2026 Ron Massey Fall Hoops Classic Recap: Top Performances, Game Highlights & Prospects

LONG BEACH, Calif. - The 2026 Ron Massey Fall Hoops Classic brought two days of high school basketball to McBride High School in Long Beach, California, on September 19-20, with event director Dinos Trigonis assembling programs from throughout Southern California along with St. Joseph of Santa Maria.

The event continues to honor the legacy of the late Ron Massey, who spent 28 seasons coaching at Long Beach Jordan, compiling 503 wins while winning three CIF Southern Section championships and seven Moore League titles. Massey was remembered not only for winning, but for teaching the game and being willing to play anybody, anywhere.

From established programs such as Mater Dei and Orange Lutheran to young prospects beginning to establish their names, the weekend provided an early look at what could be ahead during the 2026-27 high school basketball season.

Saturday, September 19

Los Altos 67, Long Beach Wilson 33

Los Altos set the tone early in the opening game, using defensive pressure and transition opportunities to build separation against Long Beach Wilson. The Conquerors led 10-0 before Wilson scored its first basket and continued to control the pace from there.

Kylen Kincy delivered one of Saturday's more complete performances with 23 points, six rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks. Kole Mendez added 14 points, while CJ Lewis scored 11. Wilson was led by Jeremiah Murphy's 12 points.

Valencia 55, Santa Margarita 53

One of the best games of the opening day came down to the final possession. Santa Margarita and Valencia traded control late before Hudson Dannels tied the game at 53 with a transition basket in the closing seconds. Valencia answered, however, as Steve Irons attacked the basket and scored with six seconds remaining, giving Valencia the 55-53 victory.

Irons finished with a powerful 20-point, 10-rebound, three-block performance, while Josiah McCoy scored 16 and Isaac Franklin contributed 11 points, six rebounds and six assists. Santa Margarita received 23 points and seven rebounds from Hudson Dannels.

Millikan 60, Aquinas 25

Millikan's young backcourt was on display in a convincing win over Aquinas, led by sophomore Quali Giran.

Giran established himself almost immediately, knocking down an early three before continuing to score from multiple levels. He finished with 30 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks, one of the best individual stat lines of the weekend.

Chris Kahn added 17 points and five rebounds, while Darius Dixson impacted the game as a distributor and defender with five assists and three steals. Aquinas' Brooklyn Ross battled inside with nine points, 10 rebounds and five blocks.

Brentwood 72, Cathedral Catholic 58

Brentwood and Cathedral Catholic played a competitive matchup before the Eagles created separation down the stretch. Ethan Hill was a consistent presence around the basket for Brentwood, finishing with 26 points and nine rebounds, while AJ Okoh added an impressive all-around performance with 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

Cathedral Catholic stayed within striking distance behind its backcourt scoring. Colton McQuaid finished with 24 points, six rebounds and three assists, while Anthony Ali Nayab added 20 points. Brentwood ultimately had too much inside and closed the game strongly, with Hill scoring six points over the final five minutes to help turn a four-point advantage into a 72-58 victory.

St. Joseph 50, Redondo Union 47

Few games produced a better finish.

Redondo Union pushed St. Joseph throughout the afternoon, and Chris Sanders was at the center of it with 18 points, nine rebounds and four assists. The game eventually came down to the final seconds tied at 47.

That was when Malcolm Price delivered the biggest shot of the day.

With approximately three seconds remaining, Price rose for a contested pull-up three-pointer and buried the game-winner, giving St. Joseph a dramatic 50-47 victory.

Price finished with 16 points and seven rebounds, while William Sacre added 10 points and eight boards and Godson Eyita contributed nine points and seven rebounds. The matchup was St. Joseph's first of two games in Long Beach on Saturday.

St. Joseph 73, St. Pius X-St. Matthias 52

St. Joseph returned later in the day and completed a successful two-game Saturday with a 73-52 victory over St. Pius X-St. Matthias.

Price followed his game-winner against Redondo with another strong offensive performance, scoring 21 points. Lucas Siskauskas added 14, Godson Eyita scored 13 and Isaiah Cain contributed eight.

St. Pius X-St. Matthias was led by Jakobi Oware, who finished with 17 points, five rebounds and two blocks. The matchup also gave St. Joseph, which made the trip south from Santa Maria, another opportunity to test itself against Southern California competition.

SoCal Academy 63, Belmont Shore 62

Legendary Southern California AAU program Belmont Shore took the floor Saturday against SoCal Academy, and the matchup produced arguably the wildest finish of the weekend. SoCal Academy held a 60-48 advantage with just over four minutes remaining before Belmont Shore mounted a furious comeback. Elijah Goodman helped fuel the run, and Isaac Hagens eventually scored through contact with three seconds remaining, converting the free throw to put Belmont Shore ahead 62-60.

