Here are the Top 25 SJ County boys basketball players ahead of 2023-24 season
Cold weather in San Joaquin County means winter prep sports seasons are right around the corner. Lace up your sneakers and find your nearest gym as Stockton Hoops is back.
High school boys' basketball in the 209 was loaded last season with talented teams who could bring blue banners back to the community.
Twelve teams made the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs last season and three of those teams advanced to the CIF State Championship brackets as well. Ripon Christian was the lone team from SJ County to win a blue banner last season on the Division V level.
With the new season set to start on Nov. 17, The Record has decided to compose a list of the Top 25 boys’ basketball players hailing from San Joaquin County who you’ll want to keep an eye out for in the 2023-24 season.
The list will include players from the Tri-City Athletic, Trans Valley, Southern Athletic, Western Athletic Conference, Valley Oak, Central California Athletic Alliance, and San Joaquin Athletic Association leagues. These athletes are just the cream of the talented crop of players who hail from the 209.
(Players listed in alphabetical order)
Raymond Arnold
School: Chavez
Year: Senior
Position: Forward/guard
Summary: With Chavez’s leading scorer from last year transferring, the team will be in Arnold’s hands. The 6-foot-4, 175-pounder averaged 7.3 points and close to five rebounds per game last season helping the Titians to an 18-10 overall record. He will look to lead Chavez in points and boards next season as he’ll be the Titans' go-to this season.
Richard Banks
School: Weston Ranch
Year: Senior
Position: Guard
Summary: Banks will be the leader of the Cougars as they embark on their first season without the Mobley brothers Elijah and Elliot. The 6-foot-4 lanky guard was the team’s sharpest shooter last season with a 54% field goal percentage, averaging 13.3 points per game. Weston Ranch made a deep run in the SJS Division I bracket — with Banks leading on and off the court they can do it again.
Jace Beidleman
School: Ripon Christian
Year: Senior
Position: Forward
Summary: If you’re looking for a big body in the paint, look no further than 6-foot-7 Beidleman. The senior power forward averaged close to nine points per game for the Knights as they nearly won out the season last year. He ended the year with close to 300 total points, the third most on the team.
EJ Campbell
School: Mountain House
Year: Senior
Position: Guard
Summary: When the Mustangs need a bucket, Campbell’s number gets called. He led his team in points per game, total points, and free throw percentage last season. The 6-foot shooting guard will look to do the same and hopefully get his team past the first round of playoffs in his final season at Mountain House.
Xavier Cardona Renshaw
School: West
Year: Senior
Position: Guard
Summary: Renshaw was a bright spot for West after finishing fifth in the TCAL with an overall record of 13-15. He finished the season averaging close to 15 points per game earning him a spot on the TCAL All-League 2nd team. The speedy guard for the Wolfpack with a new face joining him this year, they will look to be more competitive.
Luke Crivello
School: Ripon Christian
Year: Senior
Position: Guard
Summary: Ripon Christian won’t be able to replace the lights-out shooting of 2022 graduate Eli Terpsma but Crivello is a promising successor. Standing at 6-foot-1, Crivello averaged the second-most points per game at 10.5. He ended the season with a total of 358 points and a couple of games scoring 20 or more points. Crivello and the Knights are looking to go back-to-back as SJS DV champs.
Elijah Duncan
School: Bear Creek
Year: Junior
Position: Guard
Summary: Bear Creek’s rising star this season is 6-foot-2 shooting guard Duncan. As a sophomore, he averaged 7.8 points per game as a consistent scorer for the Bruins. He will look to take on a big chunk of the offensive load this season as a deep ball threat. Duncan had the second-best three-point shooting percentage finishing the year shooting 30% from beyond the arc. He recently transferred to Bear Creek after playing with Edison last season.
Landon Gillespie
School: Ripon
Year: Senior
Position: Guard
Summary: Ripon returns its leading scorer from last year in Gillespie. The shooting guard averaged 12 points per game leading the Indians to the SJS D4 playoffs. He ended the season scoring a team-high total of 333 points. Gillespie along with a host of other key returners will look to make a deeper postseason run this season.
Daniel Huerta
School: St. Mary’s
Year: Senior
Position: Guard
Summary: The Rams best-returning guard this winter is Huerta. He averaged 12.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game helping his team to an SJS Division 2 first-round appearance. The speedy guard ended the year leading St. Mary’s in total blocks, points, and boards. He will likely run the Rams' offense this season.
Samuel Jimenez
School: Escalon
Year: Junior
Position: Forward
Summary: Jimenez ended his sophomore year averaging 8.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game for the Cougars. The junior forward will have an even bigger role this year as a key returner for Escalon. Jimenez led his team in rebounding finishing with a total of 182 boards and shooting the best from deep. The Cougars will look to make the SJS Division 4 playoffs again this season.
Donez Lindsey
School: Lincoln
Year: Junior
Position: Guard
Summary: One-half of Lincoln’s junior duo this season is 5-foot-10 Lindsey. Despite missing part of last season due to an injury, Lindsey finished the season averaging the second most points for the Trojans, 13.2, shooting 50% from the field. He was also Lincoln’s biggest defensive threat averaging close to four steals per game as a pest for his opponents.
Cameron Lowe
School: Venture Academy
Year: Senior
Position: Forward
Summary: One-third of Venture Academny’s Big Three is senior forward Lowe. He brings physicality to the Mustangs' offense as he can crash the glass with the best of them. He averaged the second most points on his team 15 and led them in rebounding for a total of 347 boards. Lowe was also the Mustangs' sharpest shooting shooting 65% from the field.
