Bryce James returned to the court Wednesday night, once again playing for Sierra Canyon High School (Chatsworth, Calif.) after transferring twice before heading into his junior season. James came off the bench for 15 minutes and scored 6 points to lead the team to an 86-24 victory over Moorpark High School at home. As the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Detroit Pistons 133-107 on the road, Bryce’s mother, Savannah James, sat courtside while her father, LeBron James, attended his own a match.
James, a 6-foot-4 guard, has had an interesting return to Sierra Canyon after leaving the program in June. He initially transferred to Campbell Hall High School (Studio City, Calif.) where he played in a few games during the summer. He then transferred again to Notre Dame High School (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) in August. James played a few games in the fall with Houston’s Mercy Miller, the son of rapper Master P, before deciding to return to Sierra Canyon for his junior season.
Many may be wondering why James transferred schools twice before choosing to return to Sierra Canyon. A lot of it has to do with the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Division, which deemed James ineligible to transfer in the Sierra Canyon Conference and he would have to sit out half the season at Notre Dame. When he transferred back to Sierra Canyon, he was immediately deemed eligible due to CIF Southern Section ABA rules.
Bryce’s older brother, Bronny, played four years at Sierra Canyon, and Bryce saw limited playing time as a sophomore. Bronny started every game and was even named a McDonald’s All-American and attended the Nike Basketball Summit to finish his senior season before heading to USC.
Bryce returns to a familiar offense under head coach Andre Chevalier and joins some of his closest friends and teammates from last year’s AAU circuit and Sierra Canyon Contest.
“It’s great to have Bryce back,” teammate Justin Pippen told Yahoo Sports. “He stretches the floor to get better spacing and is an extra threat on the outside. “He plays the right way and we’re all excited to have him back on the team. “
Pippen, the youngest son of Scottie Pippen, became the most improved of the senior class after growing three inches over the summer (he is now 6-foot-4) and improving his perimeter game. One of the players. Pippen’s most recent offers include Stanford, Texas A&M and UC Santa Barbara. His focus is on the senior season before any official visits are planned. Pippen scored a team-high 19 points in the win and has combined for 43 points in the past two games.
James’ AAU teammate Bryce Cofield is also on the team, and the two hope to carry over their on-court chemistry from the summer to Sierra Canyon this season. Cofield, a 6-foot-5 junior guard, scored 18 points in the win.
Rounding out the talented backcourt is Arkansas’ Isaiah Elohim, an explosive guard with amazing hands around the basket. Elohim is still out with a minor injury, but when he returns, his athleticism and playmaking will be an immediate boost.
James made two unofficial visits to Ohio State and USC and also received an invitation from Duquesne University.
Sierra Canyon is currently 5-0 and will travel to Arizona to compete in the Hoophall West this weekend. The team will face Desert Mountain (Scottsdale, Ariz.) on December 2 at 7:30 p.m. ET.