Modesto, CA – This past weekend, Modesto Christian hosted its 4th Annual Summer Classic Tournament, which has become one of the top non-scholastic live period events held on the West Coast with teams from surrounding states added to the field for this year’s rendition. The event was composed of over 40 teams and a 32 team bracket that featured some of the top teams in Northern and Central California. The 3-day tournament started on Friday, June 14th and ended on Sunday, June 16th with the Clovis North Broncos taking down the host team Modesto Christian Crusaders, 71 to 66, in the championship game.
The tournament was spread over 4 different locations being Modesto Christian (main gym), Central Catholic, Edison of Stockton, and Mountain House. I started at Modesto Christian and then spent a majority of Friday at Central Catholic gym. Saturday I was at Modesto Christian all day before hitting the road before the final game of Day 2 between MOdesto Christian and Clovis East. I was not in attendance for Sunday’s games, as I headed home to spend the day with my dad on Father’s Day but kept tabs on the winners side of the bracket via social media. Given that I was only in the gym for Friday and Saturday at Modesto Christian and Central Catholic gyms, I only included players I saw play live over those two days at those two gyms. Britt Wright of Prep Hoops NorCal has some articles on top players that played at Mountain House’s gym that can be accessed through Prep Hoops website.
This article takes a look at 20 standout players from Days 1 and 2 at the Modesto Christian Summer Classic regardless of class. Below, I provide a brief description of how each player performed in the games I watched, along with any relevant statistics I gathered, a short description of each player’s skill set, and all relevant information for each player. Although this is a list of my top performers, the names are listed in alphabetical order and not in ranked order. After the first 14 players in this article, there is a section with the sub-heading “Other Notable Players”, which are players that performed well at the Summer Classic. However, I published an article last week from the Clovis West Nike Summer Shootout with these players in that article. The link to that article is under the names of players at the end of this write-up. I did include relevant stats for the players under Other Notable Players from the Summer Classic but to get a more in-depth look at their skills and strengths, you will need to click on the link to my previous article. I begin this article with rising junior guard Kai Bradford.
6’2 Kai Bradford | 2026 | Jesuit (Carmichael CA)
Bradford had a solid opening game in a loss to eventual runner-up Modesto Christian in a showcase game, as he would score 8 points, connecting on a pair of threes, as well as 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Bradford makes good use of the crossover to create separation from his defender, gets downhill to attack driving lanes, has the court vision to find open teammates when the defense collapses, and moves well off the ball to get open looks for catch and shoot threes. Solid on-ball defender with a lengthy wingspan and the lateral quickness to stay in front of his opponent with active hands to generate turnovers.
6’3 Mason Brown | 2025 | Modesto Christian (CA)
Brown displayed his ability to score the ball in a variety of ways in a showcase game win over Jesuit before bracket play began. Brown scored 12 points and was key in scoring the ball early for the Crusaders, which allowed Modesto Christian to keep a lead before teammates Gavin Sykes and Myles Jones got it going in the 2nd half. Brown does a solid job on the glass, has the moves and handles to create space off the bounce, attacks down hill with a purpose and ability to score in creative ways around the basket or find open teammates on the drive and kick, and is a solid defender at the 1 through 3 positions. What I was most impressed with was Brown’s ability to take and make tough mid-range jumpers through contact or keeping balance when fading away. He hit some tough jumpers and hopefully he has a relatively speedy return to the court, which would give the Crusaders a dynamic trio of guards who can all create their own but also play well together.
6’9 Isaiah Carter | 2025 | Golden Valley (Merced CA)
Carter was one of the more impressive bigs at the Summer Classic that imposed his will around the basket and controlled the boards. Carter had a big double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds in the opening bracket play loss to San Joaquin Memorial, a school briefly attended his junior year. Carter has nice touch on shots around the basket, has nice footwork and back to the basket moves to create scoring opportunities, keeps the ball high to prevent smaller players from poking out the ball, and gets his team multiple opportunities on the offensive end with rebounds and second chance points. Carter alters shots, protects the basket, and can space the floor from the high-post to the 3-point line on occasion to keep the defense honest. Carter will be the key for Golden Valley and should put up big numbers his senior season.
6’2 Ja’Vance Coleman | 2026 | Bullard (Fresno CA)
Coleman is back from a foot injury that sidelined him for 4-5 months and he was up to his usual ways of relentlessly attacking the defense, making plays off the bounce, and finishing creatively around the basket at the Summer Classic. Coleman finished with 18 points in a showcase game win over Central Valley and I was particularly intrigued with his movement and burst off speed off the dribble. Coleman made great use of the crossover to create space, the acceleration off the dribble looked as effective as it did before the injury, as he was able to get by his initial defender whenever he wanted, made some excellent passes off the drive and kick and from the high-post in the zone offense setting, and showed his quick bounce to collect offensive rebounds and secure extra possessions. With Felder still sidelined with an injury of his own, this will be a good time for Coleman to sharpen up his game and be the offensive weapon needed until both 2026s are reunited to give Bullard one of the top backcourts in the Central Section.
