Each year at the Pangos Frosh/Soph Camps, some of the nations' best young talent is on display as they begin their journey to playing at the highest levels of the game. The fall calendar has heated up in recent years and with more high school team events seemingly every weekend across California and the West, it was a wait-and-see approach to event organizers as to how many of the region's top ninth and tenth graders would be in attendance.

The talent pool actually turned out to be one that impressed overall, with a good group of wing guards and talented scoring forwards. When the dust settled, however, the best overall player by a healthy margin turned out to be a player well known to West Coast scouts. That player is 6-foot-6 sophomore (2025) small forward Tounde Yessoufou of St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.). The native of Benin was last year's Cal-Hi Sports State Freshman of the Year after averaging 26.4 ppg, 12.3 rpg, 2.1 spg and 2.9 bpg for the CIF Central Section's open division runner-ups and is vastly improved since the 2021-22 season ended.

Yessoufou has always been powerful and quick around the basket, but he's expanded his game with an improved handle and deep range. He also a good outlet passer and offensive rebounder who is simply too powerful for anyone in his class on the West Coast to handle. He had a 36-point performance (including six 3-pointers) in the final set of camp games on Saturday night and ended the two-day event on Sunday with a game-high 28 points (to go along with eight rebounds) to lead the Black-jersey team to a 119-113 win over the White-jersey team in the Cream of the Crop Top 30 Game reserved for the event's top performers. Yessoufou was about as simple a choice for camp Most Outstanding Player as there has been in the event's 20-year history.

Abundance of Breakout Performers

Yessoufou was not only the camp MOP; he was also the Top 30 game MVP. Joining him as the game MVP was 6-foot 2026 (freshman) combo guard Rashod Cotton of Modesto Christian (Calif.), a high school team with the talent level to begin the 2022-23 season FAB 50 ranked. Even though Modesto Christian returns its roster en masse from a team that captured the CIF NorCal open title, it's hard to envision Cotton not cracking the rotation and getting considerable minutes. He's that good. Cotton is wired to cause havoc on the offensive end with his ability to slash, shoot, and break down defenders. Cotton also had the best crossover among the camp's 197 participants, both in transition and in the half court, using it to blow by or create space for an open shot. He finished the Top 30 game with 17 points and four rebounds for the White-jersey wearing club.

This series of fall showcase camps has served as a national coming out party for a plethora of high caliber young players such as Trae Young (South) and Evan Mobley?(West). Cotton was among those who wasn't well known coming in among the West's top scouts, but surely is now. That group included 6-foot-4 2025 wing Isaac Carr of Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.), 6-foot-2 2025 Caleb Versher of St. Bernard (Playa del Rey, Calif.) and his high school teammate Tajh Ariza, a 6-foot-6 2026 wing guard with vision and game to boot, 6-foot-8 2025 Juju Ervin of North Central (Spokane, Wash.), 6-foot-6 2025 Tae Simmons of Heritage Christian (Northridge, Calif.), 6-foot-1 2025 Noah Bendigner of Juan Diego Catholic (Salt Lake City, Utah), 6-foot-3 2026 Jalen White of Clark (Las Vegas, Nev.), 6-foot 2025 Braden Moore of Yuma Catholic (Yuma, Ariz.), 6-foot-3 2026 Caleb Newton of Birmingham (Van Nuys, Calif.), 6-foot-5 D'Andre Harrison of Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) and 6-foot-6 2025 Marco Varani of Bellevue (Wash.). Every player in that group (and perhaps a few more) are now firmly entrenched in the minds and scouting reports of the West's top evaluators and made a favorable enough impression to make one of the camp's two all-star games.

Westmoreland Heads Lead Guard Pack

College coaches at all levels desire a talented and dependable lead guard. It's been the most important position on the floor for many years at the collegiate level. Many programs play their two best guards and don't assign labels to them. "Combo guard" is a popular term since the point guard is required to shoot and score in today's game, with the true lead guard a harder commodity to come by. Finding a true lead guard at this camp was no different, as the pickings were slim. Likely the best one of the lot was 5-foot-10 2026 Rodney Westmoreland III of Dougherty Valley (San Ramon, Calif.).

Westmoreland is a true set-up, pass-first guard with a steady handle, vision, an unselfish demeanor and leadership skills. He can also keep defenders honest with his change of pace ability and perimeter shot. Westmoreland's game is a blend of two terrific collegiate point guards of the 1990s: NCAA tournament hero Tyus Edney of UCLA and Dajuan Wheat of Louisville. Westmoreland obviously doesn't know too much about those two smallish point guards, but he has a great mentor and is a student of the game.

He is the apprentice to high school teammate Ryan Beasley, a 2023 guard and one of the better returning players in California. Westmoreland told www.ebooksnet.com he's excited for his rapidly-approaching freshman season.

"I'm really looking forward to it, as I've been training hard with the team," Westmoreland said. "At this camp, I truly think I could have done more. If I could have got the ball a bit more, I would have got others involved more and it would make others look good and me look good.

