2023-24 BVarsity All-Area Boys Basketball team
Players of the year
Nate Becerra, North, senior: South Yosemite Mountain League co-player of the year averaged 17.1 points and 9.7 rebounds to lead the Stars to the program’s first Central Section championship game, winning the Division-III title with a dramatic overtime victory over Tollhouse-Sierra. He had 23 points and nine rebounds in an upset win at San Pedro that pushed his team into the Southern California Regional Division-V final.
Rippen Gill, Centennial, senior: South Yosemite River League player of the year averaged 18.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 4.1 steals and 1.4 blocks per to help lead Golden Hawks to SYRL and SoCal Regional Division-II titles before losing in the CIF State Division II final. He had 27 points on 12 of 14 from the field in a victory over Los Angeles-King Drew in the SoCal Regional semifinals.
Coaches of the year
Hernan Santiago, Centennial: Returned to the Golden Hawks’ bench after a brief hiatus and led the team to a 28-8 record, and South Yosemite River League and Southern California Regional Division II titles before losing in the state championship game to Oakland Tech. In a year of firsts, the team won its first state playoff game, its first regional championship and advanced to its first state final.
A.J. Shearon, North: Guided the Stars to a 29-7 record and their first Central Section championship, in the program’s first appearance, winning the D-III crown with a dramatic overtime win over Tollhouse-Sierra, advancing to the SoCal Regional Division V title game. The team had a 17-game winning streak and didn’t lose a game for the entire month of January.
First team
Donquavius Bolton, Centennial, senior: First-team South Yosemite River League averaged 9.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.1 steals to help team reach state D-II final.
Zach Garnett, Frontier, junior: First-team South Yosemite River League averaged 18.2 points, 11.2 rebounds, 1.2 steals and two blocks for the Titans.
Gabriel Gutierrez, BCHS, junior: Co-South Yosemite Valley League player of the year averaged 17.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.7 steals per game.
Lance Haworth, Highland, senior: First-team South Yosemite Valley League averaged 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists per game for the Scots.
Amarius Rowel, Independence, junior: First-team South Yosemite Valley League averaged 20 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists to lead the Falcons.
Ethan Saenz, North, freshman: SYML rookie of the year averaged 14.4 points, 5.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game to lead Stars to SoCal Regional D-V final.
Jaxton Santiago, Centennial, senior: First-team SYRL averaged 5.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 4.5 steals and 1.0 block to help Golden Hawks to state D-II final.
Deshawn Usochu, Liberty, senior: First team South Yosemite River League averaged 17.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 3.2 steals and 1.0 blocks for Patriots.
Bentley Waller, BCHS, senior: Co-South Yosemite Valley League player of the year averaged 20.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game.
Clifford Willis, South, sophomore: Co-South Yosemite Mountain League player of the year averaged 10 points, three assists, four rebounds and three steals per game.
Second team
Malachi Davis, McFarland, freshman
Godwill Fomusoh, Centennial, senior
Asher Garde, Garces, junior
Elias Griffin, North, junior
Michael Gutierrez, Centennial, junior
Jovarie Hayden, Ridgeview, senior
Kade Johnson, Stockdale, sophomore
Jesus Martinez, Chavez, senior
Blaine Neudorf, Taft, senior
Luke Taylor, Garces, senior
Third team
Jotham Amodo, Delano, sophomore
Andrew Arredondo, Rosamond, senior
Diego Cabrera, Foothill, senior
Chauncey Carter, South, junior
Miguel Ceja, Golden Valley, senior
Anthony Cerbantez, Tehachapi, junior
Gavin Christian, South, sophomore
Wyatt Haner, North, junior
Bryce Hanson, Garces, freshman
Damarion James, Mira Monte, senior
Derek Jimenez, Liberty, sophomore
Cameron James Macauag, Ridgeview, senior
Shaun Maldonado, Shafter, senior
Drew Minnear, Bakersfield Christian, junior
Kamren Owens, Bakersfield, sophomore
Eddie Ramey III, South, freshman
Fabian Robles, Rosamond, sophomore
Ibrahim Shuwait, Delano, senior
Fred Stokes, West, senior
James Tanner, Independence, senior
Honorable mention
Carson Acevedo, Garces, junior
Nick Andrade, Taft, sophomore
Rudy Ballardo, Wasco, senior
Peyton Beltran, Frontier, sophomore
Rogelio Benavides, Chavez, senior
Cassius Brown, California City, freshman
Darrius Brown, California City, sophomore
Micah Bryant, East, senior
Jaymar Buton, Kennedy, sophomore
Cade Campos, Chavez, senior
Deontre Campos, Kennedy, sophomore
Leonardo Cano Rizo, Arvin, senior
Aidan Cardenas, Shafter, junior
Armando Castruita, Highland, senior
Dominic Contreras, Bakersfield, junior
Dallin Crawford, Frontier, junior
Taiwo Daramola, Bakersfield Christian, freshman
Damari Davis, Liberty, senior
Brooks Dawson, Stockdale, senior
Jaiyon Dixon, West, senior
Joey Galvan, Kern Valley, junior
Alize Garcia, Kennedy, junior
Cameron Gomez, Rosamond, sophomore
Matthew Guerrero, Mira Monte, senior
Mathew Guevara, Immanuel Christian, sophomore
Thomas Guevara, Immanuel Christian, sophomore
Zachary Guevara, Immanuel Christian, senior
Kevin Hart, Desert, sophomore
Cameron Hernandez, South, freshman
Jorge Hernandez, McFarland, junior
Nicholas Hickey, Boron, senior
Rodrick Hodges, Centennial, junior
Devin Jackson, Tehachapi, junior
Ty’Ron Jones, California City, senior
Cory Kent, Burroughs, junior
Jeremias Killebrew, Bakersfield Christian, freshman
Ernest Laulu, Taft, junior
Sean LeBlanc-Grappendorf, Centennial, senior
Troy Lei, Bakersfield Christian, senior
Davian Leon, Independence, junior
Elijah Lopez, Wasco, junior
Josue Lopez-Perez, Del Oro, sophomore
Juan Lopez, Delano, senior
Jesus Martinez, McFarland, senior
Joey Miranda, McFarland, senior
Santana Morales, Chavez, senior
Aiden Morillo, Liberty, senior
Cole O’Brien, Liberty, senior
Alex Pacheco, Rosamond, senior
Chase Phillips, Taft, senior
Drew Pinzon, McFarland, senior
Jacob Ramos, East, senior
Daran Rogers, Desert, junior
Trevor Rowland, Burroughs, sophomore
Fernando Sarabia, Foothill, junior
Dominic Sellers, Burroughs, senior
Kevin Soto, Golden Valley, senior
Allen Stone, Arvin, senior
David Vasquez, North, senior
James Webster, South, senior
Malique White, Ridgeview, senior
Boden Williams, Desert, senior
Acen Zuniga, Liberty, sophomore
