By: George Courtney
There was an abundance of talent at the 2023 Girls Cali Live Event. There were over 60 coaches in attendance to scout and evaluate the talent as well as numerous scouts and media outlets. Here were some of the prospects who caught my eye:
Ashanti Dias 2024 5-2 Point Guard Bishop Riordan (CA)
Dias is a crafty floor general who has a tight handle. She can shake and break down defenders to penetrate into the paint. A solid facilitator with good scoring ability. Her attribute that sticks out the most to me is her leadership qualities and ability to control the tempo of the game. A solid point guard with tremendous upside.
Grace Hernandez 2024 5-6 Point Guard Heritage (CA)
Another great looking point guard prospect with a tight handle. Hernandez is a three level scorer and has instant impact ability. A dynamite scorer from all three levels, Hernandez can also facilitate well and has a solid basketball IQ. An impactful guard with tremendous upside.
Jayla Stokes 2026 5-7 Shooting Guard Bishop O’Dowd (CA)
Stokes is a scoring guard with great playmaking ability. A potent scorer at all three levels, Stokes has the IQ to take what the defense gives away. She can also defend and I anticipate the 1-2 punch of her and Quinteros to terrorize opposing teams over the next few years. Another prospect with tremendous upside.
Kendal McClure 2024 5-7 Combo Guard Heritage (CA)
Heritage has a monstrous backcourt in McClure, Patterson, and Hernandez. McClure is a crafty guard who can carve up the opposition with her three level scoring ability. She uses her length and quickness to disrupt passing lanes. Overall a solid guard skillset as she is versatile to play both the point and shooting guard positions. Another prospect with tremendous upside.
Lizzy Quinteros 2026 5-7 Combo Guard Bishop O’Dowd (CA)
Quinteros is one of my favorite prospects in California. She has a tight handle with great motor. Quinteros competes hard on both ends of the floor and is the type of guard willing to do what it takes to keep her team in the game. She fills up the stat sheet with assists, rebounds, deflections, steals, and blocks. I anticipate her recruitment to heat up as I project her to be a mid-major plus prospect. Quinteros’ stock will continue to climb!
Zeni Patterson 2027 5-8 Point Guard Heritage (CA)
Patterson can definitely go! A crafty finisher with an elite skill set. Patterson’s game grew on me as she is long, athletic, and showed a high basketball IQ. Although only a freshmen, Patterson will emerge as one of the most sought after floor generals over time. She plays mature beyond her years that I thought she was an upperclassmen. College coaches need to get involved with this young lady as her stock is worth the investment.
Zion McGuire 2026 6-1 Center Bishop Riordan (CA) McGuire has good size and potential. Her foundation and platform could be molded over time as she looks to clean the glass, run the floor, and has good hands. She made her inside presence known and with continued development will improve over time. Coach Will Watkins does a great job in developing talent and I anticipate McGuire to develop into a sound post player.
