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Norwalk, Calif. -- This year's Pangos All-American Camp was a coming out party for many of the nation's talented underclassmen. There were talented seniors-to-be among the 115 campers who descended on Cerritos College for the three-day instructional and showcase camp with a new twist, but the juniors-to-be (2020 prospects) stole the show and, collectively, created the most buzz at the event.

For the first time in the event's history, NBA scouts were cleared to evaluate and having a plethora of talented underclassmen was a positive for them.

"It was good to evaluate new players and not just the same top 30 players that we've seen many times," said one NBA scout who attended and who shall remain anonymous.

Joining representatives from 22 NBA franchises was a throng of national media outlets and when it was all said and done, the underclass player who put his imprint on every camp game he played, along with being arguably the most consistent performer throughout, is our choice for best event performer. His name is Anthony Edwards, and the 6-foot-5 2020 wing forward from Holy Spirit Prep in Atlanta put his stamp on the nation's top independent showcase camp with his scoring ability, power around the rim and explosive first step in the half court game. The muscular Edwards tied with 6-foot-2 2019 point guard Tyson Etienne of Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.) for the camp's scoring title (17.3 ppg over four games) and was one of the most efficient players in terms of getting his points within the flow of the game and not forcing too many shots or overhanding (the latter which is problematic in a majority of grassroots camp settings). Edwards shot 56.3 percent from the field on 48 attempts.

With his explosiveness and strength, Edwards' dominance reminded us of Mustapha Heron's MOP worthy performance at the 2015 Pangos All-American Camp. Although Edwards wasn't named Most Outstanding Player as Heron (Auburn/St. John's) was, he was the one player who turned the most heads among those who came into camp without a huge national rep and was universally respected by his peers for his dominant performance. Edwards had been offered by Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Mississippi State and you can bet the "Blue Bloods" will be offering before long.

While Edwards has a long way before he's seriously on the NBA Draft radar, that is not the case for 6-foot-11 Evan Mobley of Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.). The 2020 prospect was likely the most intriguing player for NBA scouts because of his incredible size, length, coordination and upside. Mobley has long been considered one of the best prospects in his class nationally, but he's finally coming into his own as a player because of the increased strength in his lower body, which has led to better balance, timing and agility, not to mention increased confidence. It has also helped Mobley that growing pains he endured during his freshman season have decreased, which has led to him becoming arguably the most intriguing prospect in the 2020 national class.

"It's becoming very easy to maintain my stamina because my body is getting stronger," Mobley said. "I used to pace myself, but I can now do what I want to do out on the court. It makes the game easier to see. On fast breaks, I can see the rotations better."

Mobley had two of the most eye-popping plays of the camp, where he threw down a follow-up dunk and another where he finished an "AND1" follow up during the Top 30 Cream of the Crop Game at the Camp's conclusion. Now that he's healthy and getting his legs under him, the rim truly does seem like a nerf hoop on Mobley's finishes.

The next aspect of the game for Mobley to work on is consistency on the glass and using that quick leaping ability to rebound out of his area. Mobley averaged 5.75 rpg to rank fifth overall in camp. The rebounding leader at 10 per game was Charles Bassey, the 2019 post prospect from Aspire Academy (Louisville, Ky.). Bassey was eighth in scoring (14 ppg) and was easily one of the most productive players throughout the three-day event. Bassey has bulked up considerably and perhaps even lost some of the perimeter ability that made him such an intriguing prospect when he was named www.ebooksnet.com National Freshman of the Year in 2015-16.

After his freshman campaign, the hype surrounding Bassey was incredible and it would be hard for him, or any other prospect, to live up to such lofty expectations. Still, the combination of size, power, production and motor made Bassey one of the best players at this event and a top three prospect in the national 2019 class. It remains to be seen if the other top big men in the 2019 class (Vernon Carey, James Wiseman) can clearly wrestle the mantle of No. 1 prospect from him based on on-court production.

Pangos Camp founder and director Dinos Trigonis named Bassey Most Outstanding Player. With the selection, Bassey becomes the first-ever two-time event MOP. It's quite an accomplishment considering the standouts who've attended the camp multiple times over the years.

Pangos Stat Stuffers

Jaden Springer, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard from Rocky River (Mint Hill, N.C.), was third in the camp in scoring at 17 ppg and just edged Mobley for highest field goal percentage at 74.4 percent to 74.2 percent. Springer is another one of the 2020 prospects that helped his national profile over the three-day event.

Another 2020 prospect who played well at the camp, 6-foot-4 shooting guard Josh Christopher from Mayfair (Lakewood, Calif.), led the camp in assists at 7 per game. A couple of true lead guards from the 2019 class, 6-foot-3 Gianni Hunt of Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.) and 6-foot Pierre Crockwell from Garfield (Seattle, Wash.), were tied for second in assists at 6.5 per game. Hunt has successfully bounced back from an injury-plagued high school junior season and Crockwell had a 13-assist game and was pointed out by some of his peers as a guard they had trouble staying in front of.

Coming in second in the rebounding department behind Bassey was 6-foot-10 2019 power forward Drew Timme of Pearce (Richardson, Texas) at 8.75 per game. Mobley's older brother Isaiah Mobley, a 6-foot-9 2019 power forward already committed to USC, was third at 8 rebounds per.

There were 14 outings where an individual scored 20 plus points in a single game, led by the 27-point effort of 5-foot-11 point guard Sharife Cooper from McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.). Shooting guard Jarod Lucas, a 6-foot-3 2019 prospect out of Los Altos (Hacienda Heights, Calif.), got red hot from the outside and had a 25-point game. Cade Cunningham, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard of out Bowie (Arlington, Texas), had a 24-point game.