"As far as who I emulate on offense, it's Kyrie Irving. Defensively, I really study what Kobe Bryant did. As far as mentally, I try to have that Kobe and Jordan mentality on the floor."

Some of the camp's other top true lead guards included 6-foot-1 2025 Nick Jefferson of Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.), 6-foot-2 2026 Julius Price of St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) and 6-foot-1 Zyon Harris of Clark (Las Vegas, Nev.).

Harris also falls into the category of players deserving to participate in one of the camp's two Cream of the Crop games who wasn't selected. Others in that group include 6-foot-3 2025 Austin Unegbu of Poly (Long Beach, Calif.), 6-foot-4 2027 Terrance Murphy Jr. of Antioch (Calif.), 6-foot 2025 Dominic Bolton of Laguna Hills (Laguna Beach, Calif.) and 6-foot-2 2026 James Carraway of Vanden (Fairfield, Calif.)

Some of the most productive players in camp which didn't fall into one of the above mentioned categories were a group of strong wing forwards who scored at will and were relentless in their offensive attack. Arguably the two most productive front court players in the entire camp (if you categorize Yessoufou as a big wing guard) were Simmons and 6-foot-6 2025 Kellen Hampton of Moreau Catholic (Hayward, Calif.). Simmons is a warrior around the basket and punishes defenders with his athleticism and frame, while Hampton has improved his ball skills and was the camp's second most prolific scoring threat. Three other front court players who stood out include 6-foot-7 2026 Brannon Martinsen of Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 6-foot-8 2026 Maximus VanLaningham of Woodcreek (Roseville, Calif.) and 6-foot-5 2026 Andre Gomez of Grant (Portland, Ore.).

Some of the event's best long term prospects include Ariza (the son of former NBA forward and 2003 high school All-American Trevor Ariza?of L.A. Westchester), Varani, White and 6-foot-6 2026 Maximo Adams, a fast-twitch forward who should make an immediate impact at Narbonne (Harbor City, Calif.).

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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Westminster, Calif. -- In the atmosphere of a showcase camp, even one as well-established with a national reputation as the Pangos Frosh/Soph Camp series, it's easy for young players to fall into a trap consisting of individualistic or showmanship style of play. The 210 plus participants at the first of four stops on the 2018 national Pangs Frosh/Soph national tour definitely wanted to showcase their individual skill set and the ones who stood out the most on the first day understood a pass-first approach would get them noticed.

Nobody at the Pangos All-West Frosh/Soph Camp at Westminster High School exemplified that approach better than 6-foot-2 point guard Isa Silva of Jesuit (Carmichael, Calif.), one of the best sophomore (2021) prospects in California and the West Coast. Silva had a terrific freshman season for the Marauders and for Team Lillard 16s and is showing at this camp he's one of the more polished lead guards nationally in his class.

Silva sees the game a step ahead and always has his head on a swivel, but what separates him from most is his ability to thread the needle in half court situations and tight quarters. He makes the spectacular look routine and has teammates and on-lookers alike fooled and dazzled by his passing arsenal. Silva, who was in the running for 2018 CalHiSport.com State Freshman of the Year honors, has a good enough jump shot to keep defenders honest and is always in control using his change of pace off the dribble.

"I'm good off the pick-and-roll, but Silva makes the flashy passes look easy," remarked 6-foot-1 point guard Richard Isaacs Jr., a freshman (2022) from Coronado (Henderson, Nev.). "He's been the best passer here and he's got to be in the top five so far."

Isaacs, who goes by the nickname "Pop Pop", definitely had the pick-and-roll working on Saturday and did a good job of getting teammates involved. Already with a big reputation on the West Coast, defenders attempted to pick up Isaacs full court, but to no avail. Despite guards coming after him, he easily blew by defenders in the back court as one of the fastest guards end-to-end in camp. Isaacs also had a spirited matchup with, 6-foot point guard Jason Hart Jr., a 2022 prospect from Dorsey (Los Angeles) and the son of former NBA point guard and current USC assistant coach Jason Hart (Inglewood, Calif.). While Isaacs uses speed and his pull up jumper to control the tempo of a game, Hart uses change of speed and direction, plus his ability to slash the lane from various angles, to impact games. Hart also has an effective pull-up jumper in the key and good defensive instincts.

Two other elite point guards who are in the running for camp Most Outstanding Player are 6-foot-3 2021 Devin Askew of Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) and 6-foot 2021 Zaon Collins of Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.). Askew is the most physically imposing guard of the lot, using his large frame and quickness to impose his will on defenses. When he gets by defenders, and that is often, Askew makes the correct read and is an efficient scorer. Collins dominates with tenacity, stamina, and defensive IQ. He and Silva teamed up on the same camp team and it was impressive to see Silva having no trouble playing off the ball or Collins impacting the game without the ball in his hands.

