No. 3 Chase Budinger vs. No. 2 Jrue Holiday: Vote for the best SoCal high school boys basketball player of the 21st Century (Sweet 16)
Who is the best high school boys basketball player in Southern California over the past 20 years? Over the next five days we’ll give you a chance to decide.
Our 32-player bracket tipped off last week with first-round matchups in all four regions: the Ed Azzam region, the Gary McKnight region, the Harvey Kitani region and the NBA region.
We now move into the Sweet 16.
Circling back to the Harvey Kitani region, three seed Chase Budinger from La Costa Canyon takes on Jrue Holiday, a two seed out of Campbell Hall, to continue the second round.
Here’s a look at the matchup:
(3) Chase Budinger, La Costa Canyon
At the time, Budinger was the most highly decorated prep player to enter Arizona University to play college basketball (2006). Budinger was one of the nation’s top players in both volleyball and basketball at La Costa Canyon. He earned co-Most Valuable Player honors at the McDonald’s High School All-America Basketball game in 2006. Budinger was also a three-time San Diego County volleyball player of the year and the 2006 Mizuno national volleyball Player of the Year.
Budinger averaged 34 points, 11 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.0 steals per game for coach Dave Cassaw as a senior at LCC. He led La Costa Canyon to the Division 1 San Diego Section championship that season scoring 50 points in the title game. Budinger averaged 27.9 points and 12.5 rebounds per game as a junior.
He played at Arizona from 2006 to 2009. Budinger was selected 44th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons but was traded to the Houston Rockets on draft night.
(2) Jrue Holiday, Campbell Hall
Holiday was named the 2008 Gatorade National Player of the Year. He was a 2008 McDonald’s All-American as well. As a senior at Campbell Hall, Holiday averaged 25.9 points, 11.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 4.8 steals per game to help lead the Vikings to a 31-5 record and the California Division IV state title. As a junior, Holiday led Campbell Hall to a 33-1 mark and the 2007 Division 4 state title averaging 23.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 4.2 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. Campbell Hall finished the 2006-07 season ranked No. 15 nationally and No. 4 in the West Region by USA Today. Holiday was also selected as the 2007 Gatorade California Player of the Year. As a sophomore, he averaged 21.0 points, 9.1 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.4 blocks per game as Campbell Hall finished 27-6. Holiday helped lead Campbell Hall to a perfect 32-0 record and a state title as a freshman as well.
He went on to play at UCLA before being drafted 17th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76er’s. Holiday now plays for the New Orleans Pelicans. He was an NBA All-Star selection in 2013.
VOTING IS CLOSED.
Jrue Holiday: 33
Chase Budinger: 16