Besides Edwards, Evan Mobley, Springer, Christopher, and Cunningham, other 2020 prospects that did nothing by help their reputations and national standing at this camp include 6-foot-7 small forward Scottie Barnes of University School (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.), 6-foot-11 center N'Faly Dante from Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Air, Kan.), 6-foot-10 power forward Xavier Foster from Oskaloosa Community (Oskaloosa, Iowa) and 6-foot-6 small forward Brandon Boston from Norcross (Norcross, Ga.).

Cream of the Crop Top 30 Highlights

Isaiah Mobley led Team Harden (White) to a 108-102 victory over Team Westbrook (White) in the Cream of the Crop Top 30 all-star game, which is usually reserved for the camp's best performers as selected by veteran media in attendance and rubber-stamped by Trigonis. The USC commit led five teammates in double figures with 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field. He also had some key plays and baskets during the line shift in which the White team opened up a double-digit lead.

After trailing 62-46 at halftime, the Blue team made a spirited comeback led by the all-around gamesmanship of Barnes and enthusiastic bench support. Barnes only scored two points (on a vicious crossover dribble drive finish), but played hellacious defense and dished out a game-high seven assists, grabbed four rebounds and had two steals. Barnes is an intense and versatile defender with an ideal NBA-type body to defend the three-point line and the ultra-athletic wings in today's game. The Blue Team got within a couple of possessions late, but couldn't get over the hump.

Tre Mann, a 6-foot-3 2019 point guard out of The Villages School (The Villages, FL), led the Blue Team with 16 points, including 4-of-6 3-pointers. Jake Kyman, a 6-foot-6 small forward from Santa Margarita (Rancho SM, Calif.) and a UCLA commit, nailed 3-of-3 3-pointers from the White Team, including a couple late to fend off the Blue Team rally.

Mobley and Barnes were name team MVPs in the top all-star game.

Pangos Camp All-Time MOPs

2018: Charles Bassey, Aspire Academy (Louisville, Ky.) 6-10 C
2017 (co): Cole Anthony, Archbishop Malloy (Queens, N.Y.) 6-2 PG
2017 (co): Charles Bassey, St. Anthony (San Antonio, Texas) 6-10 C
2016 (co): Trevon Duval, API (Dallas) 6-2 PG
2016 (co): Michael Porter Jr., Father Tolten (Columbia, Mo.) 6-9 SF
2015 (co): Rawle Alkins, Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) 6-5 SG
2015 (co): Mustapha Heron, Sacred Heart (Waterbury, Conn.) 6-5 SG
2014 (tri): Isaiah Briscoe, Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.) 6-3 PG
2014 (tri): Tyler Dorsey, St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) 6-5 SG
2014 (tri): Stephen Zimmermann, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) 7-0 PF
2013: Stanley Johnson, Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 6-7 SF
2012: Cliff Alexander, Currie (Chicago) 6-9 PF
2011: Shabazz Muhammad, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) 6-6 WF
2010: Myck Kabongo, Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) 6-2 PG
2009: Harrison Barnes, Ames (Ames, Iowa) 6-7 WF
2008: John Wall, Word of God Academy (Raleigh, N.C.) 6-3 PG
2007: Brandon Jennings, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 6-1 PG
2006: James Harden, Artesia (Lakewood) 6-5 SG
2005: Jerry-Davon Jefferson, Lynwood 6-8 WF
2004: C.J. Miles, Skyline (Dallas) 6-6 WF
2003: Robert Swift, Bakersfield 7-0 C

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

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Aspire Academy over Hillcrest Prep 74-55

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By Ronnie Flores

Just as we didn't penalize Oak Hill Academy when it dropped an early game last season after Harry Giles (Duke) went down with injury, the theme of the first regular season FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com is to not overreact to an early-season loss by an elite team. Last season we knew Oak Hill had a very good team (even without Giles) and it eventually adjusted without him and went on to post a 45-1 record and No. 2 FAB 50 finish.

This year, preseason No. 4 Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) dropped a 69-67 contest to regionally-ranked Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) at the Holiday Hoopsgiving in Atlanta. Vashon is a quality club and the Wildcats bounced back to defeat preseason No. 6 Greenforest Christian Academy (Decatur, Ga.) 53-42 at their own Wheeler Hoops Classic. With so many strong teams in Georgia, and because Wheeler plays such a loaded schedule and was not afraid to take on tough competition before December, it only drops two spots in the updated FAB 50 to the spot Greenforest previously occupied.

Wheeler hits the road to take on No. 32 Westlake of Atlanta (which has only lost to No. 19 Greenforest) on Friday before playing new No. DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) at the National High School Hoops Festival on December 9 at DeMatha. In 2004-05, the only loss for eventual FAB 50 national champion Niagara Falls (N.Y.), led by future Syracuse players Johnny Flynn and Paul Harris, came against Vashon, which is the second highest-ranked newcomer in this week's FAB 50 at No. 27.

New Early Season Trend: Big-Time Matchups 

With events such as the Holiday Hoopsgiving and the Thanksgiving Hoopfest in Dallas growing in prestige, many big intersectional games involving FAB 50-ranked teams are beginning to take place in November, which was a rarity 10 or 15 years ago. The emerging trend is going to gain in significance in future seasons as state associations push up the beginning of their winter sports calendars. As rankings compilers, the will cause us to adjust our criteria when it comes to early losses. We want to reward teams for taking early risks when their teams might not be jelled and not overly punish a loss, especially for team that have other games with FAB 50 ranked foes coming up.

