Not only will Game 3 of the 2015 Prep2Prep Tip Off Classic this Saturday at 2:15 pm at Newark Memorial feature the top small school from the CIF Central Section, it will feature a player that is considered by pretty much all the analysts that will cover this year’s event as the top overall player from the CIFCS as well.
Back in August Colin Slater II of Immanuel-Reedley was one of 12 players and two point guards invited to play on the 2016 Northern California squad in the Prep2Prep All Star Classic at Las Positas College in Livermore.
When all was said and done the 6-foot Tulane-committed Slater ended up as one of the 12 top players out of 24 total (12 from the North and 12 from the South) to make the final player rankings as voted on by respected analysts Joel Francisco of ESPN, Ronnie Flores of Cal-Hi Sports and GrassrootsHoops, and McDonald’s All-American Game selection member Frank Burlison of BurlisonOnBasketball.
In the evaluation the combined comments by the experts about the performance in the South’s 137-134 victory by Slater were as follows:
“Slater was a key factor in helping the NorCal team almost overcome a 10-point deficit entering the fourth quarter with his defense and ball-handling. His numbers were not spectacular but once again Slater’s was a case of seizing the opportunity to make the 12 players ranked. He had 11 points, four rebounds and four assists.”
So now after a quality showing in the All Star Classic, Slater is back in the Bay Area once again to lead the Eagles boys from just southeast of Fresno against a Weston Ranch-Stockton team they played twice last season and won both games, 76-45 in the HIT championship game and 76-67 a week later in the Modesto Christian Holiday Hoop tournament second round.
“I love playing in the Bay Area,” Slater told Prep2Prep in a Facetime interview earlier this week.
As a junior last season Slater was the top player on a 30-3 Immanuel team that lost two of its three games at the Modesto Tournament and its only other setback came in a 77-71 loss to Campbell Hall-North Hollywood in the CIF Southern Regional Division IV semifinals. Slater led the team in scoring and assists with per game averages of 20.8 points and 4.8 assists. Plus, he pulled down 3.4 rebounds a game and also only averaged one turnover a game as the team’s primary ball handler.
Now, not only does Slater come into the game as the top player from the Central Section, but according to Flores Immanuel will be the top team from what locals call The Valley as well.
“Slater is pretty explosive and will definitely be the top player in the Central Section from the section’s top team,” Flores remarked. “He has a chance to be one of the best guards in the state too if he seizes the opportunities, since Immanuel is playing in several showcase games with his first chance to prove himself starting this Saturday.”
Goals this season
The game with Weston Ranch will begin a journey for the Eagles and Slater to go further than last year. Getting 30 wins is certainly a milestone but Immanuel and Slater want more.
“We got one game away from the Southern California championship so to go further we know we will have to play our absolute hardest every game,” Slater said. “As a team our main goal is to play hard every night. That goes for me as a player. I want to lead by example.”
Favorite NBA player
Since Slater grew up in New Orleans until his family moved to Fresno a few years ago, not surprisingly, Slater’s favorite player in the NBA is slick 6-foot point guard D.J. Augustin of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Augustin starred at Brother Martin High in New Orleans before moving to Texas after being forced out of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina.
“I grew up watching D.J. as a kid in New Orleans and kind of model my game after him,” Slater remarked.
Tulane bound
Slater has been gracing the Fresno prep hoops scene with his outstanding play but for college he’s going back to The Big Easy and Tulane.
“My mom worked at Tulane so I was around there all the time and I loved it. It was where I've always wanted to go.”
Slater will be the featured player in Game 3 on Saturday so get to the gym early and get a good seat and watch one of the top point guards in the state show his stuff in the third of seven top-notch games on the Prep2Prep Tip Off slate of action.
****
Prep2Prep Classic
Saturday, Newark Memorial HS
11 a.m: St. Mary's-Albany vs. Manteca
12:30 p.m.: Bishop O'Dowd vs. Dublin
2:15 p.m.: Immanuel-Reedley vs. Weston Ranch
3:45 p.m.: Sheldon vs. Army-Navy
5:30 p.m.: Modesto Christian vs. Folson
7 p.m.: Newark Memorial vs. Woodcreek
8:30 p.m.: Moreau Catholic vs. Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth
