RELATED: Duren Leads Power-Packed Pangos Camp

In a three-day camp setting, sometimes players get a bit worn out by the last day, or the pecking order is establish and they don't feel so comfortable on their camp team. When physical abilities are fairly even among campers, mental and physical endurance takes over and becomes a separator

At the 2021 edition of the Pangos All-American Camp, it was refreshing to see the campers stay focused and all three camp games on the last session Tuesday morning all went down to the wire. In one of the matchups, 6-foot-4 2022 Collin Chandler of Farmington (Utah) hit a deep range 3-pointer from the left wing to give his North Carolina team a 56-53 victory over the Jalen Duren-led Duke team.

In that game, there weren't many 3-point shots, but Chandler hit two of them and then had nine points (including one 3-pointer) in the Cream of the Crop Top 30 all-star game reserved for the camp's best performers. Chandler also converted two of the most acrobatic lay-ups of the entire event in that all-star game and showed why he should be rated much higher than he currently is by the leading national recruiting services. Most recruiting gurus feel he'll eventually make a commitment to Utah.

On the opposite court in that first morning game, there were 3-point shots raining down from all over, and most of them were knocked down by 6-foot-7 2022 Alex Karaban of New Hampton School (Hampton, N.H.). He was stroking on Saturday night and had a big game on Sunday morning, knocking down seven 3-pointers (in 9 attempts) en route to a 31-point, 7-rebound, 4-assist performance for his Virginia club versus Florida State. Ironically, Karaban dished off to teammate Roddy Gayle Jr., a 6-foot-5 2022 prospect from Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) for a 3-pointer that gave Virginia a 86-83 sudden death overtime win.

Another knock 'em down shooter who upped his stock at the camp was 6-foot-5 2022 Oziyah Sellers of Southern California Academy (Valencia, Calif.). Sellers is a terrific spot up shooter, but has improved in putting it on the deck for pull-ups or creating for others. Even though he missed the first night of camp, he quickly made up for it with his long range shooting exhibition. Sellers, who is an above average athlete, averaged 24.7 ppg in three games and is now high on the board across most Pac-12 programs.

There were players who used one of the two all-star games to leave a lasting impression or atone for moments of struggle in the camp games. One of those players was 6-foot-7 2022 Jordan Walsh of Faith Family Academy (Cedar Hill, Texas). His perimeter shooting wasn't on point during camp games, but he was active and had one of the best noses for the ball on the offensive glass among all campers. Walsh settled down as the camp wore on and closed strong, hitting 3-of-4 3-pointers and finishing with 15 points for the wining Red team (130-99 over the Blue team).

Turning in a MVP performance for the Red team was 6-foot-11 Baye Fall of Lutheran (Denver, Col.), who gets our nod as the top 2023 prospect in attendance. In our eyes, he's right there with 6-foot-3 guard DJ Wagner of Camden (Camden, N.J.), who wasn't in attendance, as the top national prospect among juniors-to-be. Fall doesn't take bad shots, he is a NBA-level shot-blocker with good instinct, has a quality motor and is unselfish in nature. He scored a game-high 20 points to go along with eight rebounds. His relentlessness and nose for the ball separates him from any underclass post prospect in the nation.

Not too far behind Fall and Wagner in the 2023 rankings is fast-rising Javonte Taylor of Kenwood Academy (Chicago, Ill.). He copped MVP honors for the Blue team with 15 points. Taylor has a deep tool box and just needs to work on his consistency from deep and working the offensive glass 100 percent of the time to reach his full potential.

Taylor's Blue team was hurt by top 10 camp performers Adem Bona of Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) and Grady Dick of Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Air, Kan.) needing to take care of travel priorities before the end of the game.

Six-foot-9 2022 Ernest Udeh of FAB 50 ranked Dr. Phillips (Orlando, Fla.) was one of the final selections to the top all-star game and made terrific use of the opportunity, finishing with 10 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals for the winning Red club. Since the conclusion of camp, he's been offered by George Washington and Stanford has shown an increased interest for this fine student-athlete.

Of course, many players could have been picked for either all-star game and the one who solidified his selection in the Top 60 game the most was 6-foot-5 2022 Jevin Sullivan of North Polk (Alleman, Iowa). He was one of the camp's best corner shooters and he knocked down a couple of 3-pointers in the first half of the Top 60 game, which fittingly came down to the wire. Sullivan tied the game at 87-87 on a contested offensive putback at the regulation buzzer.

After Blue club teammate Austin Nunez of Wagner (San Antonio, Texas) attempted to win the game with a 3-pointer, it was another offensive rebound putback, this one by 6-foot-7 2022 Jaylen Thompson of Southern California Academy (Valencia, Calif.), that gave the Blue team a 89-87 sudden death victory. We say it was only fitting because Thompson might have been the most deserving player left off the Top 30 roster. The scoring wing ended up with a team-high 15 points and eight rebounds.

The player that got the most mileage out of his Top 60 all-star game selection was 6-foot-9 2022 Dillon Mitchell of Bishop McLaughin (Spring Hill, Fla.). The athletic lefty reminds us of former Michigan St. standout and 2000 NCAA champ Morris Peterson with his ability as a scoring slasher and with his activity level. He was named Blue team most valuable player with 14 points and six rebounds.

The Red team MVP was nimble 6-foot-10 2022 Reed Bailey of Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.). His versatility was on display when scored 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field to go along with five rebounds.

Amongst the players who didn't get picked for the Top 60 game and were most impactful included 6-foot-3 2022 Avery Brown of Northfield Mt. Herman (Gill, Mass.), 6-foot-6 2023 Scotty Middleton of Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.), 6-foot-7 2022 Jasen Green of Millard North (Omaha, Neb.), 6-foot-1 2024 Elliot Cadeau of Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) and 6-foot-6 2022 Justyn Fernandez of Virginia Episcopal (Lynchburg, Va.).

Brown was the best on-ball defender we evaluated. Middleton, who came to the camp the second day, is oozing with potential and upside. Versatility is the name of his game. Green was solid and showed the ability to knock down shots with a solid face up game. Cadeau is one of the best sophomores-to-be (2024) in the country and has a polished floor game. Fernandez can really chase the ball and attack the rim or set it up for teammates. He also plays under control and is hardly ever sped up.

Cadeau is a candidate for 2020-21 National Freshman of the Year honors, as is Fall among sophomores and Duren among juniors. Look for the announce of the national underclass players of the year next week.

Pangos Camp All-Time MOPs

2020: Jalen Duren, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-10 C
2019 (co): Cade Cunningham, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-7 G
2019 (co): Evan Mobley, Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.) 7-0 C
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 Zimmerman, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) 7-0 PF
2013: Stanley Johnson, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 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, Calif.) 6-5 SG
2005: Davon Jefferson, Lynwood (Calif.) 6-8 WF
2004: CJ Miles, Skyline (Dallas) 6-6 WF
2003: Robert Swift, Bakersfield (Calif.) 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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There was an abundance of wings between 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-6 who are excellent college prospects and how much more they grow and develop will determine what level. There was a dearth of true, pass-first point guards, but even among the scoring lead guards, those that played the game the right way stood out. When the dust settled, however, it was two skilled post players who took home camp Co-Most Outstanding Player honors. 

Sophomores (2022) Aidan Shaw (6-foot-7) of Blue Valley (Stilwell, KS) and Kijani Wright (6-foot-8) of Windward (Los Angeles) battled in a terrific camp game on Saturday afternoon and again in the Cream of the Crop Top 30 Game.

Wright is well known to basketball scouts and fans on the West Coast and did nothing to dispel his standing as the top post player in California’s 2022 class. He plays physical and under control and his back to the basket moves continue to improve.

Shaw gave him everything he could handle and pushed Wright to play to his vast potential. Shaw has a better perimeter game than Wright and displayed a sweet shooting stroke with terrific lift and follow through. He also is an aggressive playmaker around the basket, and when Wright and others challenged him at the rim, he more than held his own defensively.

Their matchup inside was the snapshot moment that will be remembered about this camp in the year’s to come as they develop as high major college prospects.

In the Cream of the Crop Top 30 All-Star Game, Wright’s high school and camp teammate Dylan Andrews, a 6-foot-3 2022 prospect, nailed a two-for-one free throw with 5.4 seconds to go to seal the White Club’s 118-115 victory over the Black Club.

If Shaw or Wright hadn’t had such a dominant impact, then Andrews would be next in line as the top prospect at the event. He is a physical guard who attacks even the slightest of openings under control. While some of his teammates tended to get carried away hunting offense at camp, Andrews kept a steady and effective approach to the game, finishing the Top 30 game with 17 points and four assists, including three pointers. Wright had eight points four rebounds while Shaw had 16 points and eight rebounds in a losing effort.

Game MVPs were 6-foot-4 2022 Christian Moore of Brentwood (Los Angeles) for the White Club with 15 points and seven rebounds and 6-foot-4 2022 Joseph “JoJo” Hunter of San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno, Calif.) for the Black Club with eight points, eight assists and six rebounds.

With such a deep camp, much of our focus was spent evaluating prospects who either didn’t come in with a big reputation or were unknowns in major West Coast scouting circles. Here are ten players who bumped up their recruiting stock by playing well over the course of the two-day camp.

Pangos All-West Frosh/Soph 10 Breakout Performers
(Listed Alphabetically)

Ronnie’s Five

Justin Daniels, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 6-4 2023 SG: He may not get much playing time for one of California’s finest teams, which should start fairly high in November1s preseason FAB 50 rankings release, but that doesn’t mean this young shooting guard is not a terrific prospect. Daniels has a calm, cool and collected demeanor on the court and a nice package of skills. Daniels has good court vision and is usually looking for the hit ahead offensive player and also does a good job of finding creases on the fast break. He also has solid form on his pull up jumper and is an under control athlete. He’s the younger brother of former Taft (Woodland Hills, Calif.) all-state performer, and 2014 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player, DeAndre Daniels.

Benny Gealer, Rolling Hills Prep (San Pedro, Calif.) 6-0 2022 PG: We cheated a bit with Gealer because he actually had a terrific freshman season and is fairly well known to scouts. After his performance over the weekend, however, Gealer has to talked about as one of the best prospects in California’s 2022 class regardless of position. Gealer gets our vote as the best shooter in attendance, and in the showdown between Shaw and Wright, it was this shooting point guard who stole the show down the stretch with his onslaught from the outside. Gealer can create space to get his shot off, and when he gets his feet set, he easily gets defenders off balance because they understand if their closeout is too late, it’s near money in the bank.

Trey Knight, Moreau Catholic (Hayward, Calif.) 5-11 2022 PG: This low-gravity point guard was easily one of the most improved players in attendance. We’ve tracked Knight since he participated in middle school camps and he1s vastly improved in the last calendar year. Knight has shed some of the “baby fat” and is quicker and more confident. He’s always been a heady, team-first talent, but is now getting by defenders at a higher rate and it has opened up his offensive game. Knight has a nice ball in same hand, same direction burst into the key and also is now utilizing his cross over dribble in a half court setting to set up scoring plays for himself or others. He plays for his father Frank Knight, a former all-state player at Fremont of Oakland, at Moreau Catholic.

Kaylon Mason, Central (Fresno, Calif.) 6-6 2022 SF: A relative newcomer to the elite camp scene, Mason has a quiet and friendly demeanor off-the-court, but get him in between the lines and he transforms into a bull in a china shop. Mason attacks the rim with the vengeance and was one of the best slashers in attendance. Once he gets downhill on the wing, his percentages of making something positive happen are sky high because he’s rarely out of control. Mason has a developing perimeter game, challenges shots near the paint and also goes after rebounds outside his area. Mason will continue to develop as he adds strength and experience in settings such as this camp.

Jermaine Rodgers III, Ayala (Chino Hills, Calif.) 6-2 2022 CG: Rodgers has three of the main ingredients you look for in a scoring guard: He’s has a strong frame, good offensive skills and shoots the perimeter shot well. Rodgers moves to his offensive spots well and attacks the baseline with authority. If a defender is just a shade out of position, forget it, it’s a Rodgers blow by. Rodgers was one of the best players in the Final Cream of the Crop Game, netting 11 points.

Dev’s Five

Kylan Boswell, Colony (Ontario, Calif.) 6-0 2023 PG: Boswell made the move out west from the Chicago area and quickly put his name on the local radar with an impressive performance at the Hoops By Ugland Skills Summit in August. The freshman point guard made the most of his opportunity to play in front of a large contingent of scouts, local, regional and national alike. Boswell is one of the highest IQ players you’ll find anywhere and regardless of class. He plays with impressive pace, surveys the floor in transition, delivers passes with timing and pinpoint accuracy and plays out of high ball-screen action with a feel well beyond his years.

Osiris Grady, Silverado (Las Vegas, Nev.) 6-6 2023 F: Grady is an intriguing long-term forward prospect because of his versatile skill-set. The 6-6 forward has a strong frame, but is also mobile in the half-court when setting screens and operating on the perimeter. He changes ends of the floor well in transition and beat defenses down the floor multiple times for easy looks in the paint where he finished with either hand. What stood out most about Grady was his passing ability out of the low and mid-post spots. He found cutters with shovel passes and nicely-placed bounce passes. Grady scored 10 points in the “Next 20” Cream fo the Crop all-star game, helping his team to a 59-53 victory.