6’4 Luke Isaak | 2025 | San Ramon Valley (Danville CA)
Isaak has been a staple name for the Wolves since his freshman year and he would lead his squad in scoring throughout the Summer Classic. Isaak had 18 points connecting on 3 threes to go along with 4 assists in a win over Bishop Manogue, which was followed by a team high 19 points and a pair of threes in a loss to St. Ignatius. Isaak is solid on the glass, is a solid perimeter defender with the physical build and wingspan to switch on bigger players, and great court vision to make pin-point passes up the court for easy transition baskets. Isaak has the moves and handles to create off the dribble, good footwork to maneuver off the pivot to generate space from his defender, is capable of making tough mid-range jumpers and fadeaway shots keeping his balance through contact, has a smooth stroke from beyond the arc off the bounce or the catch and shoot, and is a creative finisher around the basket. Plays with great pace and poise, makes cerebral plays with the ball in his hands, and hits big shots when his team is in need.
6’5 Jamahl Jackson | 2027 | Bishop Manogue (Reno NV)
Jackson was one of the more promising underclass bigs at the Summer Classic and made his presence felt in the interior in a loss to San Ramon Valley, as he would score 13 points and pull down 9 rebounds. Jackson has nice touch scoring the ball in the paint, the footwork to generate space from interior defenders, the back to the basket moves and size to finish through contact and earn trips to the line frequently, and does a nice job of posting up and soft hands to receive passes from perimeter players. Jackson did a nice job in the pick and roll plays and dives to the basket with a purpose but under control. Jackson showed he can hit the jumper to be effective at pulling the opposing bigs away from the basket. With development of a 3-point shot, Jackson could be a solid stretch 4.
6’3 Myles Jones | 2026 | Modesto Christian (CA)
Jones was superb from beyond the arc in the Crusaders opening game win over a solid Jesuit squad. Jones finished with 12 points but caught fire in the second half and connected on 3 threes to give his team the spark to open up a big lead, which was only two at half (24-22). Jones had another solid showing to help the Crusaders advance to the elite 8 with 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists in a win over Branson. Jones has smooth handles, shifty moves to create off the dribble, fluid movement off the ball, plays with great pace and flow to his game, keeps the ball on a string, and can make plays when on the attack. Jones has great body control, nice footwork, and can stop and pop on a dime from the mid-range with accuracy on the jumper. Absolute sniper from the perimeter and will be a nice one-two punch with teammate Gavin Sykes.
6’2 Steele Labagh | 2026 | St. Ignatius (San Francisco CA)
Labagh is a swiss army knife on both ends of the court and provided the Wildcats with timely plays scoring the ball, getting rebounds for second chance points, and high level on-ball defense that created turnovers to help lead his squad to the final 4 of the Summer Classic. Labagh had 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists in the loss to Clovis North, 12 points and 4 rebounds in a win over San Joaquin Memorial, and 10 points, 8 rebounds, and a block in a win over San Ramon Valley to help earn a spot in the final 4 before losing to host team Modesto Christian. Labagh has good handles, can space the floor with the 3-ball, is a solid on-ball defender against perimeter players, is a quick leaper to be a solid rebounder for his position, and plays with a relentless motor but under control. Makes winning basketball plays.
6’2 Ty Schalk | 2027 | San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno CA)
Schalk displayed his accurate shooting from beyond the arc, as well as his ability to play the lead guard spot and distribute when the defense takes away open shots. Schalk finished with 11 points in the Panthers opening round win of bracket play against Golden Valley of Merced hitting 3 threes, and 10 points and a pair of threes in a win over Bishop Manogue to advance in the Winner’s Bracket. Schalk moves well off the ball to get to his shot spots, has the moves to create space on the perimeter, has a quick release on his jumper, is a creative finisher around the basket, and has the court vision to find open teammates and the poise to make quality decisions. Schalk’s role will likely be the floor spacer and back-up point guard for the Panthers this upcoming season, but he has shown the confidence to step his game up when the team needs him to be more of a creator with the ball in hand.
6’3 Sajjin Sidhu | 2026 | San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno CA)
Sidhu has provided the versatility that the Panthers have needed in the first part of June, as he has been consistent on the boards, accurate from beyond the arc, playing on and off the ball, and defending primary ball handlers to wing/slashers all that helped San Joaquin go 5-1 at the Summer Classic. In the Panthers opening game of bracket play, Sidhu would score 10 of his 13 points in the first half to help his team build a comfortable lead and connected on 3 threes in the process. Sidhu was key on the boards in the Panthers win over Bishop Manogue, as he snagged 8 rebounds and dish out 3 assists to go along with his 5 points to help his team hold off the Miners and advance in the Winner’s Bracket. Sidhu has solid handles, makes great use of the crossover and hesitation moves to generate space between his opponent, gets good lift on the jumper, and is a creative finisher when attacking the basket. Sidhu has good court vision to make quality reads, does a solid job on the glass to get out and run, and moves fluidly off the ball to get to his shot spots. Sidhu has really taken what the defense has given him and that is going to be key on a roster that has a lot of talent but relatively young with players trying to figure out their roles.