While he is not a traditional lead guard, 6-foot-3 2022 wing guard Joseph Hunter of San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno, Calif.) has terrific pass-first instincts and the ability to score off the bounce. Hunter, who goes by "Jo Jo" and who we coined "Madera Magic" in reference to his hometown and passing ability, impressed with his all-around offensive arsenal that opened up scoring opportunities because of the pass-first approach that seemed contagious on Saturday.

High Flyer Turns Heads

While passing was en vogue on the first day of the Pangos All-West Frosh/Soph Camp, athleticism and leaping ability always turns heads and gets on-lookers excited. The player who got the most "ohh and ahhs" with rim-rattling dunks was 6-foot-2 2021 wing guard Kenneth Simpson Jr. of Chaminade (West Hills, Calif.). Simpson Jr. is a vertical leaper of the first caliber and caught two bigger defenders on Saturday. The first victim was 6-foot-8 2021 Wilhelm Breidenbach of Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), as Simpson's bang on the Mater Dei big man woke the Westminster crowd up. Simpson then sent the crowd into a frenzied state his his thrown down over 6-foot-3 2021 Shaqir O'Neal of Crossroads (Santa Monica, Calif.). Yes, SHAQ has another son on the way up at Crossroads, where Shaqir O'Neal was actually a deep reserve on the Roadrunners' 2018 CIF D2 state title-winning club.

The bloodlines didn't matter on Saturday, as Simpson has the ability to rise up over nearly any player in his path. His ball skills are a work in progress and his overall performance will be closely watched on Sunday, especially if he chosen for one of the camp's all-star games.

Another terrific leaper in attendance is De'Vontes Cobbs, a 6-foot-2 2022 prospect hailing from Milwaukee, Wis., who is attending FAB 50 power Shadow Mountain (Phoenix, Ariz.). Cobbs is a terrific specimen who got out in transition to throw down some powerful dunks.

Sleepers Emerge

With the large and talented group in attendance, it wasn't a surprise that many participants with little or no national reputation stepped up and played well against many of their 2021 and 2022 peers. The sleepers who stepped up on Saturday included players from both classes who hailed from various regions of the West Coast and played various positions as well.

The 2021 sleepers who performed well include: 5-foot-11 Juwelle Jack (Vallejo, Calif.), 5-foot-8 Rashawn Wilson (Denver East, Denver, Col.), 5-foot-9 Derrick O'Neal (Ceres, Calif.), 6-foot Brennan Rigsby Jr. (De Beque, Col.), 5-foot-10 Jeremiah Jones (Wood, Vacaville, Calif.), 6-foot-5 Anthony Swift (Desert Pines, Las Vegas, Nev.), 6-foot-1 Julian Hammond (Cherry Creek, Denver, Col.), 6-foot-3 Jaden Alexander (St. Patrick-St. Vincent, Vallejo, Calif.), 6-foot-4 Marsalis Roberson (Bishop O'Dowd, Oakland, Calif.), 6-foot-5 D.J. Johnson (Moreau Catholic, Hayward, Calif.), 6-foot-8 Chris Fan (Modesto Christian, Modesto, Calif.) and 6-foot-8 Grant Tull (Gridley, Calif.).

The best of the 2022 lot included: 6-foot-2 Devin Arlington (San Marcos, Calif.), 5-foot-10 Justus Brown (King, Riverside, Calif.), 6-foot-2 Milos Uzan (Desert Pines, Las Vegas, Nev.) and 5-foot-10 Tagipo Maui Jr. (Johnson, Sacramento, Calif.).

Making a big impact with their long-range shooting were 5-foot-10 2021 point guard Mike Anderson of Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) and 6-foot-1 2022 combo guard Davion Wright of Franklin (Elk Grove, Calif.).

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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With the sheer numbers of players and abundance of talent present at the 2017 Pangos All-West Fr-Soph Camp, the top Cream of the Crop All-Star game reserved for the camp's top players would reveal which players were most competitive, consistent and could get out of their comfort level to perform regardless of the environment or whom was assigned to each team.

The player who best foot that bill in the above-mentioned categories was 6-foot-3 wing Josh Christopher, a sophomore at Mayfair (Lakewood, Calif.) who is the younger brother of a professional player. That player is former Mayfair, Dominguez (Compton, Calif.) and CAL product Patrick Christopher, who just so happened to be on hand to coach in the Cream of the Crop All-Star Game -- on the team opposite his youngest brother.

Patrick Christopher did admit it fired up his brother, who led the Black team to a 112-85 victory over the White team by scoring 20 points, including four 3-pointers, to go along with four rebounds and two assists. More important, Christopher was the most impactful player on the top line shift, as he was able to dominate game action and lead his team to a sizable lead when he was on the floor. He also benefitted from an pre-game injury to Cream of the Crop selection Robbie Beasley (a 6-foot sophomore from Dublin, Calif.) which enabled Christopher to get in an extra line shift, whereas the White team had an even amount of players for each substitution.

