Photo Chris Williams/Icon SMI
After missing his junior season, it looks like Compton Centennial (Compton, Calif.) guard Deonta Burton could be headed for a big year.
Burton has always had the defensive instincts of a football defensive back, but his offensive game is starting to come around.
Mayes, Burton shine at Westchester tourney
By Ronnie Flores
ESPN RISE(Archive)
Updated: December 8, 2009, 2:49 PM ET
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Westchester Tip-Off Classic
All-Tourney Team
Dwayne Polee Jr -- Westchester (Los Angeles. Calif.)*
Deonta Burton -- Compton Centennial (Compton, Calif.) **
Kareem Jamar -- Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Jordin Mayes -- Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.)
DeAndre Daniels -- Taft (Woodland Hills, Calif.)
Spencer Dinwiddie -- Taft (Woodland Hills, Calif.)
Amir Garrett -- Leuzinger (Lawndale, Calif.)
Harrison Hawkins -- Compton Centennial (Compton, Calif.)
Wesley Saunders -- Windward (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Reese Morgan -- Peninsula (Rolling Hills Estates, Calif.)
* Most Valuable Player
** Most Outstanding Player
RISE Awards
Best Individual Performer
DeAndre Daniels
Biggest Surprise
Amir Garrett
Best Playmaker
Denzel Douglas -- Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Best Scorer
Burton
Best Dunker
Polee
Best Shooter
Jamar
Best Role Player
Stephens
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The one player who really made a name for himself at the Westchester Tip-Off Classic was Compton Centennial (Compton, Calif.) senior Deonta Burton.
He's a player who's made his mark on the summer circuit for four years, and it looks like he could be headed for a big senior season. He sat out last season after earning All-State sophomore honors at Cabrillo (Long Beach, Calif.) in 2007-08.
He's about an inch taller than he was at Cabrillo and his upper body is starting to fill out. The major addition to the repertoire is the confidence in his outside shot to go along with his wicked step-back jumper.
Burton scored 40 in the semifinals to keep the Apaches close against Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.), but the Comets prevailed, 86-85.
In the third-place game, Burton fouled out midway through the fourth in Centennial's 76-72 loss to Leuzinger (Lawndale, Calif.). Burton finished with 14 points and six rebounds.
"I'd have to say Deonta was the most impressive player I saw from another team," said Westchester's Kareem Jamar, who's bound for Montana. "He had a great tournament."
Leuzinger, Windward Step Up
Two teams that were satisfied to finish the tournament with 3-1 records were Leuzinger (Lawndale, Calif.) and Windward (Los Angeles, Calif.), both state title contenders in their respective CIF divisions.
Leuzinger (Division II) lost to runner-up Taft (Woodland Hills, Calif.) on a last-second bucket by Spencer Dinwiddie in the semifinals, 60-59. The Olympians took third place in the tournament without the services of wing Delon Wright, arguably the team's most experienced big-game performer. Wright was at home with the Chicken Pox.
"Considering we were underhanded, I was real pleased with the way we played," said Leuzinger coach Reggie Morris Jr. "We were competitive, and I'm real happy with that."
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