THE BATTLE LA "THE WARMUP" DAY 1 STANDOUTS

Compton Magic vs. Strive For Greatness 

• 16u Strive For Greatness won 70-68
• 17u Compton Magic won 67-59

As expected there was no shortage of talent on the floor in “The Battle LA” Day 1! The star power showed up and shined bright, but none brighter than Andrej Stojakovic (Compton Magic 17u- 6’6 2023 SF Jesuit High School (CA), the son of NBA All-Star Pedrag Stojakovic. 

Andrej earned my Day 1 MVP finishing with 27 points & 15 rebounds while putting on an absolute showcase of fundamental mastery, pure shooting touch, aggressive defense and tenacious rebounding. In my first time seeing him play live I was blown away. Andrej scored at all 3 levels showing a soft touch and ability to finish off the glass in traffic, knock down mid-range jumpers and of course, knock down the outside shot the way his dad's famously known for. On the first possession of the game I heard “Shooter” echo through the gym as Andrej crossed the timeline and walked into a rhythm NBA range jumper. The defense wasn’t able to close-out in time and points were being added to the board. Andrej looked over to his bench and smiled and it was clear he was about to have a big night. I knew to expect big things from him when during a pre-game conversation with Etop Udo-Ema (Compton Magic Founder) he told me; “That kid is SPECIAL!” Coming from Etop that means a lot if you know the history of his program and the players who’ve donned the Compton Magic Gold uniform. 

There’s always at least one name that emerges into the National spotlight on the heels of The Battle events, here are my other Day 1 Standouts that you need to keep your eyes on moving forward. 

Pharaoh Compton (Strive For Greatness 16u) - 6’6+ 2024 F Spring Valley High School (NV) 

17 points & 12 rebounds 

Pharaoh Compton is a name I immediately circled when watching the teams warmup. He gets off the floor extremely quickly, is athletic and has great size. Pharaoh is a superb mixture of Size, Speed, Power and Explosiveness with soft hands, a wide catch radius and elite finishing ability. He runs the floor with a purpose and often finds himself in the right places at the right times. It’s no coincidence that the final bucket of the game was an alley-oop he finished over a Compton Magic defender to give Strive For Greatness the win. Listed at 6’6, Pharaoh is one of the rare players that you see and think, “he may be taller than what’s in the program.” I expect to see his name BLOW UP next weekend at the EYBL live period in Orlando. 

Vyctorius Miller (Strive For Greatness 16u) - 6’5 2024 G Crean Lutheran High School (CA) ESPN #15

23 points, 9 rebounds & 7 assists

VJ Miller is a smooth young crafty guard with an ability to get to the basket and finish through contact. He gets to the free throw line at will and routinely converts those opportunities. Last night he was an un-characteristic 7-11 from the line (at The Battle Ohio last summer he went 9-10 and 5-5 on game 2) and also showed off his mid-range abilities. One the defensive side of the ball he demonstrated relentless ball pressure and caused numerous turnovers to help SFG battle back from a double digit deficit in the 4th period. 

Solo Bailey (Compton Magic 16u) - 6’1 2025 G Crossroads High School (CA) 

22 points 

The first time I saw Solo was in North Carolina at the CP3 Rising Stars Camp and when I saw the entire gym gather around for a chance to see him dunk I knew he had something special. He won that dunk contest going between the legs and dunking over a CP3 banner with hundreds of on-lookers gasping in amazement. I  included him in my pre-season “Freshman 10” (https://www.thebrantleymethod.com/the-freshman-10)and he has continued to grow and develop from that first impression. 

As the teams warmed up, my broadcast partner Mark Edwards looked over to me and said; “Why is he jumping like that?” As he googled in disbelief that the young man was a 2025 prospect. I knew coming into this game that he could play above the rim, but what he displayed last night was impressive. The defense wasn’t able to stop him from going left and for that they paid heavily! He got to the basket at will and finished on both sides of the basket. Through, around and above contact… it didn’t matter what they did, there was no stopping Solo Bailey. He was 5-6 from the Free-Throw line so I was shocked the ball wasn’t in his hands more down the stretch. I’m looking forward to seeing Solo’s continued maturation and development.