Named co-MVP of the top all-star game was the camp's top overall big man: 6-foot-10 Evan Mobley of Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.). The sophomore post continues to develop on both ends of the floor, as his overall skill level and coordination is rapidly catching up to his height. He's a finesse player who can finish well around the rim and can keep defenses honest with his improving face up game. Once Mobley learns how to better protect the rim, he has an excellent chance to finish as a Top 25 player in the national Class of 2020.

Mobley finished with all-star game with 19 points and two blocks shots. Others who played well for the victorious Black team included 6-foot-4 sophomore wing Jaylen Clark of Centennial (Corona, Calif.), who finished with 10 points and two steals, 6-foot-2 freshman (2021) combo guard Devin Askew, who nailed three 3-pointers and finished with four rebounds and two assists, and 5-foot-11 freshman point guard Kennedy Chandler of Briarcrest (Memphis, Tenn.), who played competitive defense and finished with nine points.

Jalen Green, the fantastic sophomore talent out of San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno, Calif.) was matched up opposite of Christopher on the White team and finished with eight points, five rebounds and three assists. He certainly did not play poorly, but was unable to be the difference-maker for his team in terms of +/- while on the floor. Green has a big target on his back and is still the player on the West Coast other 2020 kids are gunning for in terms of national recognition. Last year he was the top overall performer and did enough to be named co-MOP of he camp along with scoring machine Johnny Juzang, a 6-foot-6 sophomore wing from Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.).

Juzang is a volume scorer who had some excellent outings in this camp, but has to continue to work on using his body to finish through contact and see his teammates' open lanes. This would help take his considerable talents to the next level. He had 10 shot attempts in the all-star game for the White team and finished with 9 points.

Other White team standouts included strong 6-foot-3 guard Nimari Burnett of Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), who netted 10 points and seven rebounds, 6-foot-5 sophomore combo guard Dalen Terry of Corona Del Sol (Tempe, Ariz.), who scored five points and pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds, 6-foot-9 freshman Isaiah Cottrell of Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), who had eight points and four rebounds, and 6-foot-6 freshman forward Obinna Anyanwu, who had an all-around solid effort on both ends and finished with 10 points.

Terry and Cottrell used this camp to make favorable impressions with the national scouts in attendance. Terry hasn't always been a tough customer, but he's beginning to grow into his body and his instincts and attention to physical conditioning is starting to pay dividends on the boards. He was the best rebounding guard in camp and his offensive reads in the open court have always been his strong suit. With a strong sophomore season at Corona Del Sol, he'll be one of the most watched players nationally on the spring 2018 grassroots circuit.

Cottrell is starting to gain confidence and is a versatile scorer with good range for his size. He'll likely continue to grow his overall game and just might be one of the best long-term prospects in this entire group.

Of the players who played in the second all-star game who were probably most deserving of top billing, the name most often thrown around was sophomore big man Fallou Niang from Tri-City Christian (Chandler, Ariz.). The 6-foot-9 big man can run the floor and was arguably the camp's best shot blocker.

Among players not chosen for either all-star game, the one player who stood out to us was 6-foot-3 sophomore Donovan Yap from Arbor View (Las Vegas). Yap is unselfish, has the ability to get to the basket in the half court and excels in transition.

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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Norwalk, Calif. -- One of the keys in the development of young players is consistency and during an atmosphere such as a showcase camp, it's easy for participants to get sidetracked and fall into the trap of individualism or showmanship. It happened to some of the first day standouts at the Pangos All-West Frosh Soph Camp on the second day. With that in mind, the two most consistent players in terms of skill, production and team play were also arguably the two best players in camp: 6-foot-6 forward Jamie Jaquez, a sophomore (2019) out of Camarillo (Calif.) and 6-foot-4 wing Jalen Green, a freshman (2020) out of San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno, Calif.).

That duo never wavered in their approach or playing to their strengths and it showed down the stretch when some of their peers faded or lost focus. Jaquez, who had the most skilled scoring package of any of the 180 campers, and Green, who consistently played all 84 feet of the court better than anyone else, didn't have big scoring games in the Cream of the Crop Top 30 All-Star Game, but it hardly mattered. That duo had already puts its stamp on the camp.

Two of the camp's top performers on Sunday closed out with strong performances in the Cream of the Crop Top 30 Game for the wining black club. Johnny Juzang, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard out of Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) and Jarod Lucas, a 6-foot-3 shooting guard out of Los Altos (Hacienda Heights, Calif.), both netted 13 points in their team's easy 100-54 victory. Juzang had some mesmorizing scoring outputs throughout the camp and was shooting the ball well from the outside. He dabbles with the point guard position, as does Lucas, but both their strengths offensively are clearly scoring the basketball. Lucas' game continues to evolve, as he's toned his body, grown over an inch and improved his explosiveness. Lucas also had arguably the quickest release on his jumper of any camper.