We didn't drop Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.) too far after it lost to unranked Bishop O'Dowd, 70-63, in the marquee game of the NorCal Tip-Off Classic on November 26. The Knights, the preseason No. 1 ranked team in the state according to Cal-Hi Sports, played without junior starter Davy Singleton and with San Diego St.-bound Jordan Schakel severely limited by a lingering injury. We gave Bishop Montgomery the benefit of the doubt by dropping them only three spots, as it did bounce back to win the Trevor Ariza Tip-Off Tournament at Westchester (Los Angeles) for the sixth consecutive season over the host Comets, but it clearly doesn't have as much wiggle room as Wheeler because of the comparative strength of schedules. It also caused Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), which opens it season this week at its own tournament, to leapfrog the Knights in the FAB 50. Led by Mr. Basketball USA candidate Marvin Bagley and UCLA-bound Cody Riley, Sierra Canyon faces top-ranked Oak Hill Academy on December 15 in a game televised by ESPN.

We considered keeping preseason No. 10 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) in front of Simeon (Chicago) after coach Steve Turner's club hit the road and lost to the Wolverines, 73-58, at the Chicago Elite Classic last weekend. The margin of victory and the fact we had Simeon in our preseason Midwest Regional Top 20 Rankings kept us from treating the loss like the ones Wheeler and Bishop Montgomery suffered. Robert Smith's club is the highest-rated newcomer at No. 23, one spot ahead of Gonzaga, which will have plenty of opportunity to climb back up in the rankings.

Of this week's eight newcomers, only three were not regionally-ranked in the preseason. The highest-rated newcomer which wasn't on our preseason radar is No. 29 Cordova (Tenn.). Led by juniors Tyler Harris and Rodgerick Brown, the Wolves have the opportunity to climb in the next set of rankings as they take on fast-rising No. 16 Norcross (Ga.) at the Memphis vs. Atlanta Classic at Duluth (Ga.) on December 10.

Updated FAB 50 National Team Rankings
Powered by www.ebooksnet.com

(First poll of the 2016-17 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, December 4; Preseason ranking in parentheses; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included)

Dropped Out: Previous No. 15 Althoff Catholic (Belleville, Ill.), No. 26 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.), No. 27 Westlake (Austin, Texas), No. 28 Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah), No. 37 Lancaster (Lancaster, Texas), No. 42 Gray Collegiate Academy (West Columbia, S.C.), No. 44 Mae Jemison (Huntsville, Ala.), No. 46 St. Anthony (San Antonio, Texas).

Bubble Teams:  Allen (Allen, Texas) 11-1; Althoff Catholic (Belleville, Ill.) 4-2; Apple Valley (Apple Valley, Minn.) 1-0; Archbishop Malloy (Queens, N.Y.) 1-0; Bingham (South Jordan, Utah) 1-1; Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) 0-1; Bishop Loughlin (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 1-0; Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) 2-0; Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, Calif.) 1-0; Blackman (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) 4-1; Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach, Fla.) 8-0; Bowling Green (Bowling Green, Ky.) 1-0; Brentwood Academy (Nashville, Tenn.) 3-0; Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, Calif.) 0-0; Centennial (Las Vegas, Nev.) 3-1; Champlin Park (Champlin, Minn.) 1-0; Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) 0-0; Clark (Las Vegas, Nev.) 4-0; Corona Del Sol (Tempe, Ariz.) 3-0; Dakota (Macomb, Mich.) 0-0; Denver East (Denver, Col.) 3-0; Desert Vista (Phoenix, Ariz.) 2-0; Eaglecrest (Centennial, Col.) 2-0; El Dorado (El Dorado, Ark.) 6-0; Eleanor Roosevelt (Greenbelt, Md.) 0-0; Fairfax (Los Angeles, Calif.) 4-0; First Love Christian Academy (Washington, Pa.) 1-0; Forest Hill (Jackson, Miss.) 7-0; Fort Bend Bush (Richmond, Texas) 7-1; Grand Rapids Christian (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 0-0; Hudson Catholic (Jersey City, N.J.) 0-0; Jonesboro (Jonesboro, Ga.) 3-1; Iowa City West (Iowa City, Iowa) 1-0; Kickapoo (Springfield, Mo.) 2-1; Lone Peak (Highland, Utah) 2-0; Mae Jemison (Huntsville, Ala.) 10-2; Minneapolis North (Minneapolis, Minn.) 0-1; Morgan Park (Chicago, Ill.) 1-0; Natchitoches Central (Natchitoches, La.) 5-0; Norcom (Portsmouth, Va.) 2-0; North Central (Indianapolis, Ind.) 2-0; North Crowley (Ft. Worth, Texas) 10-2; Omaha South (Omaha, Neb.) 2-0; Parkview (Little Rock, Ark.) 4-1; Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) 2-0; Stevens Point (Stevens Point, Wis.) 3-0; St. James School (Hagerstown, Md.) 0-0; Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) 7-2; The Rock School (Gainesville, Fla.) 3-1; Trotwood-Madison (Trotwood, Ohio) 0-0; University Lab (Baton Rouge, La.) 7-0; University of Detroit Jesuit (Detroit, Mich.) 0-0; Wayne (Huber Heights, Ohio) 0-0; Wesley Christian (Allen, Ky.) 10-3; Westlake (Austin, Texas) 7-2; West Linn (West Linn, Ore.) 0-0.

