Fall league basketball has taken itself to new heights, especially on the West Coast. Since the COVID pandemic, many players throughout the nation were left without anywhere to play during the fall and winter of 2020. While many states were shut down under state and county mandated precautions at that time, states such as Arizona were still wide open, enabling a floodgate of hoops to take place. Fast forward five years and fall basketball has become a fixture on the west coast and LA’s finest event took place this week: The HS Fall Invite.
Held at gyms throughout the City of Angels, the HS Fall Invite blended many of SoCal’s finest against some of the best prep schools on the west coast. Elite Hoops Association founder Julius Von Hanzlik, event operator Gabe Hekmatniaz and NXT Up Hoops did an amazing job of getting people in the building, too. With over 100 D-1 coaches and countless media lining the baselines, the HS Fall invite not only provided a platform for players to receive media exposure, but also to obtain D-1 Scholarships.
With the event running Tuesday through Sunday, we were only able to catch the first four days, but that was more than enough to see the abundance of talent that the HS Fall Invite had to offer. Here are the top performers that we saw throughout the first four days of the HS Fall Invite:
Jason Crowe Jr., 6’3.5, PG, Inglewood HS (Cal.), 2026
Considered by many to be the best point guard in the nation, “J2” reminded all on-lookers why he intends to hold that position throughout the regular season. An electric playmaker who is an elite finisher with either hand, Crowe was elite at getting the ball up fourth in a hurry, created separation with ease, and made it point to get others involved throughout his scoring onslaught. The most highly sought after recruit in Missouri history will likely break California’s all time leading scoring record during his final campaign at Inglewood that was set last year by Tounde Yessoufou, now at Baylor.
Brandon McCoy Jr., 6’5, PG/SG, Sierra Canyon HS (Cal.), 2026
In what was the story of the HS Fall Invite, 6’5 Brandon McCoy made his debut with Sierra Canyon. The powerfully built two way combo guard was running the show at point for SC, ultimately leading the Chatsworth-based CIF squad to a 48-44 win over Utah Prep. This ultimately proved be the top-3 senior’s only game at the HS Fall Invite, as he left to take an official visit to Alabama.
Vaughn Karvala, 6’6, SF, CIA Bella Vista (Ariz.), 2026
One of the new additions to CIA Bella Vista, Karvala fit right in with his new squad as a plug and play guy. The swingman is a reliable shooter with his feet set, is a big time finisher above the rim in transition, and really knows how to produce with limited dribbles. Wisconsin’s top senior is able to assimilate just about anywhere based on his style of play, which has certainly made him a hot priority for high major programs and a potential McDonald’s All-American candidate.
Anthony Felesi, 6’5, SG, Utah Prep, 2026
The most consistent player for Utah Prep was Felesi, a silky smooth shooting guard. Having played next to A.J. Dybantsa last year, it’s Felisi’s time to shine as the focal point of the squad. He was automatic with his pull-up jumper off the bounce, made incredibly smooth finishes in transition, and was able to score the ball efficiently with limited dribbles. USC head coach Eric Musselman was standing front and center on the baseline throughout Utah Prep’s game against Sierra Canyon, making it quite clear that he is a major priority for the Trojans.
Maximo Adams, 6’7, SF, Sierra Canyon HS (Cal.), 2026
One of the more productive players that we saw at the HS Fall Invite was Adams, a skilled combo forward who got it done both inside and out. The active forward was outstanding playing through contact, shot the ball well with his feet set from the perimeter, and maintained a high level of activity on both ends of the floor. Adams put up monster numbers (20 points, 11 rebounds per game) in the EYBL for Vegas Elite and literally has every major college program in the country vying for his services.
Kalek House, 6’3, PG/SG AZ Compass Prep (Ariz.), 2026
A natural scorer, Kalek House made HUGE growth with his development as a playmaker while also maintaining his constant presence as a threat to fill it up in the box score. The senior is a serious shooter who is always putting pressure on the defense, has elite touch once he gets to the paint, The son of NBA Champion and 2000 PAC-10 Player of The Year Eddie House has a similar style of aggressiveness on the hardwood and should make an immediate impact at Xavier as a freshman.
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