The Top 30 game was lopsided because the winning black team didn't necessarily have the better players, but the more mature and physically imposing ones. In addition to Juzang, Lucas, and Green, the team featured 6-foot-7 2019 forward Darren Jones (Cajon, San Bernardino, Calif.), 6-foot-4 2020 shooting guard Jalen Clark (Centennial, Corona, Calif.), 6-foot-2 2019 point guard Gianni Hunt (Bishop Montgomery, Torrance, Calif.), 6-foot-6 2019 wing Jamon Kemp (Garfield, Seattle, Wash.), 6-foot-8 2020 forward Evan Mobley (Rancho Christian, Temecula, Calif.) and 6-foot-6 2019 small forward Jake Kyman (Santa Margarita, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.).

Both Mobley and Jones scored 11 points in the Top 30 game, and the latter was one of the most explosive players in attendance. Jones' offensive repitriore is evolving, as he displayed an improved shooting stroke. He has a tendency to throw up wild shots once in a while, but considering his football background (he's a D1 wide receiver prospect) and experience (or lack thereof), Jones' upside is as big as any camper in attendance. Mobley's older brother Isaiah, a 6-foot-8 2019 forward from Rancho Christian, was one of the top performer's at last year's Pangos All-West Frosh/Soph camp, but this year little brother stole some of his thunder with his oozing potential and shot-blocking ability. The younger Mobley is agile and has excellent instincts and let the game come to him over the weekend and it paid off in the end.

Dion Stroud, an explosive 6-foot-6 2019 wing out of San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno, Calif.), had 12 points for the white team while Sedrick Hammonds chipped in 10 points. Hammonds, a 6-foot-2 wing out of Clark (Las Vegas, Nev.), was one of the best pure athletes in attendance with great defensive instincts and the ability to get by defenders on the wing. Hammonds definitely proved he belonged in the top game and is one to track on the West Coast this upcoming high school basketball season.

In a camp with 180 players, there were bound to be sleepers and this year was no exception. Some who stood out and created a national reputation for themselves were 6-foot 2019 point guard Jaxen Turner (Rancho Verde, Moreno Valley, Calif.), 6-foot-7 2019 forward Finnley O'Rourke (Brentwood, Los Angeles), 6-foot-3 2019 shooting guard Max Cheylov (Faith Baptist, Canoga Park, Calif.), 6-foot-4 guard Jace Roquemore (Foothill, Henderson, Nev.) and 6-foot-7 power forward Kirkland Smith of Fairfax (Los Angeles).

Smith was especially impressive with his motor and offensive rebounding ability. He played hard every possession and scored when he had openings around the basket without forcing too much. Smith's ability and production will be a welcomed bonus to a Fairfax team that is perimeter-oriented and hopes to win the L.A. City Section Open Division title next March. The perimeter players include junior point guard Jamal Hartwell (who was in attendance supporting three of his Lions' teammates) and a pair of sophomore guards in 5-foot-11 Ethan Anderson and 6-foot-4 Bobby McRae III. The latter is more of a wing at this time, but is cut out to be a college shooting guard. McRae is not as highly-regarded in terms of state and national reputation as Anderson, but he actually was just as productive and did more to help himself this weekend than his backcourt mate.

McRae's activity level led to numerous positive plays and he made the correct reads with the ball in his hands. Anderson was one of the top overall guards in attendance and did nothing to hurt his reputation as one of California's top prospects in the Class of 2019. Anderson simply overpowers or blows by guards who attempt to jump in his way, although he could finish better attacking left and being less reliant on spinning back to his strong side.

The most competitive and skilled player in the Cream of the Crop Top 60 Game was 6-foot guard Josh Christopher from Mayfair (Lakewood, Calif.). He led all scorers with 19 points. His older brothers are Caleb, a junior-to-be at Mayfair, and Patrick, who also played at the school before moving on to Dominguez (Compton, Calif.), CAL and the NBA.

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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Norwalk, Calif. -- One-hundreded and seventy-four of the better freshman and sophomore players on the West Coast descended upon Cerritos College to partake in the first of five Pangos Frosh/Soph Camps taking place this fall around the country. The camp has its origins in the West and the 16th edition in SoCal hasn't disappointed so far. Players from seven Western states plus British Columbia were represented and the most impressive performer on the camp's first day with a silky freshman wing from California's Central Valley.

Six-foot-4 Jalen Green of Fresno, Calif. first made waves in SoCal last February at the 2016 Pangos Jr. All-American Camp and is proving at this camp he's one of best players in the national Class of 2020. Green showed at the camp in February he was a terrific athlete, but this weekend he's proving to be as complete an all-around player the Golden State has among 2020 players. Green is quite explosive in the open court and changes direction with under control finishes quite smoothly and easily for someone who won't turn 15 years old until February 2017. Green also has uncanny rebounding instincts and unlike some other young prospects, doesn't give up on plays if his shot doesn't go in. He also can keep defenders honest enough with his shooting and has high-level defensive ability with long arms and chattering feet.

Green obviously has plenty of development ahead of him, but some of the names being thrown around as quick NBA comparisons in terms of build and ability include Scottie Pippen, Tracy McGrady and Eddie Jones. While Green is obviously not on those players' level just yet, there is already a lot to like about this young prospect and it's easy to predict he has a bright future considering he has three years of Grassroots and four years of high school basketball left before college.