Note: The FAB 50 powered by www.ebooksnet.com is a continuation of the National Sports News Service ratings that began in 1952. These were the first national high school rankings and the late Art Johlfs of Minnesota compiled them. They were compiled for many years by the late Barry Sollenberger of Phoenix, who merged them into the FAB 50 17 years ago.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

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RELATED:  Breakout Performances For Guards Avery Anderson & Jahari Long 

Dallas -- Everything in Texas is big, so it was only fitting the 2016 Pangos All-South Frosh/Soph Camp's MVP turned out to be the player with the largest name and game. That would be one 6-foot-10 Charles Bassey of St. Anthony of San Antonio, who dominated the camp from start to finish with consistent paint performances.

Bassey is just too athletic and skilled for nearly any big man in the country to handle, and even though a couple of post players turned in valiant individual efforts against the sophomore wunderkind, he rose to the occasion in every outing. Bassey operates with efficiency in the half court, rarely taking a bad short and passing with precision from the post. He's also a terror in the open court and handles the ball well enough to push it, dish it and get the return pass for the finish.

Although Bassey was just as dominant this past weekend as he was at last year's camp, we won't spend much time on his exploits because most who follow the grassroots and high school landscape know all about him. The buzz didn't center on one player; as there was a large group of standout performers with similar abilities. The slew of talented wingmen and offensive-minded point guards, not to mention the sheer number of participants, made for some tough choices for the Cream of the Crop Top 30 and Top 60 All-Star Game selections. To be honest the discussions were as heated as the West Texas sun can be, and as a result there were likely deserving players who didn't receive all-star recognition.

Tyreek is Geeked in Cream of the Crop Game 

Among those selected for the top all-star game, nobody did more to help his overall showing at the event than 6-foot-8 forward Tyreek Smith of Advanced International Prep (Dallas). Smith led his White team to a 106-58 victory over the Black team by scoring 24 points and grabbing eight rebounds while adding two second half steals. The White team led 34-26 at halftime, but pulled away in the second half by converting the Black team's missed field goal attempts into easy transition buckets on the other end.

No one played with more consistent energy through the camp's conclusion than Smith, as consistent effort was one of the major differentiators in this camp. Some of the more talented players tailed off near the end, but Smith's game grew as he got more comfortable with the playing atmosphere. Smith wasn't sure of himself or his role in his first game, but loosened up and played like one of the camp's top players on Sunday. Smith has large and strong hands and just needs to work on his touch around the basket to take his game to the next level.

Charles Smith IV, a 6-foot-5 2019 prospect from Westbury Christian (Houston) who was one of the camp's better freshman in 2015, also had a strong performance for the victorious White team with 19 points and four rebounds. Smith was consistent with his shooting and offensive play-making throughout the event. Bassey also played for the winning club, finishing with six points and four blocks in a game played with two, 25-minute running clock halves and 15 players per team.                   

Another consistent performer who got better as the weekend went on was 6-foot-4 guard Moses Moody of Parkview (Little Rock, Ark.). Moody has a smooth approach to the game and excels at both guard positions. He is best at slashing to the basket or pulling up for a quick jumper, but he's also an excellent passer in the half court set. Moody, who was a standout at the Pangos Junior All-American Camp last February, was one of the top three freshmen at the Pangos All-South Frosh/Soph Camp along with 6-foot-5 Cade Cunningham (Bowie, Arlington, Texas) and 6-foot-6 Jerry Lliya (Redemption Christian, Troy, N.Y.).

The best of the lot among eighth-graders (2021 prospects) was small forward Arthur Kaluma of Frankfort Middle School in Dallas. He had 11 points and six rebounds in the top all-star game, but even more importantly improved as the camp wore on. Kaluma can handle the ball well in the open court for a small forward-type and is relentless driving to the basket. He has a solid first step and is especially potent operating on the baseline.

Other All-South Standouts

With over 220 campers, it was easy to overlook a couple of standouts despite the heated discussions about the merits of the best players.

Some of the top standouts in the Cream of the Crop Top 60 game included 6-foot-3 2020 prospect Jaylen Posey of Grand Prairie (Texas), 5-foot-10 2020 prospect Mike Miles of perennial Texas power Lancaster, and 6-foot 2019 prospect Ty Archibald of Katy (Texas). Miles shot the ball well for the wining White club and Archibald stood out on the defensive side of the ball in a game where defense was non-existent for the most part.

There were also a trio of standouts who didn't make either all-star game. Those "snubs" were 6-foot-2 2020 prospect Jahari Long of Episcopal (Houston, Texas), 5-foot-10 2019 prospect Christian Williams of Conway (Ark.) and 6-foot 2019 prospect Jalen Jackson of Wagner (San Antonio, Texas). Long was one of the event's best passing point guards, while Williams and Jackson played with intensity and purpose.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

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RELATED: Major HEAT at Pangos All-South Frosh/Soph Camp!

Dallas -- With over 215 campers at the Triple A/Focused Learning Academy looking to showcase their skills at the Pangos All-South Frosh/Soph Camp, it hasn't been easy to standout from the pack for a vast majority of the campers. There are just so many young players with a similar skill level -- and similar size. The strength of campers are the wing-types in attendance who are able to finish in the open court and are physically the most advanced group of players.

Most of those players are between 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-7 and with the wide-open, up-and-down nature of the camp, they are able to finish around the rim with explosive moves. They are generally too big for the guards to handle and are able to beat the big men down the court to score in abundance. Some of the standouts that fall into this category include 6-foot-5 2020 prospect Cade Cunningham (Bowie, Arlington, Texas), the younger brother of former SMU big man Cannen Cunningham, 6-foot-3 2019 prospect Tyrese Maxey (Garland, Texas), one of camp's most efficient players so far, 6-foot-5 2019 prospect Trey Williams (The Colony, Texas), 6-foot-6 Jalen Wilson (Guyer, Denton, Texas) and 6-foot-6 Jerry Lliya (Redemption Christian, Troy, N.Y.).

