There are high faculty basketball gamers, and even dad and mom, who cringe when a coach says, “You’re playing with the junior varsity.”

Yes, instances have modified. The days of varsity packages utilizing JV teams to construct up their packages are largely gone. Freshmen with potential end up taking part in varsity. Others are put on frosh-sophomore teams attempting to develop chemistry with other freshmen. The perspective of gamers and dad and mom alike is: Playing JV isn’t cool.

But those trying to be developed and maybe get better when their inevitable growth spurt kicks in are lacking out on what JV basketball is absolutely for — participant development.

It appears to have labored out for three varsity standouts this season who began out on their faculty’s JV staff: Drew Anderson of Santa Margarita, Pierce Thompson of Harvard-Westlake and Isaiah Williamson of Los Alamitos. Fortunately, a little endurance by everybody concerned gave them the time and alternative to wait for their our bodies to mature and the remainder is historical past. All three will at some point be taking part in faculty basketball.

Anderson was 6-foot-3 as a freshman. He had a growth spurt, and this season is listed at 6-9. He and his household embraced the thought of studying to play on JV. Now he’s dedicated to Oregon State and is starring on the No. 4-ranked staff in the Southland as a senior.

“My parents were athletes in college,” Anderson said. “They knew with time I’d get better.”

Thompson was a JV guard his freshman 12 months and unlikely to contribute on varsity with many guards forward of him in this system. Under less stress, he was a standout. This season as a junior, his defensive prowess and three-point capturing make him the next top Harvard-Westlake guard following in the footsteps of Trent Perry.

Williamson had the household background to play on varsity as a freshman. His brother, Issac, was a star guard for state champion Eastvale Roosevelt. But Los Alamitos was loaded with seniors on varsity, so the choice was made to be affected person and have him play on the JV staff. This season as a sophomore, he has blossomed into an excellent prospect from the category of 2028. He’s a 6-4 left-hander who can rating from a selection of spots on the court.

One program that still believes in utilizing the JV staff to develop its gamers is Harvard-Westlake and coach David Rebibo. He has 5 distinctive freshmen on a JV staff this season that is 24-0. They have embraced their journey of making ready to play varsity next season.

Freshman Dekoda Ray has led Harvard-Westlake’s unbeaten JV basketball staff.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Dekoda Ray, a 6-3 freshman guard, might play varsity for many packages, but he and his dad and mom huddled and determined a 12 months on JV could be good for his development.

“We felt we have to trust the process,” Ray said. “Don’t play your game like you’re playing JV’s. Play like you’re playing for something greater.”

Rebibo said “transparency” is the only manner to talk with dad and mom and gamers.

“We want kids who want to be on varsity,” he said. “But there’s an understanding we have to do what’s in the best interest of their development and playing behind four senior guards doesn’t mean you’re going to be able to play. We’re very honest.”

The 5 freshmen on JV will probably be heard from in the approaching years: Ray, 6-7 Nairobi Ebi, 6-5 Jackson Thomas, 6-1 Max Paquin and 6-5 Nathan Kashper. Most will transfer up to varsity for the playoffs and they practiced with the varsity in the autumn.

Another program that believes in JV teams as a training ground is St. John Bosco and coach Matt Dunn.

“Proudly,” Dunn said.

He lets everybody know that 11 St. John Bosco gamers who have gone on to play faculty basketball began out on JV.

The JV staff is an surroundings for studying. If you make a mistake, a coach isn’t going to immediately put you on the bench like they do on varsity. Also not every 14-year-old is prepared socially to play with 19-year-olds on varsity.

Anderson reminds everybody in the end, it doesn’t matter what staff you start out on as a freshman.

“The work you put in will always win,” he said.