Green could turn out to be the best wing-type at San Joaquin Memorial since Quincy Pondexter (one of his travel ball coaches for Cali United) or even the best from Fresno overall 2000 McDonald's All-American DeShawn Stevenson, who like Pondexter went on to play in the NBA. Green is one of three campers who will participate in the eighth annual USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team October Minicamp in two weeks. The other two are 2020 lefty wing Shermar Morrow of La Mirada (Calif.) and 2019 small forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. of Camarillo (Calif.).

Morrow is an ultra-athletic wing who excels in transition and is already well-known on the grassroots basketball circuit. After all, he's been dunking since sixth grade. Jaquez has a multitude of skills and if you wanted to win a high school basketball game today, right now, he might very well be the first pick in a draft of the players at this camp. Jaquez won't ever have Green's defensive instincts on the perimeter or win a foot race, but he's offensive skill level is off the chart, as he can face up and shoot, has a good crossover plus plenty of secondary moves, and finishes with authority around the basket.

Jaquez was involved in the sequence of the day at the Pangos All-West Frosh/Soph Camp, trading highlight plays with 2019 forward Darren Jones of Cajon (San Bernardino, Calif.). Jaquez threw down a facial on the athletic Jones, who came back and flushed one of his own to the delight of the fans in the gym. This past summer Jaquez played travel ball for The Truth 16U EYBL team and is proving to be "the truth" among California's top 2019 prospects.

The city of Seattle was well-represented with the likes of 6-foot-7 2019 forward Abdul Mohamed of West Seattle (Wash.) and 6-foot-6 Jamon Kemp of Garfield (Seattle, Wash.). Mohamed was one of the better all-around forwards on the first day, impacting both ends of the floor. He can block shots, finish around the rim and wasn't trying to do too much out of his normal element. Kemp was flying around the rim looking for put-backs and rebounds and is oozing with potential. While he won't be the stud on his high school team (which will likely appear in the preseason FAB 50 national rankings in November), he'll one day be a big-time prospect. If the name sounds familiar to basketball fans in Seattle, yes, he is the son of Shawn Kemp, the former Sonics all-star forward and one of the best dozen or so high school players of all-time. "The Reign Man" was in the building checking out Jamon and had to like what he saw.

The best true big man so far is Samba Kane, a native of Senegal who attends Regis Jesuit (Aurora, Col.). The 6-foot-10 Kane has a solid skill level for a 2019 prospect, with good timing on both ends of the floor. The most impressive aspect of his game is keeping the ball high on offensive post moves and showing patience around the rim. He's also a fine shot blocker and runs the floor fairly well. The likes of Wichita St., Wyoming, Northern Colorado and Colorado have already been by Regis Jesuit to check Kane out and you can bet there will be more national suitors down the line.     

Two of Green's high school teammates at San Joaquin Memorial also stood out. Dion Stroud, a bouncy 6-foot-5 sophomore wing, had some of the most impressive finishes at the event so far. Stroud has grown physically since we've last seen him and is ironing out the kinks in his jump shot. His handle is not quite as tight, nor his first step quite on the level of Green's, but he's one heck of a long-term prospect in his own right. Justin Huelskamp, a 6-foot-3 2019 guard, is one of the sleepers in attendance. Not many scouts know about him, but there is plenty to be desired. Huelskamp's activity level is on-par with the best in the camp and his pull-up game was on point.            

Fightingly, Saturday's camp games ended in spectacular fashion with 6-foot-2 Gianni Hunt of Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.) hitting a 38-foot bank shot at the buzzer to give his team a 81-78 victory.

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: Introducing Ben Baker and Kamaka Hepa

Norwalk, Calif. -- The depth of the 2015 Pangos All-West Frosh/Soph Camp reflected the vast amount of quality players in the West's 2018 and 2019 classes. There were approximately 15 players in attendance who are a notch above the rest in terms of long-term college potential, but that group dominated camp games to varying degrees. No one player put his stamp on the camp as the undisputed top performer.

There were a vast amount of standouts in the second tier and a number of players had legitimate cases to be selected to the camp's Cream of the Crop Top 60 game, which is for the best performers not selected to the Cream of the Crop Top 30 game, which is designed for the camp's top performers as selected by camp directors and media in attendance.

There was plenty of discussion about the merits of some of the campers who weren't selected for the camp's showcase games or the ones who perhaps should have been in the Cream of the Crop Top 30 game instead of the Top 60, but when the dust settled two shooting guards emerged as the Pangos All-West Frosh/Soph Camp MOPs. David Singleton, a 6-foot-4 sophomore combo guard from Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.), and Jules Bernard, a 6-foot-5 left-handed wing guard from Windward (Los Angeles), were as close to the ideal combination of high major prospects who consistently dominated camp games as there were at the two-day event.

