Who Rose to the Occasion? COTC Project X Recap

Max Rode
Sep 8
5 min read

By Max Rode

805 Hoops

In the 10th rendition of the Crème of the County (COTC), Aaron Burgin (Full-Time Hoops) brought together the top talent in San Diego from the 2026-2030 class for a one-day showcase. It was a pleasure to attend my first COTC & watch all the talent San Diego has to offer.

The Crème of the County is an invite-only showcase that includes “Crème” & “Select” games for each respective class. The event is capped off with a “Crème de la Crème” game featuring the top upperclassmen in the city. Those who win MVP in the earlier games earn their way into the final showcase. A neat opportunity for the younger studs to get a run in with the top players of the county.

In this article, I’ll dive into top performers, underclassmen standouts, biggest risers, & event surprises from the day. Thank you for reading!

Top Performers/Biggest Risers: Jerry Stokes, Jaden Bailes, Ezekiel Walker, Lincoln Grogan

Jerry Stokes - Bonita Vista - San Diego All-Stars

Stokes’ performance in the 1st 2027 Crème Game was special. The uber-athletic guard put up 27 points on 7 3’s. In addition to lighting it up from deep, Stokes made the play of the day. Leaking out on the fast break & finishing with authority over a defender who has about a foot on him. This was just a sneak preview of what’s to come as Jerry is poised to have a huge Junior campaign for the Barons.

Lincoln Grogan - St. Augustine - Gamepoint

Grogan was named Co-MVP of the Crème de la Crème game thanks to Lincoln doing what Lincoln does: finding the bottom of the net. The St. Augustine sharpshooter had an impressive 5-minute stretch where he knocked down back-to-back triples & 2 mid-ranges to break the game open & put it out of reach. Grogan is a high-IQ player that finds open space effortlessly, makes smart cuts, & is steady as ever on the offensive side of the ball. He currently holds an offer from Minot State in the great state of Minnesota.

Jaden Bailes - JSerra Catholic (St. Augustine) - Gamepoint

Jaden Bailes came through when he was called on, being the 1st selection of the Crème de la Crème draft pregame. The reigning Western League Player of the Year returned to his old stomping grounds & picked up right where he left off. Putting together an MVP performance, scoring on all levels, & facilitating the Crème offense. Bailes transferred to JSerra Catholic & will look to lead the Lion offense in the incredibly talented Trinity League.

Ezekiel Walker - Francis Parker - Multilevel

It was my first time getting the pleasure of watching Ezekiel Walker & man was it fun. If I had to describe his game in 3 words it would be: smooth yet explosive. Walker has a repeatable jumper with a high release point that allows him to easily elevate over defenders. He can shoot it with the best of them, poster your opposing big, all while being smooth as silk. Zeke recently received his first D1 offer from San Jose State, with more on the horizon as he’ll be a key piece on the loaded Lancer squad.

Underclassmen Standouts

2030 - Dillon Rice, Kyle O’Connor, AJ King, RJ Graham

2029 - Kamran Shirazi, Blake Baker, Romeo Flores, Will Spurgiesz, Isaac Abernethy, Egypt Dean

2028 - Tyler Johnson, Jaizahn Lewis, Boone Thompson, Taj Ingram, Brooklyn James

Dillon Rice - Praxis Elite Sports Academy - Multilevel

Rice was named MVP of the 2030 Crème game for good reason. He dominated from start to finish & was the best player on the court. Rice willed his team to a 73-63 win, culminating his MVP performance with an impressive final 5 minute stretch in which he forced turnovers, finished on the other end, & topped it off with a flashy behind the back pass on the fast break.

Kyle “Popeye” O’Connor - Greenfield MS - San Diego Soldiers

You can tell O’Connor has confidence right out of the gate. Popeye is an extremely skilled passer for his age. He utilizes ball screens well, plays at his own pace, & threads the needle to rolling bigs. O’Connor is keeping his high school decision under wraps as wherever he goes, they will be getting a high level prospect.

Kamran Shirazi - Francis Parker - San Diego Soldiers

Shirazi is a pleasure to watch. He plays with such a calm demeanor & is one of the best shooters in CA for his class. Kamran extends his range from deep each time, easily knocking down NBA 3’s. Francis Parker is going to be tough to beat this year & Shirazi looks to be a big piece of the puzzle.

Blake Baker - Cathedral Catholic - Gamepoint

At 6 '5”, Baker is an athletic stretch-big that can shoot it from 3, handle the ball well, & rebound at an elite level. A 2-sport athlete, Baker moves well for his size & is one of the more talented players in a stacked 2029 class. Cathedral Catholic has their fair share of big men, but Baker made a statement Saturday that he deserves some run with the top team.

Tyler Johnson - Rancho Bernardo - 4S Elite

Talk about clutch genes. Johnson stepped up to the free-throw line down 1 with 1 second left & knocked down both to put the game on ice. In addition to hitting the game winning free throws, Johnson started the game fast with a quick 4 in the first few minutes. He has good size & plays a physical brand of basketball. Look for Tyler to lead Rancho Bernardo this year.

Event Surprises

Everything Aaron Burgin (Full-Time Hoops) does for San Diego

The fact that Aaron can bring together 275+ players from all over the county is incredible. Players & parents look forward to this day all year for an opportunity to perform in front of scouts, media, & the rest of the city.

Underclassmen Talent

It was the San Diego Soldiers show early on in the day. O’Connor, Shirazi, Spurgiesz, CJ Johnson just to name a few were the crème of the crop in their respective games. Credit goes to Joe Seals who has turned that program into a national powerhouse as he starts a new chapter this year with San Diego City College. The 2029 & 2030 classes have talent up & down the board, it’ll be fun to watch them develop & take over San Diego prep hoops in the years to come.