HAWTHORNE, Calif. -- Event organizers Gerry Freitas and Lionel Benjamin did a nice job of corralling most of the top prospects in southern California for the inaugural clash between the 2011 and 2012 classes. Although there were some noticeable no-shows including Norman Powell (San Diego/Lincoln), Angelo Chol (San Diego/Hoover), and 2012 standout Grant Jerrett (La Verne/Lutheran), the talent pool was quite good. After building a 25-point lead in the first half, the Class of 2011 had to hold on to eventually defeat their younger rivals 83-78. Jordan Daniels, a 5-8 point guard extraordinaire out of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Etiwanda and 6-5 Kevin Bailey, an ever-improving wing out of Fresno/Clovis West, were selected co-MVPs.

Standout players

Jordan Daniels
2011, PG, 5-foot-8, 150 pounds
Surprisingly, Daniels has no offers, but he is receiving interest from San Diego, Portland, Portland State, LMU, Pacific, Santa Clara and Pepperdine. He doesn't possess ideal point guard size, but he is a gamer. He was only credited with four assists, but many of his bigs couldn't finish after he set them up for easy scores. He changes speeds very well off the dribble and his jump shot is much improved, since the regular season. He'll definitely need to get stronger for the next level, but in terms of savvy and skill he is near the top in the West. Kevin Bailey
2011, SF, 6-5, 190 pounds
Bailey has offers from UTEP, LMU, Portland, Harvard, Penn and Lehigh. After an explosive spring, where he vaulted up the recruiting charts, his July performance was a tad inconsistent. At this venue he played hard and with purpose as he tossed in 17 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and handed out a few dazzling assists. He excels in transition, where he can attack the rim, and he has a very explosive first step with no wasted motion. His jump shot was erratic during July, but it appeared much smoother here, especially when he got his feet set. As his perimeter skills continue to improve, his recruiting should heat up as well.

Surprise player

Anthony January (Compton, Calif./Compton)
2012, PF, 6-6, 180 pounds
After an inconsistent showing for most of the summer, January displayed his all-around game during this game. The long wing-type can score in a variety of ways, but it's the other areas of the game that make him a viable recruit. He can post up smaller defenders and score over the top of them or finish acrobatically in transition. His jump shot has too much arc and he takes too many of them as well, but he was the catalyst in the Class of 2012's comeback in the second half. His 16 points (8 of 13 shooting) and nine rebounds were evidence of how well he played down the stretch.

Notes

• Spencer Dinwiddie, a 6-4 point guard from Taft High School in Woodland Hills, Calif., demonstrated why he's considered one of the top-five point guards out West. His size and savvy make him an attractable recruit, but his jump shot needs to get better for the next level. • In an all-star setting, the bigs get overshadowed most of the time because the guards have a tendency to dominate the ball. However, that wasn't the case with 6-8 junior Skylar Spencer (Los Angeles/Price). The high-major prospect rebounded well and had a number of high-level blocks. • Victor Robbins, a 6-5 junior out of Compton, Calif., has many of the attributes (length, athleticism, perimeter skills) coaches look for in a scoring guard. However, he has an undisciplined approach to the game. He took many ill-advised shots and made the simple play much more difficult, due to trying to be too flashy. • One of the most improved big men in southern California is 6-9 senior Paulin Mpawe (Redlands/East Valley). He needs to get considerably stronger, but due to his length, bounce, and surprisingly-soft touch from 15 feet, his recruitment should escalate.