SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Seven-footer Evan Mobley's defense of his No. 1 ranking in the class of 2020 is taking place on a national stage this weekend at the Hoophall West.

How did the USC bound big man look to start the event? Which of his competition is in Scottsdale and who else stood out during early sessions of the event?

2020's current No. 1 player Evan Mobley has always been considered a great defender and this winter he isn't just defending the rim, he's defending his top ranking.

While the future USC Trojan has already played a handful of games this season, Friday night offered his first opportunity to showcase where he's at on the national stage provided by the Hoophall West. After missing much of the summer with injury, this was our first look at him in some time and he didn't disappoint.

It took some time for his teammates to actually toss him the ball -- seriously, how does a dominant big like him only get three shots in the first half? -- but Mobley eventually took things into his own hands and had a flurry of attacks off the dribble and high level finishes around the rim to end up with 16 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks. When he had the ball, the results were very encouraging and he looked like a No. 1 player.

For the second weekend in a row, current No. 3 Jalen Green had an opportunity to play in the same event as one of the two players ranked ahead of him and for the second weekend in a row he showed why the race for No. 1 isn't just a battle between Mobley and No. 2 Cade Cunningham. Green has turned the thing into a real free for all that should be a battle royale played out all winter long.

During Thursday night's nationally televised portion of the Hoophall West, Green put on an incredible display of skill and scoring as he and Napa (Calif.) Prolific Prep ran a pretty loaded Phoenix (Ariz.) Hillcrest Prep team out of the building.

A true high flyer, what was so impressive about Green's performance was that it didn't include run outs or lobs, it was all reads of ball screens, pull-up jumpers and skilled shot creation. It was arguably the best we've ever seen him and the type of performance that is hard to deny. We had plenty on him and his recruitment and nothing has changed as Auburn, Fresno State, Memphis, Oregon and USC continue to give chase.

Speaking of playing the best we have ever seen him, Connecticut signee Andre Jackson was tremendous on Thursday night during a dynamic 26 point outing.

Look, the dude is as elite as they come athletically. He's a rocket off the floor, laterally quick and moves around with ease. But, his performances aren't always consistent because of effort going up and down and a jump shot he doesn't fully seem to trust.

The effort was great and the confidence in the jumper looked better. What really stood out, though, was his passing. Albany (N.Y.) Academy put the ball in his hands and he showed off passing and vision that we really didn't know existed. If he sustains this type of performance through the winter, he'll be on the rise in the next set of rankings. Either way, he's potentially a pretty significant pickup for Dan Hurley as he rebuilds UConn.

.... Gonzaga bound Dominick Harris had his way on the perimeter for Temecula (Calif.) Rancho Christian in their win over Seattle (Wash.) Rainier Beach. He's added some good muscle since the summer and had it clicking with his jump shot from deep. Mix in strong drives and the ability to be a versatile defender and he and Evan Mobley can be among the premier inside out combos in the country this summer.

.... It's pretty mind blowing that Rainier Beach senior combo guard John Hart doesn't have any scholarship offers. The 6-foot-1 senior is a monster athlete with some serious juice i his legs and he can really create for himself off the dribble. He is a streaky shooter who scoring comes easy to and he's got huge upside for a coach who can polish some rough edges. He has at least seen Oregon State, Portland State and Eastern Washington. He's a guy that could easily land at an upper end mid major once schools get a look at him.

.... Once touted as one of the top players in America headed into his freshman year, senior forward Shemar Morrow currently has a pretty quiet recruitment as he finishes up at Phoenix (Ariz.) Shadow Mountain. A bouncy and long 6-foot-4 athlete, he's a transition finisher who has the tools to turn into a tough defender. He'll have a chance to pick up more attention this winter if he keeps playing like he did in a 30 point effort on Friday.

.... During Thursday night's televised game, most of Hillcrest Prep struggled but 2022's No. 16 ranked player Sadraque Nganga put on a pretty impressive display. Now holding offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, TCU and Oklahoma, he got to the rim off the dribble, ran the floor and used his length to impact the game on both ends of the floor. If he plays that way all winter, he could be a top 10 player in his class.

.... Georgia Tech landed a nice pickup in big man Saba Gigiberia. He's not likely to set the world on fire as a freshman, but he's got a big frame, pretty good hands and he plays with toughness. He'll eat space in the lane, dish out some physicality and should be a reliable finisher around the rim throughout his time in Atlanta.