Darius Carr (Compton Magic 17u) - 6’3 2023 G St. Bernard (CA) 

18 points

Darius Carr is a high motor, downhill scorer who gets out in transition and finishes above the rim early and often for Compton Magic. I’ve seen his athletic ability and offensive finishing capabilities but what stood out the most to me last night was his perimeter defense. He made it very clear that he is one of California’s elite guards and it was evident this game meant a lot to him. Often when evaluating players I will hear guys say that a player in High Major because of their scoring prowess and I walk away wondering; “But can he defend at that level?” That is not a question you have to ask about Darius Carr. He joins a long line of aggressive defenders from the Compton Magic program and we’ve had the ability to see how that trait translates to collegiate success. 

Javonte “JJ” Taylor (Strive For Greatness 17u) - 6’7+ 2023 SF Donda Academy (CA) ESPN #11 

16 points & 7 rebounds

JJ Taylor is the player in the field that I’ve seen the most live. Each time I see him he shows a different dynamic of his game. He’s been working hard with Coach Frank Robinson & Mark Edwards and the growth/maturation is noticeable. On multiple times in the game you saw JJ grab a rebound on the defensive end and push the break 94 feet and finish at the other end. He showcased his range knocking down a pair of deep threes, his defensive ability to guard every position on the floor and willingness to go and get a rebound. At his size and ability Taylor is a special prospect who’s game certainly translates to the next level. 

Kalib Lacount (Compton Magic 17u) - 5’9 2022 PG King/Drew High School (CA) 

10 points, 8 rebounds & 5 assists 

ENERGY!!! That’s the only way to describe Kalib Lacount. He was the straw that stirred the drink for the Compton Magic. One of the best unsigned guards in California, Lacount was auditioning for collegiate opportunities last night. The Coliseum League POY, CIF LA City Co-POY, and LA Times All-Star Basketball Team member plays with a certain level of grit, passion and intensity that can’t be fabricated, manufactured or taught. He has a passion for the game and even greater passion for winning. He made the right plays at the right times and competed from the opening tip to the final whistle. Mark Edwards made a point during the broadcast that a lot of evaluators and casual basketball fans often look for superlatives when watching basketball but it’s the winning plays that translate to success at the next level and Kalib Lacount makes those plays. 

Andrew Meadows (Strive For Greatness 17u) - 6’7 2023 SF West Ranch High School (CA) 

13 points

Every team needs complimentary guys that are going to make the most of their minutes and opportunities. Often it’s tough to have a cohesive effort from your bench in grassroots basketball because a lot of guys are playing in roles that they aren’t necessary used to in their high school systems. Andrew Meadows is one of those guys that just shows up and get the job done. He does the dirty work, and provides a much needed spark off the bench for Strive For Greatness. Meadows showcased his outside shot, mid-range shot and an ability to finish at the Tim. He made timely rebounds and his effort kept SFG in the game. 

Brayden Burries (Strive For Greatness 16u) - 6’4 2025 G Polytechnic High School (CA) 

18 points 

Burries was the spark that ignited the fire. Each time it appeared the window of opportunity was closing for Strive For Greatness, Brayden Burries would knock down a timely shot or get a steal and convert it into a transition opportunity. When they went to the full court press late in the game, he was the one who appeared to always find his way to the passing lanes or knocking the ball away from a ball handler. His outside shooting ability stretched the floor and kept the defense from collapsing on VJ Miller and the SFG looked more complete and cohesive with him on the floor. 

Day 1 of action from The Battle LA did not disappoint, you do not want to miss Day 2 & DAY 3. We have a full slate of games starting at 9:30AM PST/12:30PM EST on the SUVtv network!