Cunningham is a straight line player who takes it to the front of the rim with authority. He knows how to change direction with little wasted motion and beats defenders in the easiest manner possible on a consistent basis. Expect him to be in the Cream of the Crop Top 20 All-Star game, as he's impressed the large contingent of scouts in attendance. Maxey is a relentless scorer with a high IQ on both ends of the court. He can finish on all three levels, covers ground with his dribble penetration and works on the defensive end, too. Maxey is a jack-of-all-trades type; even though he may not appear to overly excel in any one aspect of the game, there is no aspect of the game he is weak at.

Lliya, a native of Nigeria with family in the Lone Star State, is one of the top out-of-state standouts among the campers. There are 12 states represented along with the District of Columbia at the event, and Lliya is easy to point out with his length, athleticism and motor. He was putting in work defensively, including a couple of impressive run down blocks.

While the wings excelled as a group on day one, it has been a mixed bag for the lead guards so far. There are a large number of small guards (under 5-foot-11) and unfortunately some of these young players don't quite understand they must be even more outstanding in their performance and approach to the game than bigger players who more often than not receive the benefit of the doubt when it comes to earning scholarships from college coaches. Too often one day one the point guards missed open players on the wings, didn't quickly advance the ball up court with a well-timed pass or dribbled with their head down while teammates stood around.

All was not lost in the backcourt, however, as Avery Anderson and Jahari Long were two that stood out among the bigger guards on the first day. Anderson, a 6-foot-3 2019 prospect out of Northwest (Justin, Texas), displayed outstanding ability to break down defenders, draw the defense and hit the open man. Anderson did this in spectacular fashion in the open court and was also effective in the half court with knifing passes. The lefty has some flash to his game and plenty of confidence, while Long also was deft at hitting the open man. Both are excellent ball-handers who don't overly worry about primary defenders because they are concentrating on where the help is coming from after they break down or blow by. Long is particularly effective in slicing past defenders and finishing around the rim from a variety of angles.

Among the diminutive guards, 5-foot-6 2019 prospect Bryce Cook (South Grand Prairie, Grand Prairie, Texas) turned heads with his ball-handling wizardry, confidence and scoring ability. He took no prisoners on day one and put together a couple of memorable scoring outings that impressed his peers and the new age media members. Traditional media members and scouts would like to see him tone down the flashy play a bit, but his production and ability is undeniable for a small guard.

Among the bigs, it was no surprise to see Charles Bassey (St. Anthony, San Antonio, Texas) at the top of the list of performers. The 6-foot-10 center was last year's top player at this camp, last season's National Freshman of the Year and has done nothing so far that would take away from his status as arguably the top prospect in the national 2019 class. He's not the consensus top prospect in the class among the most respected national scouting services, but it's hard to deny his potential as a franchise-type big man down the line.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

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RELATED: Chris Lykes, Zion Williamson Lead Team to NBPA To 100 Championship

The annual NBPA Top 100 Camp kicked off Wednesday at John Paul Jones Arena on the campus of the University of Virginia with a handful of the nation’s top overall prospects regardless of class in attendance competing in NBA-length games using a 24-second clock. The prestigious camp, put on by the NBA Player's Association and directed by grassroots czar John Lucas traditionally brings together many of the nation's top senior-to-be's (in this case 2017). With a crowded grassroots calendar, however, Lucas and his staff assembled an impressive collections of 2018 and 2019 prospects.

Leading the way has been 2015-16 national freshman of the year Charles Bassey of St. Anthony (San Antonio, Texas). The 6-foot-10 2019 phenom stood out at the recent Pangos All-American Camp and is stepping up his game even more. Bassey has the skill level on both sides of the ball to make him the No. 1 prospect in the class and one of the best players in the country, regardless of class, by the end of summer. Bassey is expanding his range to include a solid looking 3-point set shot and displaying good patience in his shot selection. On the glass, he's simply been phenomenal, clearing the ball and also going out of his area. Considering he's only been playing since the age of 12, Bassey could develop into one of the best all-around bigs to come down the pike in quite some time if he stays focused.

Another 2019 oozing with potential is 7-foot-1 Chol Marial of Cheshire Academy (Cheshire, Conn.). Marial is even less experienced in a big-time grassroots setting than Bassey, but he's proven he belongs with solid half hooks and other sweeping offensive moves around the basket. Defensively, he's an astute shot-blocker with good instinct and the ability to go get shots out of his area. Marial runs the floor well for a young seven footer and has a high ceiling for improvement with regards to overall strength, face ups, and learning how to gain favorable defensive position instead of waiting on the spectacular block.

Bassey vs. Marial Matchup Highlights Action

Marial is the lesser known of the two standout sophomore-to-be big men, having bounced around on the various age group teams (17U-15U) of the Connecticut Basketball Club on the Under Armour Association circuit. Marial had a chance to test his wares against Bassey in a head-to-head showdown on Thursday night and it Bassey who got the better of it.

Bassey dominated offensively and on the boards and led his team to a 82-69 victory. Bassey and Chol were not always on the court at the same time, as playing time is spread around in this camp setting. When they were on the court at the same time, however, Bassey was the more impactful and productive big. He finished with 17 points, on 8-of-13 shooting from the field, including a rhythm 3-pointer, 14 rebounds, three assists and a steal. Marial finished with four points on 2-of-5 field goal attempts, two rebounds, two blocks and one steal.