Singleton had multiple 20-point games to follow up on the excellent performances he stringed together at the recent Ron Massey Memorial Fall Hoops Classic for Bishop Montgomery. Singleton is also a throwback in terms of competitiveness regardless of camp atmosphere and because of his will to win in every situation. The sophomore wasn't too pleased his team lost in the Cream of the Crop Top 30 game despite his 15-point, 6-rebound, 2-steal performance.

With his advanced triple threat game and ability to cover ground while driving, in addition to keeping the defense honest with a dependable jumper, Bernard was arguably the toughest perimeter check at camp. He came as close as any player to dominating camp from start to finish, but a sprained ankle suffered in a Sunday game kept him from producing at his normal level over the second half of the event on Sunday. Bernard finished the Top 30 game with seven points and one rebound.

Two players who might have made their case as camp MOP has they participated in the Top 30 game were 6-foot-5 freshman wing Cassius Stanley (Harvard-Westlake/North Hollywood, Calif.) and 6-foot sophomore point guard Spencer Freedman (Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif.).

Stanley wasn't available on Sunday because his high school team was competing in a fall league game (in which he went for 41 points). Freedman didn't play in the Top 30 game because of an academic priority. Stanley is favorably compared to former Compton (Calif.) High School and NBA All-Star Demar DeRozan because of his athleticism and world-class leaping ability. As far as Freedman, it would have proven difficult to find a better perimeter shooter at the event.

The Top 30 game was a close affair until 6-foot-5 sophomore wing Harrison Butler (Mater Dei/Santa Ana, Calif.) of the White club made some big plays down the stretch to help his team pull out a 96-87 win over the Black club. Butler knocked down a clutch 3-pointer, made three of four free throws, and came up with five rebounds in the final three minutes of the contest. Butler finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds.

Leading the way in the first half for the White club was 6-foot-8 sophomore power forward Riley Battin (Oak Park, Calif.). Battin used his wide variety of slick post moves and good positioning to score on the inside and clean up on the glass. Battin is coming off knee surgery and wasn't moving as well as his normally does, but his fundamental play made up for the lack of mobility. Last year's freshman All-American (as named by GrassrootsHoops.net) finished with 19 points and eight rebounds.

Payton Moore's Coming Out Party

Six-foot-4 Payton Moore, a power combo guard from Windward (Los Angeles), didn't come into the camp with the national reputation of some of the West's top sophomore prospects, but he upped his national profile because of his standout play. There were probably a dozen or so prospects with more projected "upside" than Moore in attendance, but no player from start to finish played consistently harder on both ends of the floor. Inch-for-inch, pound-for-pound, Moore was the camp's best rebounder and he displayed tremendous finishing ability around the basket.

"Honestly, when I'm out on the court, I think I'm the best player on the floor," Moore said about his mindset coming into the camp. "I pride myself on being a high motor player and doing the right thing. I had a lot of confidence coming in, because I knew with my rebounding I would touch the basketball."

Moore, who has been offered by USC and Boise State, is excited about Windward's upcoming season. The Wildcats have Moore (who came off the bench last season), Bernard and 6-foot-8 Shareef O'Neal (the son of former NBA standout Shaquille O'Neal who wasn't in attendance) for three more seasons. They also have junior point guard Jaylen Harris returning and could be FAB-50 ranked in 2016-17 -- and perhaps this upcoming season with continued development.

Long Trip Pays Off For Trey Johnson

While Kamaka Hepa flew from the Northernmost part of Alaska to attend the Pangos All-West Frosh/Soph Camp, the amount of traveling 6-foot-5 Trey Johnson did to get to the camp is commendable.

The sophomore from Hillcrest (Idaho Falls, Idaho) came with his father via a 16-hour automobile ride and the road trip back home likely felt shorter than the ride in to Southern California after his 15-point performance in the Cream of the Crop Top 30 game. Johnson is a solid athlete with a good inside-outside offensive game. He has the ability to hit the deep-range shot or take defenders off the dribble and is an active rebounder.

There wasn't an official Top 60 game MVP named, but Johnson and 5-foot-10 point guard Ethan Anderson (Fairfax/Los Angeles) would have been the prime candidates. Anderson is explosive with the ball in his hands and is nicely developing his lead guard skills. Anderson was one of three talented 2019 prospects from Fairfax -- the other two being 6-foot-4 Robert McCrae and 6-foot Dijuan Chumack.

The Lions' best player, however, in attendance was 5-foot-10 sophomore point guard Jamal Hartwell. A camp veteran, Hartwell has cut down on his turnovers in this type of setting over the last year and is making sound decisions once he gets in the key or past first level defenders. This is significant because he gets the nod as the guard with the best first-step explosiveness in the camp. He finished with five points and six assists in the Top 30 game.

Some of the names prominently mentioned that would have been suitable for the Top 30 game who participated in the Top 60 were Anderson, 6-foot-2 sophomore Jalen Flanagan of El Camino (Oceanside, Calif.), 6-foot-6 sophomore Kaveon Batiste of Pacific Hills (Los Angeles) and 5-foot-11 sophomore Taurus Samuels of Vista (Calif.).

