Preseason CIF Southern Section Division 1 Players to Watch Pt. 1

The 2019-20 high school basketball regular season is set to get underway this month. For some teams, they tip-off this week while others will start next week. The Southern California area is full of talent and this season should be a good one. I’ll be looking at schools in the CIF Division 1 from the areas that I’ll be covering at various points this season and highlighting a few players to look out for. These players aren’t necessarily stars on the team. Some of them might be, but others are key cogs that will play an important role on the team’s success this year. Here’s a look at some of those players. <strong>1. Khylee Pepe – Bishop Montgomery 2021</strong> An incoming junior, Pepe already has quite a few offers from colleges. With Kayla Padilla and Kayla Williams off to college, she’ll likely take a bigger role with the Knights this season. She’s a strong player and big guard capable of playing both inside and out. She has good footwork in the post. She’s also capable of shooting from the outside. Good passer and solid off the dribble game. <strong>2. Layla-Simone Curry – Corona Centennial 2022</strong> The younger sister of Jayda Curry, Layla-Simone is a very versatile player capable of playing multiple positions. She can run the floor like a guard or even play some center in a small ball lineup. She excels in transition whether she’s acting as a playmaker or catching a pass from a teammate. Good rebounder, especially on the offensive end. Solid defender who doesn’t mind picking up full-court. <strong>3. Jessica Peterson – Etiwanda 2021</strong> As in incoming junior, Peterson has a few offers already from Division 1 schools. She transferred from Corona Centennial to Etiwanda, and should have a major impact this season. She’s a versatile player with good size. She’s capable of playing both forward and center. She reads the defense well and is a solid passer of the post. She runs the floor well and can finish strong at the rim. Can shoot from mid-range. <strong>4. Jasmine Rodriguez – Chaminade 2020</strong> Rodriguez plays on the El Salvador national team along with Chaminade teammate Kimberly Villalobos. She’s a solid guard who will be key to making the Chaminade offense run. She can push the ball well in transition and she can either finish the play herself or find a teammate running with her. Good shooter from the outside and a strong finisher at the rim. She has great court awareness and vision and is always looking to make the right pass. <strong>5. Kimiko Katzaroff – Harvard-Westlake 2021</strong> Katzaroff was one of the Wolverines top players a sophomore, and she should have a big junior season. She’s a strong defensive player, especially on ball. She reads the passing lanes well and picks off passes to start the fast break. She’s a strong scorer with a great outside shot. Good spot up shooter with a quick release. Good finisher on the break. Strong off the dribble and capable of getting to the rim. <strong>6. Briliyah Taylor – Lynwood 2021</strong> Taylor is a very quick guard who is a blur on the fast break. She can get all the way to the rim and finish strong against bigger players. She’s able to draw contact too and get herself to the free-throw line. She’s a good shooter from distance and has a very quick release when open. Good passer who figures to have the ball in her hands quite a bit this season.