playoffs for the first time ever. Coach Randy Oronoz is hoping its not a one-and-done accomplishment.

The Matadores have added a few new faces to help star junior Gene Roebuck, including 6-foot-7 forward Jordyn Houston, Westchester transfer Gary Ferguson, and Lamek Kifle, a 6-foot-8 forward from St. Paul.

10. TAKEAWAY: Cleveland, an Open City title contender?

Cleveland High: Charlie Adams
Charlie Adams of Cleveland High. / Tarek Fattal

Chatsworth's Alijah Arenas is gone to USC. Westchester's Tajh Ariza transferred to St. John Bosco. It means the LA City Section Open Division title hunt is WIDE open.

Cleveland has a good trio of TJ Wansa (transfer from Alemany), Charlie Adams (transfer from St. Bonaventure), and 6-foot-8 forward Serigne Deme (2026). Wansa will be a junior. Adams will be a sophomore.

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Published
Tarek Fattal, SBLive Sports
TAREK FATTAL

Tarek Fattal has been covering high school sports since 2015 in Southern California and primarily in Los Angeles, covering notable athletes such as Bronny James, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Alyssa Thompson. He was with the LA Daily News for eight years, which included being the beat reporter for the UCLA men's basketball team. Tarek can be seen on TV regularly on CBS/KCAL as a sports analyst with Jim Hill.

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