That lead lasted only three seconds. Mate Khatiashvili launched a half-court three at the buzzer, banked it in and gave SoCal Academy a stunning 63-62 victory. Khatiashvili finished with 20 points and nine assists, while Hagens led Belmont Shore with 23 points. It was a fitting finish to one of the tournament's most entertaining games.

Mater Dei 64, San Gabriel Academy 57 (OT)

Saturday's final game provided another dramatic finish.

San Gabriel Academy stayed with Mater Dei throughout regulation and Mahamadou Diop's dunk with 47 seconds remaining tied the game at 57. Mater Dei couldn't convert on its final possession, sending the matchup to overtime.

The Monarchs then took control quickly. Zain Majeed opened overtime with a three, followed by a Richie Ramirez transition basket after a steal. Mater Dei held San Gabriel Academy scoreless in the extra period and closed out the 64-57 overtime victory.

Majeed finished with 16 points, Trey Price added 14 points and three assists, and Ramirez scored 12. San Gabriel Academy received 15 points and nine rebounds from Diop, while Zachary Arnold produced an excellent all-around line of 13 points, seven assists and five steals.

Sunday, September 20

Village Christian 52, St. Anthony 51

Sunday started with another game that went all the way to the final possession.

Village Christian sophomore Will Conroy Jr. was already having a strong afternoon offensively, but his biggest play came on the opposite end of the floor.

St. Anthony cut Village Christian's lead to one in the final seconds and had an opportunity to win it. On the final possession, the ball found its way toward the basket - and Conroy came up with the game-winning block, securing a 52-51 Village Christian victory.

It capped an outstanding two-way performance from the freshman, who finished with 21 points, five rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Deion Lewis added 15 points, three assists and four steals for Village Christian.

St. Anthony received 13 points, nine rebounds and four assists from Elijah Ricks, while Jayden White added 13 points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Conroy was involved from the opening minutes as both a scorer and creator.

Los Alamitos 62, Pacifica Christian 35

Los Alamitos set the tone with its athleticism and pressure against Pacifica Christian, creating turnovers and consistently finding opportunities in transition. DC Madeline made his presence felt around the rim early, while Tyler Dao provided the perimeter scoring as Los Alamitos gradually opened up the game.

Dao and Madeline each finished with 17 points, with Madeline also grabbing eight rebounds. Alfredo Herrera contributed across the board with nine points, six rebounds and five assists, and Johnny Radaich added 11 points. Pacifica Christian continued competing, but Los Alamitos' pressure eventually became too much as the Griffins pulled away for a 62-35 victory.

Orange Lutheran 71, Arcadia 48

Orange Lutheran overcame an early Arcadia start and quickly found its rhythm behind Noah Zeola.

Zeola scored seven early points as Orange Lutheran built a double-digit advantage and eventually finished with 24 points and three assists. Eugene Carson contributed 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists, while James McNamara added 11.

Arcadia was led by Ayodele Balogun, who finished with 14 points, five rebounds and three steals. Orange Lutheran's offensive balance and ability to turn Arcadia mistakes into scoring opportunities helped create the separation.

Belmont Shore 67, Cooper Academy 41

Belmont Shore returned Sunday and responded to Saturday's heartbreaking loss with an impressive performance against Cooper Academy. The AAU program jumped ahead early and used an active defense to create transition opportunities, with Noah Zeola, Isaac Hagens, Quentin Graham and Phil Reed Jr. all making an impact.

Zeola led Belmont Shore with 21 points, while Hagens recorded an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double. But one of the most intriguing performances came from 2029 guard Phil Reed Jr., who finished with 17 points, six assists and five steals. Reed created for teammates, disrupted Cooper Academy defensively and scored in transition as Belmont Shore continued stretching its advantage before finishing off the 67-41 win.

Mater Dei 59, Elev8 Academy Red 52

Mater Dei and Elev8 Academy Red traded momentum throughout one of Sunday's more competitive matchups. Elev8 stayed within a possession for much of the game and continued answering Mater Dei runs, with Javion Davis and Taijhon Blunt helping keep the game within reach late.

Mater Dei eventually found enough separation behind Freddie Forbes, who finished with 25 points, and Isaiah Williamson, who put together a huge all-around performance with 13 points, 16 rebounds and four assists. Elev8 pulled within three on a Blunt putback with under three minutes remaining, but Mater Dei answered inside before Forbes connected on a three with 54 seconds left to stretch the lead to seven and help seal the 59-52 victory.

Scouting Notes & Standout Prospects

Quali Giran - Millikan | 2029

Giran was one of the weekend's biggest young standouts. His 30-point, eight-rebound, four-assist, three-block performance showed considerably more than scoring. He was comfortable shooting from the perimeter, creating his own offense and making plays defensively. For a 2029 prospect playing in this environment, his combination of production and versatility immediately stood out.

Will Conroy Jr. - Village Christian | 2029

Conroy provided perhaps the clearest example of impacting winning on both ends. He scored 21 points, but the lasting image was his game-winning block against St. Anthony. He showed confidence creating his own shot while also producing five rebounds, two steals and two blocks. There is already a noticeable competitive edge to his game.