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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Norwalk, Calif. -- One of the most refreshing aspects of the fall grassroots event period is to evaluate young players that may not have played in the big-time July viewing period events or/and those participating in a camp setting with other elite talent for the first time.

The Pangos All-Frosh/Soph Camps serve many purposes -- to evaluate some of the nation's best young talent on the same floor, to give talented young players a platform to gain experience playing against elites in their class and to evaluate young players who may help some of the nation's elite programs during the winter.

The Pangos All-West Frosh/Soph Camp at Cerritos College was the first experience in an elite camp setting for many in attendance and in the first set of games it showed. In those games, there were all-arm shots that didn't come close to the rim, panicked over dribbling and some awkward movements. That is to be expected, but a selected few overcame the early jitters a lot quicker than others and settled into their game.

A couple of newcomers to the camp scene looked stood out and looked like cagy veterans on the first day of the two-day event. For 6-foot-2 sophomore shooting guard Ben Baker of Berkeley (Calif.), he came in with a chip on his shoulder and used that motivation plus his skill to impress the national contingent of scouts in attendance.

Baker is an aggressive offensive player who can finish around the rim with high efficiency and from both sides of the paint. Baker also makes the correct decision the majority of the time in the open court and excels at passing from various angles. Where he really makes his mark is on defense. Baker has great instincts in the backcourt and harassed many offensive players into turnovers before they even got the ball past the half court line. He also picked the pocket of highly-regarded 6-foot-4 freshman Elijah Scranton (Village Christian/Sun Valley, Calif.) in the open court.

"I came here to experience all the different competition, especially since I'm from Berkeley and people don't really know me" Baker said. "It definitely gives me an edge. I've never been to stuff like this."

Baker, who has been playing basketball since he was six years old, patterns his game after "stretch guards" such as Paul George and James Harden. He feels Berkeley's team success will lead to individual accolades.

Kamaka Hepa, a 6-foot-9 sophomore forward who came to Southern California from Barrow (Alaska), made quite an impression considering his long trek with his high school coach all the way from the North Slope of America's northernmost state. Hepa is a 4-man with solid face up skills who can attack either way. He is not the quickest of foot, but Hepa makes defensive players commit to him and has solid instincts around the basket. Hepa blocked some shots, has soft hands and knows how to finish once he gets his mitts on the basketball.

It will be interesting to see if Hepa shows even more on the second day of camp as he continues to get comfortable in the camp setting.

Like Baker, 5-foot-10 David Mixon of South Gate (Calif.) hopes team success will boost his individual profile. Mixon is not new to the Pangos Frosh/Soph Camp -- he participated last year -- and displayed marked improvement. That is always something evaluators like to see in a camp veteran.

Mixon's improved physical conditioning helps his confidence and he also has an improved offensive skill set. Mixon has the ability to break down defenders off the dribble and either set up teammates or finish himself with a high percentage shot. Mixon also can get in a stance and defend. His play should help make the Rams one of the top contenders in the L.A. City Section Division 2 ranks.

Marlon Cunningham, a 6-foot-7 sophomore forward from Albuquerque (N.M.), was another relative newcomer to the Grassroots scene who turned heads his with his impressive play. Cunningham is a major factor around the basket with solid scoring ability and great instincts for the ball. He definitely made a positive impression and it will be interesting to evaluate his production level in one of the Cream of the Crop All-Star games.

Other first day camp standouts who came in under the "sleeper" category who had a breakout day include 5-foot-10 sophomore point guard Ronnie Green (Silverado/Victorville, Calif.), 5-foot-11 sophomore shooting guard James Chun (Riordan/San Francisco, Calif.), 6-foot-2 sophomore combo guard Jalen Flanagan (El Camino/Oceanside, Calif.), 6-foot-4 sophomore wing Ofure Ujadughele (Millikan/Long Beach, Calif.), 6-foot-2 sophomore combo guard Caden Farley (Coronado/Henderson, Nev.) and 6-foot-5 sophomore forward Michael Miller (Diamond Ranch/Pomona, Calif.).

Some of the standouts mentioned above don't yet have the national reputations of some of the elites in the 2018 and 2019 class, but with continued development and production could one day be mentioned in the same breath as that small group of players.

Up-and-comers who had productive days shouldn't necessarily be confused with those with the biggest national reputations or the best long-term prospects in attendance. Those players include 6-foot-4 freshman wing Cassius Stanley (Harvard-Westlake, North Hollywood, Calif.), 6-foot-4 sophomore shooting guard David Singleton (Bishop Montgomery/Torrance, Calif.), 6-foot-8 sophomore forward Taeshon Cherry (St. Augustine/San Diego, Calif.), 6-foot-5 sophomore shooting guard Jules Bernard (Windward, Los Angeles) and 6-foot-1 sophomore point guard Spencer Freedman (Mater Dei/Santa Ana, Calif.).

How the new kids on the block compare with the established campers will further be determined on the camp's second day.

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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