6’1 Liam Sorensen | 2026 | Bishop Manogue (Reno NV)
Sorensen did a lot of little things to impact the game in the Miners loss to San Ramon Valley but showed he can put the ball in the basket and score in a variety of ways when called upon. Sorensen had a game high 22 points connecting on 3 threes in the loss to San Joaquin Memorial. Sorensen is a creative finisher around the basket, has the moves and handles to create off the dribble and get to his mid-range jumper, and can light it up from beyond the arc off the bounce or the catch and shoot. Sorensen has shifty moves to evade his defender, keeps the ball on a string to survey the defense, and makes nice use of the hesitation to get by his initial defender and into the core of the defense with the court vision to make plays. Tough minded player that showed he is able to do whatever his team needs.
6’4 Gavin Sykes | 2025 | Modesto Christian (CA)
Sykes had a solid showing in the opening showcase game of the event before bracket play got underway in a win over Jesuit, as he would lead all scorers with 13 points to go along with 4 assists and 2 steals. Sykes had another all around solid game in a win over Branson to get to the Elite 8, as he would score 7 points to go along with 5 assists and 2 blocks in a low scoring affair, 52 to 37. Sykes has the handles and moves to create separation from his defender, the body control off the bounce to connect on tough jumpers from the mid-range to the 3-point line, the build to absorb and finish through contact down the lane, and the court vision to make plays off the drive and kick when getting down hill. Sykes is a solid on-ball defender, plays with good pace and control, does a solid job on the boards to push the ball up the court, and gets good acceleration off the hesitation and crossover to get into the defense. Good lift on his jumper and plays with a great motor and intensity.
6’3 Raymond Whitley | 2026 | St. Ignatius (San Francisco CA)
Whitley displayed his ability to relentlessly attack the basket and keep constant pressure on the opponent all weekend to help the Wildcats earn a spot in the final 4 of the Summer Classic. Whitley scored a game-high 29 points connecting on a pair of threes in a showcase game loss against eventual Summer Classic champs Clovis North. Whitley would go for 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals in a win over San Joaquin Memorial, followed by a 19 point, 4 rebound, and 5 assist performance in a win over San Ramon Valley to advance to the final four. Whitley showed his ability to get down hill and use his physical build to finish through contact in the paint. Whitley plays with good pace, has the moves to create off the dribble, has a quick first step and burst of speed to get down hill, the court vision to find open teammates off the drive and kick, and is effective with the 3-ball to space the floor/open up driving lanes. Whitley does a solid job on the glass to push the pace of play, has good body control when taking and making tough jumpers, and is a solid on-ball defender with good lateral quickness to stay in front of his man.
6’4 James Williams | 2026 | Bishop Manogue (Reno NV)
Williams may have been the most bouncy and athletic player at the Summer Classic, as was evident by his 360 dunk in warm ups with his head near the rim. Williams’ level of play was much more than pure athleticism, as he would display the perimeter skill set and playmaking to impact the game in a variety of ways. Williams had 11 points in a tough loss to San Ramon Valley and displayed his overall effect on the game with 16 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and a block in a loss to San Joaquin Memorial. Williams makes great use of the crossover to create separation from his defender, accelerates quickly when turning the corner to attack the basket, and can take flight at the rim or find open teammates off the drive and kick out pass. Williams uses his quick bounce to stay active on the glass, looks to push the pace of play in the open court, gets great lift on his jumper that he can hit with frequency off the dribble or the catch and shoot, and has a smooth stroke on the 3-ball. Williams plays with a good change of pace to keep his defender off balance, keeps the ball on a string to survey the floor, and alters shots on the wing or around the basket on weak side blocks. Impressive prospect from the 2026 class and one to keep an eye on.
Other Notable Players:
The players listed below performed well at the Summer Classic but given that I just did a write-up on these players, I decided to list their relevant stats from the Summer Classic with a link to my previous article that expands more on their overall skill set.
5’9 McKae Amundsen | 2026 | Clovis North (Fresno CA)
24 points connecting on 8 threes in win over St. Ignatius. 13 points in a win over Weston Ranch, two games with 12 points in wins over Monte Vista and Modesto Chirstian.
6’1 Aidan Beechler | 2026 | Clovis East (CA)
8 points and 5 rebounds in a win over Central Catholic.
6’4 Lydell Farmer | 2026 | Clovis East (CA)
9 rebounds and 2 steals in a win over Central Catholic.
6’3 Loukas Jones | 2026 | Clovis North (Fresno CA)
20 points in a win over St. Ignatius, 23 points in a win over Berkley, 15 points in a win over Monte Vista, and a career high 28 points in the championship game win over Modesto Christian and was likely the MVP of the Summer Classic.
6’3 Abram Potts | 2025 | San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno CA)
18 points connecting on 4 threes in a win over Golden Valley, 15 points in a loss to St. Ignatius, and 10 points in a win over Bishop Manogue.
6’8 Parker Spees | 2026 | San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno CA)
9 points in a win over Golden Valley, 11 points in a loss to St. Ignatius, and 21 points connecting on 4 threes in a win over Bishop Manogue.
6’5 Asher Thompson | 2027 | Clovis East (Fresno CA)
10 points and 4 rebounds in a win over Central Catholic.