Anthony Moore
School: Lincoln
Year: Junior
Position: Guard
Summary: Moore is the other half of Lincoln’s junior duo standing at 6-foot-5 and 165 pounds. He was the Trojans’ leading scorer averaging close to 15 points and 6.3 boards per game. Moore didn’t stop there he also led his team in assists as just a sophomore. The junior has garnered two D1 offers already from the University of the Pacific and Northern Illinois University.
Nathan Morse
School: Lodi
Year: Senior
Position: Guard
Summary: The Flames will look to Morse’s sharp shooting from deep to help them make a deeper run in the SJS D2 playoffs. Last season they lost their play-in game against Patterson and are looking to turn things around this year. Standing at 6-foot-1, Morse will need to get hot and stay hot for Lodi in his final season as a Flame.
Armon Naweed
School: Modesto Christian
Year: Senior
Position: Forward
Summary: Naweed was a big body in the paint for the Kimball Jaguars last season and will do the same this year. Standing at 6-foot-6 and 180 pounds, he is the second tallest player on this list behind Beidleman. Naweed averaged 6.4 points per game the most of any returner for this season. He has transferred from Kimball to Modesto Christian and will play for the Crusaders in the 2023-24 season.
Daeleon Neal
School: Venture Academy
Year: Senior
Position: Guard
Summary: Running point for the Vikings this season will be Neal who is looking to fill in for 2022 graduate Leon Mills Jr. Neal can read defenses and find the open man averaging three assists per game last season. He can also create his own baskets averaging close to six points per game while shooting 44% from the field. Neal will look to keep Edison at the top of the SJAA and one of the powerhouses in the SJS. * Since the publishing of this story Neal has transferred to Venture Academy.
Adam Perez
School: Bear Creek
Year: Senior
Position: Guard
Summary: Perez was a key reason behind Bear Creek having a shot at making the SJS Division 2 playoffs last season. Putting up 12.5 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.3 steals a game helped the Bruins earn a play-in game. Despite them falling two points short of cracking the first round, Perez proved to be a solid baller for the Bruins. He ended the season with 326 total points.
Mateen Rafiq
School: Weston Ranch
Year: Senior
Position: Guard
Summary: Rafiq could be Weston Ranch’s final piece to its puzzle this season. The El Camino (Sacramento) transfer averaged an impressive 26.9 points, seven boards, and 4.2 steals per game last season for the Eagles. He will add to the Cougars' loaded offense and look to do the same before he heads to the East Coast to play D1 ball at Cornell.
Marcos Rosales
School: Venture Academy
Year: Senior
Position: Guard
Summary: If it’s not Lowe or Williams, Rosales is getting buckets for the Mustangs. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 13.5 points and close to five rebounds per game last season. He ended his junior year with the second-most total rebounds, 131, and the third-most total points, 391. Rosales will look to stay consistent for Venture Academy as it looks to make another deep playoff run.
Santiago Sanders
School: Manteca
Year: Senior
Position: Forward
Summary: Sanders finished last season as the Buffaloes’ sharpest shooter averaging the third most points per game, 8.3. He shot a solid 52% from the field and will look to take over for Manteca’s offense in place of 2022 graduate Noah Lyons. Sanders also led his team in rebounding and blocking last year.
Terrel Tek
School: Edison
Year: Senior
Position: Guard
Summary: Tek was the guy at Chavez leading the Titans offensively and defensively last year. He averaged close to 17 points and four steals a game, racking up a total of 455 points. The 5-foot-11 do-it-all athlete will look to bring that same effectiveness to Edison transferring for his final season. With Tek, the Vikings add another consistent scorer to their offense.
Quentin Thompson
School: Lincoln
Year: Senior
Position: Forward/guard
Summary: The Trojans' key senior returner this year is Thompson. Standing at 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds, the combo guard was a big body in the paint for Lincoln last season. He averaged close to 10 points and 3.4 rebounds a game shooting 49% from the field. Thompson will need to become more effective on the boards to help better his team's chance at making a deep run in the playoffs.
Cayden Ward
School: St. Mary’s
Year: Senior
Position: Forward
Summary: Standing at 6-foot-4 Ward was a problem for all of St. Mary’s opponents last season. He averaged a team-high 14.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and close to three assists per game. Ward showcased he can do it all for the Rams and will look to do so again this season. They will need him on his A-game to make a deeper postseason run this winter.
Gabriel Williams
School: Mountain House
Year: Senior
Position: Center
Summary: Standing at 6-foot-4 and with a strong build, Williams will be a big threat this season for the Mustangs. He ended last season leading his team in rebounds per game to finish with a total of 169 boards. Williams plays a big role defensively as well leading Mountain House in blocks. If his scoring has improved from last year he can be an all-around threat this year.
Mario Williams Jr.
School: Venture Academy
Year: Senior
Position: Guard
Summary: The key to bringing a blue banner back to Venture Academy this season is Williams. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged a whopping 20.6 and 2.1 steals per game leading the Mustangs all the way to the SJS D4 semifinals. Williams has notably improved on defense over his years as a Mustangs and will look to lead his team in blocks again this season. He has earned an offer from Western Oregon University, an NCAA DII program.
Record reporter Shannon Belt covers sports. She can be reached at sbelt@recordnet.com or on Twitter @ShannonBelt3. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Here are the top 25 boys basketball players ahead of 2023-24 season
