Eric Hampford:
Future150 GM / Senior National Analyst. Covering high and middle school basketball.
Los Angeles, CA (Future150) -- Written By: Nigel Carter
Class of 2015 6-foot-1 point guard Max Hazzard from Los Angeles Loyola (CA) High School is having a tremendous season. He has been one of the key pieces in leading the nationally ranked Cubs to a 14-0 start this season.
Before the start of the season, Hazzard's work started in the summer where he worked hard to improve his game. His main focus was working on his point guard skills while playing with the Oakland Soldiers during the summer.
He says, "I worked on my ball handling, focusing on trying to keep the ball on a string and a lot of repetition shooting the ball." That hard work has definitely has paid off this season.
Most guys who play with two top 100 players like Thomas Welsh (UCLA) and Parker Jackson-Cartwright (Arizona) wouldn't be able to stand out with so much talent around them. Even though he has had to play off the ball because of the presence of Jackson-Cartwright, it hasn't stopped his stellar play. Max Hazzard has not only been able to stand out, but at times during the season has outplayed his PAC-12 bound teammates.
During the recent Under Armour Holiday Classic in San Diego which featured some of the top players around the country, Hazzard averaged 22.7 points and 3.5 assist per game, earning MVP honors and helping lead his team to the tournament championship. Hazzard said after, "I think I played very well against big time competition and was able to hit a lot of jumpers on a big stage, which was a confidence booster."
His performance not only garnered attention from spectators but also Division I programs. Hazzard already had offers from LMU, UC Irvine, Brown and San Jose State, but bigger schools are now starting to get involved in his recruitment. According to Hazzard, UCLA, California, Alabama and Harvard have recently shown interest in him.
Max Hazzard hopes to finish his season strong and win a California State Championship. Once the season is over he plans to continue to improve his game and hit the summer circuit again with the the Oakland Soldiers where he believes, "If we win Peach Jam and I show that I can lead a team at the point guard position, the sky is the limit."
If Hazzard's recent play is any indication of what is to come, expect for his recruitment to continue to pick up and his national ranking to improve.
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