The Orientation by Beach City Hoops 2026 Recap: Team Bereal Claims Incoming Freshman Championship
ANAHEIM, Calif. - The 2026 edition of The Orientation by Beach City Hoops brought together a talented group of incoming freshmen at Loara High School in Anaheim, offering an early look at several players who could emerge as names to know during the upcoming high school season.
The day featured two semifinals, a consolation game and the championship, with Team Bereal ultimately taking home the title behind a strong performance from Navon Nunely and a balanced supporting cast.
Semifinal 1: Team Scott 67, Team Spence 63
The opening semifinal produced one of the most competitive games of the day.
Team Scott held a narrow 33-31 advantage after the opening period, but Team Spence continued to hang around and eventually tied the game at 59 in the second half. Julian Arzola answered with a three to put Scott back ahead, while Team Spence briefly grabbed a 63-62 advantage behind Tyson Acox. Jackson Elcott responded inside, and Arzola followed with a steal, basket and free throw to help Team Scott regain control and secure the win.
Jackson Elcott led Team Scott with 18 points, 7 rebounds and a steal, while Kingston Neal added 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals. Arzola turned in an efficient 15 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals, shooting 6-of-7 from the field.
For Team Spence, Tyson Acox finished with 17 points, 3 assists and 4 steals. Connor Clark and Jordan Fang each scored 15 points, with Fang also grabbing 7 rebounds.
The difference ultimately came down to Team Scott making enough plays late in a game that went back and forth down the stretch.
Semifinal 2: Team Bereal 66, Team Weatherall 55
Team Bereal advanced to the championship behind a balanced attack and another big scoring performance from Navon Nunely.
Bereal led 35-26 at the break, but Weatherall made its push behind Aiden Johnson, who scored from multiple levels and helped trim the deficit during the second half. Johnson hit a three and followed it with a transition basket to pull Weatherall within four, but Bereal continued to answer.
Nunely finished with 26 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals, shooting an efficient 12-of-17 from the field. Ezekiel Vernis contributed 18 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists, while Jordan Smith impacted several areas with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists.
Weatherall was led by Aiden Johnson, who posted 23 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal. Noah Austin added 12 points, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks.
Bereal's combination of scoring, size and secondary playmaking proved difficult to handle and earned them a spot in the championship.
Consolation: Team Weatherall 65, Team Spence 47
Team Weatherall bounced back quickly in the consolation game, building an early advantage and controlling the game from there.
Weatherall pushed its lead into double figures during the first period and opened the second half with another run. Jaiden Giarrizo scored on consecutive transition opportunities as the margin reached 17, and Team Spence was never able to fully recover.
Jaiden Giarrizo delivered one of the better individual performances of the day, finishing with 23 points and 7 rebounds while shooting 11-of-15 from the field. Aiden Johnson followed his big semifinal with another productive outing, recording 16 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
Hayes Porter was nearly perfect offensively, finishing with 15 points on 7-of-7 shooting, while Noah Austin contributed 9 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal and a block.
For Team Spence, Tyson Acox scored 13 points, while Milo Argota added 12 points and 4 rebounds.
Championship: Team Bereal 64, Team Scott 42
The championship was competitive early, but Team Bereal eventually separated itself behind Nunely's scoring and increased defensive pressure.
Team Scott carried a 33-29 lead into the second period, but the game changed quickly after halftime. Nunely attacked in transition, created turnovers and began taking over offensively. A steal and layup gave Bereal its first lead of the half, and a three shortly afterward pushed the advantage to four.
From there, Bereal took control.
Nunely scored off consecutive turnovers as the lead grew to double digits, while Jordan Smith and Malik McClain Brown helped generate additional defensive activity. Nunely eventually knocked down another three to make it 60-40, and Bereal closed out a convincing 64-42 championship victory.
Navon Nunely capped his weekend with 28 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals, shooting 10-of-15 from the field and 4-of-8 from three.
Ezekiel Vernis added 17 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and a block, while Malik McClain Brown finished with 13 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals.
Team Scott was led by Dax Kaushagen's 11 points and 4 rebounds, while Kingston Neal and Jackson Elcott each added 8 points.
Bereal's second-half defense turned the championship. What had been a four-point deficit at the break became a 22-point win, with turnovers consistently turning into transition opportunities.
