No. 2 Jrue Holiday vs. No. 1 Lonzo Ball: Vote for the best SoCal high school boys basketball player of the 21st Century (Elite Eight)
Who is the best high school boys basketball player in Southern California over the past 20 years? Over the next few 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. Sweet 16 voting wrapped up on Tuesday.
We now move into the Elite Eight.
The top two seeds have emerged from the Harvey Kitani Region, and now No. 1 Lonzo Ball and No. 2 Jrue Holiday go head-to-head with a berth in the Final Four on the line.
CAST YOUR VOTE:
(1) Lonzo Ball, Chino Hills
Ball was named the 2016 CIF Southern Section Open Division Player of the Year following Chino Hills’ perfect 35-0 season. As a senior, Ball was named the Naismith High School Player of the Year, the Morgan Wootten Player of the Year and the Gatorade State Player of the Year. He also earned McDonald’s All-America honors. Ball was a first-team All-CIF Southern Section selection as a senior, junior and sophomore. As a senior, he registered 23.9 points, 11.3 rebounds, 11.5 assists and 5.1 steals per game shooting 54 percent from the field. Yes, he averaged a triple double. Ball totaled 15 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and five steals in the 70-50 state championship victory over De La Salle. He averaged 24.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game as a junior (2014-15) leading Chino Hills to the Division I state title game in 2015.
Ball went on to play collegiately at UCLA. He was picked second overall in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. He now plays for the New Orleans Pelicans.
(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.