The statistics are a bit misleading because Bassey played eight more minutes and his teammates did a better job of feeding him the ball in the painted area in comparison to Marial. Bassey is also more fluid running the court and doesn't necessarily need teammates to set him up because he is excellent on getting the return pass after grabbing the carom. Bassey also is a solid ball-handler, whereas Chol is solely dependent on being set up.

Through four camp games, Bassey is averaging 11.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, the latter average topping the camp so far.

Bassey was aided in his team's victory by a couple of 2017 prospects in Christian Popoola Jr. and Evan Battey. Popoola, a combo guard out of Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.), hit 3-of-4 3-pointers and 7-of-9 shots from the field to finish with 21 points. Battey, a powerfully-built forward who is one of the many national sleepers at this camp, added 17 points while making all eight of his free throws, and grabbing nine rebounds. Battey is No. 2 in the camp in rebounding behind Bassey so far at 8.8 per game.

 Langford Stands Out Among Wings 

There are at least 20 players 6-foot-10 or taller at this year's NBPA Top 100 Camp and plenty more 6-foot-9, but the shooting guards and wings have not been outdone. The best of the lot through two days is 6-foot-5 Romeo Langford, the 2015-16 national sophomore of the year out of New Albany (Ind.). Langford has great innate scoring skill and is a smooth operator in terms of making the correct offensive play. He is also excellent at scoring on all three levels and is uncanny at finding seams around the basket to make a difficult shot look easy. The junior-to-be started the camp with a 19-point outing and is the camp's second leading scorer (14.5) through the first four games behind Zion Williamson of Spartanburg Day School (Spartanburg, S.C.). The rugged wing is a load at 6-foot-7, 220-pounds, and similar to Langford, is a 2018 prospect. He knows how to use his wide shoulders and body to power his way to the basket, but also has a quick first step in short quarters to blow by unsuspecting defenders. Williamson reminds us a bit of 1978 Mr. Basketball USA Mark Aguirre of out Westinghouse of Chicago. Aguirre went on to be the No. 1 pick of the 1981 NBA Draft and a NBA all-star forward who could score with the best of them.

Alex O'Connell, a lanky 6-foot-6 shooting guard out of Milton (Ga.), is fourth in the camp in scoring (12.5 ppg) behind Battey. O'Connell is one of those 2017 prospects that should shoot up the various national player rankings charts in his performance at this camp is any indication.  He's a solid athlete who can hit the deep jumper with regularity, which makes his fundamentally sound pull up game even that much more dangerous. O'Connell also excels in the drive and dish game and is an engaged defender. If he closes out the camp strong over the next two days, he's in good position to be considered a top five performer at the event.

Playmakers Make Noise

The guards, of course, dictate most of the action in camp settings and for the most part the play has been unselfish and what an astute observer would expect. Now, there is a difference between being selfish and making the incorrect read either in the half court or transition and nearly every lead guard here must improve in the decision-making department. Two that have stood out with their play-making and decision-making are Lavar Batts Jr., a 6-foot-2 point guard out of Jay M. Robinson (Concord, N.C.), and 5-foot-11 Tremont Waters, a 5-foot-11 dynamo from South Kent Prep (Kent, Conn.).

Batts is excellent at splitting double teams and getting in the key to finish or set up teammates. The flashy guard also knows how to push the ball in transition and make the simple, relaxed pass for a finish. Batts is prone to an occasional bad decision as every high school aged-guard is, but his overall play-making skills are excellent. He's averaging eight points and nearly four assists per game.

No guard at the NBPA Top 100 camp is more skilled in finding cutting teammates or finding an acute passing lane than Waters. He has total command of the ball and uses his low gravity frame to keep bigger, longer defenders off balance and away from the ball. Waters does need to improve his work off ball screens, but overall his attack game and decision-making is excellent in the open court and in the half court. He leads the camp in assists (6.8 apg) by more than one full assist and is averaging 8.8 ppg.

Athletic guard Jaylen Hands from Balboa School (San Diego, Calif.) is second in the camp in assists so far is is one of the best scoring lead guards in attendance (10.8 ppg).

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

The post Charles Bassey, Underclassmen Take Center Stage at NBPA Top 100 Camp! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

This Sunday, June 5 at Cerritos College in Southern California, Ballislife will live stream the Top 25 Game from the 2016 Pangos All-American Camp. The Ballislife Cream of the Crop Top 25 Game at the 2016 Pangos All-American Camp will take place at approximately 5 pm ET/ 2 pm PT. Some of the top players expected at the 14th annual camp include Michael Porter, Billy Preston, Trevon Duval, Brandon McCoy, and Jarred Vanderbilt. The live stream is FREE on www.ebooksnet.com right here on this story post.

The Ballislife Cream of the Crop Top 25 Game taking place Sunday, June 5 at the 2016 Pangos All-American Camp is a culmination of the three-day, invitation-only national camp. The camp's best players are selected by director Dinos Trigonis and respected members of the media, including many McDonald's All-American Game voters, after evaluating them following three days of instruction from former NBA assistant coach Dave Miller and camp games.

The 14th annual Pangos All-American Camp takes place June 3-5 at Cerritos College. It was founded by Trigonis in 2003 as a tool to promote the Pangos brand and it has evolved into the first must-stop on the summer recruiting calendar. The invitation-only camp, which is free to the viewing public, brings together approximately 120 of the nation's top high school players. It has also served as a "coming out party" for national "sleepers" such as Russell Westbrook, the star guard of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Derrick Williams, the No. 2 pick of the 2011 NBA Draft, who wasn't nationally known prior to the 2008 camp.