Phil Reed Jr. - Palisades | 2029

Playing with Belmont Shore, Reed showed why he belongs alongside Giran and Conroy as one of the notable 2029 prospects from the weekend. His 17 points, six assists, five steals and two blocks against Cooper Academy reflected his versatility. Reed can create offense, facilitate and disrupt defensively rather than needing scoring alone to influence a game.

Those three - Giran, Conroy and Reed - gave the Ron Massey Fall Hoops Classic three particularly intriguing names from Southern California's 2029 class.

Malcolm Price - St. Joseph | 2027

Price's Saturday was highlighted by the moment of the tournament: the contested game-winning three against Redondo Union. He finished that game with 16 points and seven rebounds before scoring 21 points later against St. Pius X-St. Matthias. Beyond the numbers, Price showed a willingness to take - and make - a difficult shot when the game was on the line.

Kylen Kincy - Los Altos | 2027

Kincy impacted virtually every area of the box score with 23 points, six rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks. He created offense for himself and others while being active defensively, making his performance against Wilson one of the more complete outings of the weekend.

Noah Zeola - Orange Lutheran | 2028

Zeola's 24-point performance against Arcadia showed his ability to generate offense from multiple spots. He was comfortable shooting from the perimeter but also found scoring opportunities inside the arc as Orange Lutheran pulled away.

Mate Khatiashvili - SoCal Academy | 2027

The 20 points and nine assists immediately stand out, but Khatiashvili's control of the offense may have been just as important. He balanced scoring with playmaking and repeatedly created opportunities for teammates against Belmont Shore.

Steve Irons - Valencia | 2027

Irons produced a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double with three blocks and then delivered the deciding basket with six seconds remaining against Santa Margarita. His ability to impact the paint on both ends was a major factor in Valencia's win.

Ethan Hill - Brentwood | 2028

Hill was productive and efficient around the basket, finishing with 26 points, nine rebounds and two blocks against Cathedral Catholic. He established himself early and remained a consistent interior scoring option throughout Brentwood's victory.

Isaiah Williamson - Mater Dei | 2028
Williamson put together an impressive all-around performance with 13 points, 16 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. He consistently attacked the paint while making an impact as a rebounder, defender and secondary playmaker. His ability to affect the game without relying solely on scoring stood out.

Colton McQuaid - Cathedral Catholic | 2027
McQuaid caught fire in the second half, finishing with 24 points and helping Cathedral Catholic cut a sizable deficit to just two. He showed impressive shot-making ability, connecting on multiple threes off the dribble, including several step-back and pull-up jumpers. He also contributed as a playmaker and rebounder while creating defensive pressure with steals. McQuaid’s combination of shot creation, range and confidence stood out, especially during Cathedral Catholic’s second-half run.

Zain Majeed - Mater Dei | 2027

Majeed delivered when Mater Dei needed him most. After San Gabriel Academy forced overtime, Majeed opened the extra period with a three-pointer that immediately put the Monarchs back in front. His 16 points included several timely baskets, and his overtime shot helped change the complexion of the finish.

Zachary Arnold - San Gabriel Academy | 2029

Arnold's 13 points, seven assists and five steals showed his value as a two-way guard. He created opportunities for teammates while consistently generating activity defensively, helping San Gabriel Academy push Mater Dei into overtime.

Trey Price - Mater Dei | 2027

Trey Price showed a well-rounded offensive game for Mater Dei, finishing with 14 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds and a steal in regulation. Price was effective in transition and showed good awareness as a secondary playmaker, creating several scoring opportunities for teammates. Overall, he displayed a nice combination of shot creation, perimeter shooting and playmaking from the guard spot.

Freddie Forbes - Mater Dei | 2030
Forbes showcased his scoring ability against ELEV8 Academy, finishing with 25 points and knocking down four threes. His athleticism and activity also showed defensively with two steals. Forbes displayed the ability to score at multiple levels and provide an offensive spark from the wing.

Final Takeaways

The 2026 Ron Massey Fall Hoops Classic once again served its purpose as an early-season look at some of the programs and prospects that could shape the upcoming Southern California high school basketball season.

There were established names, emerging prospects and plenty of memorable moments — from Malcolm Price's contested buzzer-beating three, to Will Conroy Jr.'s game-saving block, Mater Dei and San Gabriel Academy going to overtime, and Valencia winning in the closing seconds.

Perhaps most intriguing was the young talent. Quali Giran, Will Conroy Jr. and Phil Reed Jr. gave the event three notable prospects from the 2029 class, while players such as Malcolm Price, Kylen Kincy, Noah Zeola, Mate Khatiashvili, Steve Irons and others provided plenty to monitor as the 2026-27 season approaches.

For an event named after a coach whose legacy was built around teaching, competition and taking on anybody, the weekend at McBride High School offered another fitting chapter in the Ron Massey Fall Hoops Classic.