Scouting Notes & Evaluations
Navon Nunely - 6’3 - Arcadia HS - Team Bereal - Camp MOP
Nunely was the most dynamic scorer of the final four. He showed the ability to get downhill, finish in transition and knock down shots from three while also creating defensive events with his hands. His 54 points across the semifinal and championship stood out, but his efficiency and activity were equally impressive. He looks comfortable playing with the ball and has the scoring instincts to take over stretches of games.
Ezekiel Vernis - 5’11 - Servite HS - Team Bereal
Vernis showed an intriguing combination of size, scoring and playmaking. He totaled 35 points, 13 rebounds and 7 assists across Bereal's two wins and showed he can operate as more than simply a finisher. His versatility should make him an interesting player to track as he develops.
Aiden Johnson - 5’10 - St. Anthony - Team Weatherall
Johnson was one of the event's most productive guards, scoring 23 points in the semifinal and 16 in the consolation game. He showed confidence attacking the basket, creating his own offense and stepping into perimeter shots. His combination of scoring and physical tools makes him one of the more interesting guards from the event.
Jordan Smith - 6’2 - Corona Centennial HS - Team Bereal
Smith may not have needed to score at a high volume, but his impact showed up everywhere. His 13-point, 10-rebound, 6-assist semifinal was one of the more complete performances of the event. He is a lockdown defender who consistently beats players to the spot and makes things difficult at the point of attack. Offensively, Smith moves the ball well and has a very good midrange pull-up, giving him another weapon when attacking off the dribble. He rebounds, facilitates and can impact winning without needing a high number of touches.
Jackson Elcott - 6’5 - Harvard Westlake HS - Team Scott
Elcott is a strong-bodied forward who can stretch the floor while still providing a physical presence around the basket. He finishes and rebounds well in the paint and uses his strength effectively on the defensive end. His ability to contribute inside while also stepping away from the basket gives him some offensive versatility. Elcott delivered a game-high 18 points in Team Scott's semifinal victory, showing his ability to produce when his team needed it most.
Malik McClain Brown - 6’2 - Francis Parker (San Diego) - Team Bereal
McClain Brown is a long wing who consistently touches the paint and uses his size well as a creator. He has good handles for his size, allowing him to attack off the dribble and put pressure on the defense. Once he gets downhill, he uses his length and physicality to finish through contact at the rim. His combination of size, ball-handling and paint pressure makes him an intriguing wing to follow.
Ashton Bright - 5’10 - Mira Costa HS - Team Scott
Bright is a floor general with a high motor who looks to push the ball and get his team playing with pace. He has good vision with the ball in his hands and does a nice job finding teammates while attacking. Bright can also get downhill and finish at the rim, giving him the ability to create for others or finish the play himself.
Kingston Neal - 6’0 - Corona Centennial HS - Team Scott
Neal provided Team Scott with shot creation and perimeter scoring, highlighted by 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in the semifinal victory. He showed confidence as a scorer and should be another guard worth monitoring as he enters his freshman season.
Jaiden Giarrizo - 5’11 - Legacy Christian HS - Team Weatherall
Giarrizo's consolation performance stood out because of his efficiency. He scored 23 points on 11-of-15 shooting and consistently found opportunities in transition and around the basket. He plays with good pace and showed an ability to capitalize when the defense was unsettled.
Hayes Porter - 5’11 - Corona Centennial HS - Team Weatherall
Porter is a quick, crafty point guard who can create his own shot and consistently get to the rim. He plays with good change of pace and can find openings off the dribble to generate scoring opportunities. Porter was extremely efficient in the consolation game, finishing with 15 points on a perfect 7-of-7 from the field, including 1-of-1 from three. His combination of quickness, creativity and shot-making makes him an intriguing guard to track entering his freshman season.
Final Takeaway
For an event made up entirely of incoming freshmen, The Orientation provided an early glimpse at a group of players who could become increasingly familiar names over the next several seasons.
Team Bereal left Anaheim as champions, but the event featured productive performances across all four teams. Navon Nunely, Ezekiel Vernis, Aiden Johnson, Jaiden Giarrizo, Jordan Smith and Kingston Neal were among the players who made strong impressions, and their development as they transition into high school basketball will be worth following.
For Gamebook Stats, The Orientation also offers a useful starting point: these players now have an early statistical and scouting baseline that can be revisited as their freshman seasons progress.