Some of the camp's top participants over the years include James Harden, Harrison Barnes, Anthony Davis, John Wall, Brandon Jennings, Stanley Johnson, Bradley Beal, Shabazz Muhammad and Andre Drummond.

Some of the top players expected  in attendance at this year's camp include: Michael Porter, Billy Preston, Trevon Duval, Brandon McCoy, Jarred Vanderbilt, Charles O'Bannon Jr., Quade Green, Jaylen Hands, Javonte Smart, Naz Reid, and Charles Bassey.

You can view the FREE live stream right here on this story on June 5 at approximately 5 pm ET/2 pm PT.  

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

The post BIL to Stream Top 25 Game from Pangos All-American Camp! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

RELATED: Charles Bassey Makes Big Impression | Pangos All-South Frosh/Soph Official Mixtape   | Pangos All-West Frosh/Soph Camp Official Mixtape 

Lewisville, Texas --  When there are all-star games at the conclusion of individual camps, there is always worry that the event's big men won't get to showcase their skills because those games tend to be dominated by guards. Because the Pangos All-South Frosh/Soph Camp was full of talented big men, scouts and interested onlookers held their breath to see how the top game would play out.

The guards did a solid job of not being selfish and finding the big men -- and there were plenty of good ones on both teams. When the dust settled, the game was competitive and the post players were just too talented and impactful to be denied, as the Black club rode the ability of Franklin Aguananne and LaDarius Marshall to a 95-94 victory over the White team.

Aguananne, a 6-foot-9 sophomore (2018 class) at Denton (Denton, Texas), was dominant on the glass and displayed solid offensive post moves for a young player so physically dominant. Aguananne would be a force in a high school game even if he didn't score because he make his presence felt by taking up space (defenses must account for him in the paint) and with his relentless nature to go after the ball. He dominated action for the Black club in the first half to help keep his team within range as the White led 39-37 at intermission.

While the Denton High big man patrolled the paint early, Marshall, a 6-foot-6 sophomore forward at Forest Hill (Jackson, Miss.), took over down the stretch to seal the win for the Black club. The athletic and muscular forward hit a big 3-pointer and had a conventional 3-point play down the stretch. He then made the play of the game, stealing the inbounds pass after teammate Zarek Thomas scored on a driving baseline lay-up, and then converting that steal into another conventional 3-point play with approximately 13 seconds remaining to account for the game's final one-point margin.

Marshall finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds -- with 10 of those points coming in the closing minutes. Aguananne finished with 16 points and 15 rebounds to earn game co-MVP honors with his teammate. Marshall does need to develop a post game and improve his face up game in terms of driving past defenders with solid moves, but his explosiveness, power and jumping ability allowed him to stand out and dominate at times over the two-day event. His style attacking the basket and dunking with powerful windmills is similar to former Michigan St. and NBA forward Jason Richardson.

Thomas, a 6-foot-2 freshman (2019) guard out of Cedar Hill (Cedar Hill, Texas), hit two 3-pointers and finished with 18 points for the winning club.

Charles Bassey Leaves No Doubt

It was clearly evident early on that Charles Bassey, a 6-foot-10 freshman at St. Anthony (San Antonio, Texas), was the best prospect in attendance at the Pangos All-South Frosh/Soph Camp. The talent evaluators on hand wanted to see if he could retain his focus and intensity and put forth a dominant performance with the camp's best players on the floor.

The answer was a resounding yes, as Bassey dominated in the Cream of the Crop setting as much as he did during a regulation camp game. Bassey's ability to finish around the rim with a quick drop step, spin move, or blow by in tight quarters is something you see from a freshman his size perhaps once every five years. He has that much talent and potential. Bassey's timing with regards to block shots and getting to ones out of his area is also special.

Bassey led the White club with 20 points, eight rebounds and six blocked shots, including four of the you-got-to-be-kidding me variety where he swatted away jump shots or balls you normally don't see ninth or tenth-graders getting to.

Other Top 30 participants that stood out both statistically and with their combination of production and potential included 6-foot-8 sophomore forward Chris Smith (Country Day, Ft. Worth, Texas) with nine points and nine rebounds, 6-foot-3 sophomore Chris Mullins (Mansfield-Timberview, Mansfield, Texas) with 13 points and four steals, and 6-foot-8 Tyreek Smith (Advanced Preparatory International, Dallas, Texas) with eight points six rebounds.

Shooters Stand Out In Top 60 Game

While a vast majority of the top big men participated in the Top 30 Game, there were some excellent shooters and wing types in the Cream of the Crop Top 60 Game -- and a few of them would have been deserving of a spot in the camp's top game.

The White club rolled to a 120-74 victory over the Black club by shooting the ball with remarkable accuracy in the first half. The White club made 10 3-pointers and shot over 50 percent on those attempts to build a big lead and roll to victory.

Leading the way was Max Abmas, a 6-foot freshman guard out of Jesuit (Dallas, Texas). He made four 3-pointers, displayed sold shot selection and also showed good rebounding ability from the guard position.

Another standout was Jeremiah Gambrell, Jr., a 5-foot-11 sophomore guard out of Madison (Houston, Texas). Gambrell made positive plays happen with his good ball-handling, passing and shooting ability. What stood and was unique in this particular camp was his ability to push the ball and pass ahead with either hand.

