Forward Stanley Johnson from Mater Dei of Santa Ana was chosen for the 2014 McDonald’s All-American boys team. Also chosen is center Tom Welsh of Loyola (Los Angeles). Northern California is shut out on the boys’ side after having three selections last season.
Nothing Stanley Johnson accomplishes surprises us anymore, so it should come as no surprise the multi-dimensional forward out of Mater Dei of Santa Ana was selected to the 2014 McDonald’s All-American boys team.
The 37th annual boys game will take place on April 2 (9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN) at the United Center in Chicago. The 13th girls game will also take place on April 2 (7 p.m. ET on ESPNU).
The other Californian selected to the boys team is center Tom Welsh from Loyola of Los Angeles. The 7-footer has followed up a solid summer with a fantastic start to his senior season for Loyola. The Cubs are currently ranked ranked No. 15 in the Student Sports FAB 50 and No. 2 in the state behind Mater Dei with “Big Tommie” averaging 15.7 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game.
This summer, we saw Welsh battle center Myles Turner of Texas to a standstill in Las Vegas and they’ll do battle again as Turner was selected to the East team. Welsh will also battle with Duke-bound center Jahlil Okafor from Whitney Young of Chicago in practice. The nation’s other top big man, Cliff Alexander, who hails from Curie in Chicago, is on the East team opposite Welsh and Okafor.
Whitney Young will travel to California this weekend to play Mater Dei in the featured game of the Nike Extravaganza. Mater Dei is ranked No. 4 in the FAB 50 and Whitney Young is ranked No. 6.
It’s a bit of a surprise to see Daniel Hamilton from St. John Bosco of Bellflower left off the West roster. His older brother Isaac played in last year’s game and Daniel is as highly-regarded as a player by many of the selection committee members we personally know.
Welsh’s teammate, point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright, made the final ballot but did not make the team. He’s played terrific in recent months, but lingering injuries from last spring may have cost him because he did not perform at his peak during the LeBron James Skills Academy in Las Vegas in July.
After having three selections from the region last year, no Northern California player had a realistic shot to make it this time around.
For the complete rosters on StudentSportsBasketball.com, please CLICK HERE.
