‘it’s a dream come true’

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL

Roosevelt standout Burries presented with McDonald’s All-American Game jersey

Roosevelt boys basketball standout Brayden Burries poses with a display featuring his McDonald’s All-American Game jersey, left, and his school team jersey, right, during a ceremony at the school in Eastvale on Wednesday. Terry Pierson — Staff Photographer

Burries goes airborne for a dunk during Roosevelt’s 58-51 victory over St. John Bosco in a CIF-SS Open Division pool-play playoff game last month. Photo by Milka Soko

Image

By Eric-Paul Johnson

ejohnson@scng.com

EASTVALE — Bradyen Burries has every reason to be “lovin’ it” right now.

Last Saturday, Burries helped the Roosevelt boys basketball team defeat Sherman Oaks Notre Dame in the CIF Southern Section’s Open Division championship game.

And Wednesday afternoon during a ceremony inside the school’s gymnasium, Burries was presented with his jersey for the upcoming McDonald’s All-American Game.

The rosters for the game were selected from a list of nominees submitted by coaches and athletic directors, with 24 seniors from across the nation making the final cut.

“It’s a dream come true,” Burries said about his selection to the prestigious all-star game that dates back to 1977. “I’m thankful for the opportunity to represent Roosevelt.”

Burries is the ninth boys basketball player from an Inland school and the first from Roosevelt to be selected for the McDonald’s All-American Game. The previous eight Inland boys players chosen were Fontana’s Corey Benjamin (1996), North’s Malcolm Lee (2008), Rancho Verde’s Michael Snaer (2009), Chino Hills’ Lonzo Ball (2016), Rancho Christian brothers Isaiah Mobley (2019) and Evan Mobley (2020), and Centennial’s Jared McCain (2023) and Carter Bryant (2024).

Burries’ selection was never in doubt entering the season. The 6-foot-4 guard who remains uncommitted to a college at this point is averaging 29 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3,6 assists and three steals per game for the Mustangs this year. Burries is Roosevelt’s all-time leading scorer despite having played only two seasons in the program.

It is one of many honors Burries is expected to garner this season. He already has been named as 1 of 5 finalists for Maxpreps.com’s National Player of the Year award. Burries also is a leading contender for some statewide accolades, including Gatorade’s California Player of the Year honor and Calhisports.com’s Mr. Basketball award.

Roosevelt’s Stephen Singleton said Burries share many characteristics of a previous McDonald’s All-American he coached at Dominguez High School: Tyson Chandler.

“They had the same work ethic to keep getting better each day,” Singleton said of Chandler and Burries. “They didn’t just rely on their God-given talent. They worked on their game and trusted in the process that comes with all that hard work. With Brayden, I think that was instilled very early by his dad, his mom and his youth coaches.”

Burries’ father, Bobby, was a standout player at Pacific High School and played against two McDonald’s All-Americans (Benjamin and Chris Burgess of Woodbridge).

“It’s an amazing feeling,” Bobby Burries said of his son being picked for the game. “It hasn’t always been an easy journey. There was adversity. But it’s turned out well.”

Roosevelt athletic director Aaron Shires read off a list of Brayden’s accomplishments as a high school player. Next to speak were his father and mother, Hannah Low, both of whom expressed gratitude for Roosevelt welcoming the family three years ago. Singleton then took the microphone, and Brayden closed with words of his own.

Being chosen for the McDonald’s All-American Game is a tremendous individual achievement, but Brayden said it would not have been possible without his teammates.

“They’re a big reason for this,” Burries said. “Many people played an important role, from my family to all of my teammates and coaches from when I was little until now.”

The ceremony concluded with the unveiling of a large frame that includes Burries’ Roosevelt and McDonald’s All-American Game jerseys. Singleton and administrators began gazing around the large gymnasium and discussed the best place for the frame to be placed in the near future.

The 48th McDonald’s All-American Game will be held April 1 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Before that one, however. Burries is looking to lead Roosevelt to three more wins and a CIF State championship. The top-seeded Mustangs (32-2) host Harvard-Westlake (31-2) in an Open Division regional semifinal game Saturday at 7 p.m.