The Top 60 game didn't have all the top shooters, however, as 6-foot-2 Jalen Crutchfield of Norman North (Norman, Okla.) displayed his fine stroke throughout the weekend. He only made one 3-pointer in the top all-star game, but left little doubt he was arguably the best spot up shooter at the camp. The son of University of Oklahoma assistant coach Chris Crutchfield has a mature approach and good length for a 2018 guard who is still growing. He does need to improve on attacking defenders and finding lanes off the dribble, but he's already a solid high school player who should contribute to a talented team likely to begin the season ranked in the FAB 50 national rankings.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

The post LaDarius Marshall, Franklin Aguananne, Charles Bassey Show Out at Pangos All-South Frosh/Soph Camp appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

RELATED:  LaDarius Marshall, Franklin Aguananne Show Out at Pangos All-South Frosh/Soph Camp | Pangos All-South Frosh/Soph Official Mixtape   | Pangos All-West Frosh/Soph Camp Official Mixtape  

Lewisville, Texas -- Usually at a camp featuring up-and-coming young talent such as the Pangos Frosh/Soph series, there is a feeling out process and it takes a while to establish a pecking order to determine the event's top prospects.

That certainly wasn't the case on the first day at the Pangos All-South Frosh/Soph Camp in Dallas.

Charles Bassey, a thin and ultra-talented 6-foot-10 14-year old freshman (2019) from St. Anthony (San Antonio, Texas), wasted no time establishing himself as the top prospect at Dinos Trigonis' two-day event reserved for some of the best sophomores (Class of 2018) and freshmen from Texas and other Southern states. With his smooth gait, patient offensive approach to go along with his combination of size, skill, jumping ability and athleticism, it's going to be hard to find a better prospect in the freshman national class than Bassey.

We first started hearing about Bassey's immense potential from Clark Francis of the Hoop Scoop after his performance at the John Lucas Enterprises 40/40 Combine in The Woodlands, Texas a month ago. According to Francis, Bassey was even better at the John Lucas Enterprises Midwest Invitational in Louisville, Kentucky last weekend.

Bassey can finish above the rim two notches higher than nearly everyone at the Pangos Camp and his springs are also quick and quite coordinated for a kid who began taking the game seriously at the age of 12. Bassey also has a great feel for moving to the correct openings on the court, whether it's throwing a pass and sliding into the paint or cutting in from the wing.

We'll see if Bassey concludes the camp strong on Sunday and if he can dominate the competition as he did on Saturday in the Crème of the Crop Top 25 game. Either way, he made quite the lasting impression on the first day.

Ordinary Names Among Pangos Standouts

Chris Smith and Charles Smith are common American names. In the basketball realm, there was a Charles Smith who played forward for the Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks around the same time in the late 1980s Georgetown University had a slick guard with the same name. In the same era, UConn had a guard by the name of Chris Smith who played at the same high level as Georgetown's Smith.

At the Pangos All-South Frosh/Soph Camp, 6-foot-4 2019 prospect Charles Smith IV from Westbury Christian (Houston) and Chris Smith, a 6-foot-8 2018 prospect from Country Day (Ft. Worth, Texas), made a name for themselves with their play on the first day.

Charles Smith finished well and displayed quality scoring moves around the basket, while Chris Smith impressed scouts with his highly-coveted skill package.

Chris Smith along with Bassey, was one of the half dozen or so big men (6-foot-8 or taller) who got the most attention from scouts and the media contingent on hand -- and rightfully so.

"Really I came here to see my weaknesses against better competition and know what I have to work on to get better," Chris Smith said. "I need to get in better shape and get better dribbling the basketball. My strength is being a facilitator and leader and putting teammates in the right position."

Chris Smith definitely has an unselfish approach to the game and is capable of facing up and knocking down the perimeter shot. Combine that with his long limbs and explosive first step and you have a high-riser in the national 2018 class.

Some of the other big men who turned heads on the first day of camp included 6-foot-5 2018 prospect Jordan Phillips of Grace Prep (Arlington, Texas), 6-foot-6 2018 prospect LaDarius Marshall of Forest Hill (Jackson, Miss.), 6-foot-8 2019 prospect Tyreek Smith of Advanced Preparatory International (Dallas), 6-foot-6 2018 prospect Joshua LeBlanc of Madison Prep (Baton Rouge, La.), 6-foot-9 Franklin Aguananne of Denton (Denton, Texas) and 7-foot Ousmane Ndim of St. Louis Academy (St. Louis, Mo.).

Marshall is one of the most explosive finishers in the national 2018 class and while they are not quite the prospects or as far along in their development as Bassey, Aguananne and Ndim are intriguing in their won right. That duo went toe-to-toe in an opening camp game with Aguananne coming up with the big plays to help his team win. It was a physical battle inside that Aguananne ended by converting a contested lay-up in sudden-death overtime.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

The post Pangos All-South Frosh/Soph: Charles Bassey Makes Big Impression appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Ballislife South walked into a Dallas Gym where the Pangos All-South Camp was just getting underway. Not sure what caliber of Frosh & Soph players were going to be there. Instantly, we see this 6'10" Player towering over everyone in the gym. My Ballislife instincts are saying go film that kid right now. Within the first minute of the game he had a block, ran the floor, then finished with a nasty oop. I immediately start asking "Who is #159?" Charles Bassey out of Nigeria, has recently landed in San Antonio, Tx. And now he has the Nations Attention.

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The post 6'10" 9th Grader Charles Bassey Has Phenom Potential! Pangos All-South Camp Mix! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.