12 standouts from Section 7 college basketball recruiting showcase in Arizona

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Meet the college basketball recruits who impressed at a big showcase event in Arizona.

While most of the basketball world was focused on the NBA Draft last week, the summer’s biggest prep basketball event, Section 7, was taking place under the radiating Arizona sun and under the bright lights of State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals and 2024 NCAA Men’s Final Four.

A live viewing event for college coaches from D-1 to D-3 and just after the contact period opened for class-of-2025 prospects, some of the best in the country – mostly from the West Coast – had a massive platform to showcase their talent for the people who determine their next steps. Over the course of just one day, I saw head coaches Dana Altman (Oregon), Bobby Hurley (Arizona State), and Lorenzo Romar (Pepperdine), and dozens of other coaches making the rounds.

Chicago Bulls guard Dalen Terry, an alum of Corona Del Sol (AZ) who went 5-2 during the event, was one of many current and former NBA players in attendance to support the next generation. He also explained why events like these are so key for the players:

Since this was my first time going to an event this big, I learned a lot about how best to utilize my one brain, two eyes, and two legs when there are 12 games going on at once across several time slots in the day over multiple days. In what I was able to see, there was lots of talent standing out above the rest.

Here are my 12 biggest eye-catchers (sorted alphabetically within each class, referencing ESPN’s rankings, with an honorable mention for each class as well):

Class of 2024 (ESPN’s top 100):

Jalik Dunkley-Distant, Dream City Christian (AZ) 6-7 wing (unranked)

Extremely versatile, Dunkley-Distant ran a lot of the offense for the Eagles, setting up cutting and flashing teammates for easy opportunities. A heck of an athlete in his own right, he flew high on several occasions in transition. Boasting five D-1 offers and interest from others including Overtime Elite and the G League Ignite, Jalik also has a twin teammate on Dream City, Jahnai.

Isaiah Elohim, Sierra Canyon (CA) 6-4 guard (#10 in class)

One of the highest profile names in attendance, Elohim continues to become more well-rounded in his overall game, adding elements of power and craft to his highly-decorated athletic profile. Having already taken visits to Kansas and local USC, his most recent offer comes from new Providence head coach Kim English.

Mercy Miller, Notre Dame Sherman Oaks (CA) 6-4 guard (unranked)

This underrated shot-maker is already committed to Kelvin Sampson’s Houston Cougars, a program that’s becoming more and more appealing to NBA prospects. In showing off his vast shot profile, Miller followed up a 28-point outing in one game with 26 in the next:

Trent Perry, Harvard-Westlake (CA) 6-4 guard (#95)

Perry is one of the most exciting players I’ve seen in all of high school basketball because of his cerebrally-charged, high-intensity brand of ball. There’s never down time when he’s at the wheel, because he’s consistently throwing advance passes and putting pressure on the defense any way he can. Perry’s taken four visits already (Colorado, Vanderbilt, USC, and St. Mary’s) as his stock continues to rise.

HM: Tyler Thompson, Vanden (CA) 6-6 wing (unranked)

Class of 2025 (top 60):

Cameron Boozer, Columbus (FL) 6-9 forward (#1)

Cam has a case for “best player outside the NBA” now that Victor Wembanyama’s been drafted, and he lived up to the hype in every way. He makes everything look easy, leaving my only current question mark being his counters since he never needs to use them.

A twin of Cayden (and yes, son of Carlos), he’s also one of a few players in attendance fresh off a gold medal with Team USA in the U16 Americas Championship from earlier in the summer.

Cayden Boozer, Columbus (FL) 6-3 guard (#25)

Becoming a bit underrated at this point because of being in Cam’s shadow, Cayden showed off his control and maturity coming off an impressive showing with Team USA as well. Both twins share offers from the blue bloods, but many expect them to follow in their father’s footsteps to Duke.

Nik Khamenia, Harvard-Westlake (CA) 6-8 forward (unranked)

Khamenia is always one of the most fun players to watch live because of how versatile he is and how hard he plays all the time. He’s a great slasher and has awesome playmaking chops for his size. Most recently offered by Iowa, Khamenia also holds offers from powers like Gonzaga, Kansas, and UCLA.

Koa Peat, Perry (AZ) 6-8 forward (#3)

Yet another one of the Team USA stars, Peat showcased his entire package over the course of his weekend, dishing out double-digit assists in his first game before posting 32 points in the next. Peat and Cam Boozer both went at each other in Team USA practices, and it shows as Peat looked incredibly dominant physically.

HM: Lex Clontz, Cesar Chavez (AZ) 6-3 guard (unranked)

Class of 2026 (top 25):

Tajh Ariza, St. Bernard (CA) 6-5 wing (#11)

Another case of NBA DNA at Section 7, Tajh bears some of the closest resemblance to his familial predecessor Trevor, who was in attendance as well, with his smooth shot and even running gait as well. His youth shows with a tendency to be a bit timid and let the game come to him, but when he gets going, watch out.

Cameron Holmes, Millennium (AZ) 6-6 wing (#23)

Last time I saw Cam live was in December at Hoophall West where he struggled to hit shots from the floor, but he hit a couple early threes in his first game here to make me quickly forget about that. Also, he’s added a lot of his inches since starting high school, so the mobility has been a bit of a growing process itself, but he’s looking smoother of late.

Holmes was part of the 18-man group for Team USA before final cuts down to 12, and his offer list is already extensive including local Arizona State and Arizona as well as his brother DaRon’s Dayton and others.

Kaden House, Desert Mountain (AZ) 6-3 guard (#17)

Another son of a former player who was in attendance and another twin, Kaden is the better House brother with a little more height too. He and his brother have a reputation for wrecking havoc in passing lanes and making opponents pay with their pedal-to-the-metal, fearless driving nature.

Jemai Lake, Tualtin (OR) 6-1 guard (unranked)

Lake caught my eye with his fire and craft at such a young age, doing mature things like putting bigger defenders in jail with hostage dribbles out of a pick-and-roll. He battles on defense to make up for his slight build, but if he grows a bit out of it, he could grow into a very impressive prospect.

HM: Kalek House, Desert Mountain (AZ) 6-2 guard (unranked)