Garrison Phelps, St. Mary’s (Phoenix, Ariz.) 6-4 2022 WF: Phelps immediately jumped out as one of the more powerful athletes in the building, and as the camp went on, showed that he had a deep skill-set to go along with his speed and leaping abilities. Phelps is a big-time finisher in transition. He gets out wide on the break and uses his long strides to quickly cover ground and burst into the paint where he can finish through contact and above the rim. Dunking isn’t the only thing that Phelps does well, either, as he made it a point to rebound the defensive glass, push the break, and make the simple but smart pass to an open teammate.

Jaylen Thompson, St. Joseph’s Notre Dame (Alameda, Calif.) 6-6 2022 F: Thompson was one of the more active players on both ends of the floor and it paid off for him as he was selected for the Top 30 Cream of the Crop all-star game. In that game, Thompson’s activity around the basket and willingness to run the floor helped him score 12 points and pull down six rebounds in one of the more well-rounded performances among the Top 30 selections of the camp. Thompson has impressive size and length for his position, and just simply put, played harder than most of the others over the weekend. The 6-6 wing had a handful of highlight-reel dunks, big time rebounds in traffic and is a versatile perimeter defender.

Milos Uzan, Desert Pines (Las Vegas, Nev.) 6-3 2022 PG: Uzan had a strong freshman high school campaign, putting up 13.4 points, 4.8 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game, and he brought his all-around game with him over the weekend. Uzan has really nice size and feel for the point guard position and did a nice job of balancing scoring and distributing in a setting which normally calls for forced shots and selfishness on the offensive end. Uzan is a crafty ball handler and finisher around the basket and is an effective scorer and passer in both transition and half-court settings.

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The one aspect of doing a showcase camp in a new location is the eagerness and enthusiasm of the players to make a name for themselves and gain greater exposure. This is especially true across international lines and combine that with the large basketball-crazed population of Toronto, it made a perfect recipe to create a successful Pangos Camp in The Six. The first Pangos All-Canada Camp held at St. Michael's College School in the swank Forest Hills area of Toronto featured 80 players of various ability, including a handful with mid-major to low-high major ability.

Those players separated themselves from the pack and all of them were selected to the Cream of the Crop Top 25 All-Star Game at the two-day camp's conclusion. The camp's atmosphere led to the final game of the event arguably being its most competitive since the event's most outstanding player award was still up for grabs and the participants knew it. Following the all-star game, 6-foot-7 power forward Jevonnie Scott of Athlete Institute (Orangeville, Ontario) was named co-Pangos All-Canada MOP along with 6-foot-6 wing forward Taryn Todd of Vaughn Secondary (Vaughn, Ontario).

Scott, a 2019 prospect, was the most powerful and confident player in camp, and had dominant moments from the outset with his strong finishes around the basket, ability to run the floor and good-looking outside shot that kept defenders honest. His confidence and boastfulness nearly got him ahead of himself on the camp's second day, but he reared it in and channeled that energy to lead his White Team to a 96-75 victory over the Black Team in the Cream of the Crop Top 25 All-Star Game. Scott put his stamp on the game with big-time flushes while punishing defenders who dared to get in his path and with timely outside shooting. He nailed three three-pointers, including two in the second half, to help his team build a comfortable cushion on its way to victory. Scott, finished with a game-high 21 points and six rebounds.

While Scott reminds observers of a poor man's Draymond Green jack-of-all trades type, Todd doesn't overpower the senses at first glance with his ability, but is just as productive and impacts winning basketball to perhaps an even greater degree. Scott made a big first impression, while Todd just keeps coming and growing on scouts with his nice blend of skill and production on the wing. The left-handed 2020 prospect wasn't exactly unknown coming in, as Todd was a standout on the Nike EYBL 16U circuit with UPlay Canada and was one of 17 players invited to Canada's 17U national team training camp in June, but he will become a household name on the grassroots circuit on both sides of the border after his performance at this camp. It was evident Todd had the most explosive first step during skill drills to open camp and also played both ends of the floor while scoring on all three levels. With a bit more consistency in his perimeter game, Todd could develop into a mid-major plus standout.

"I think I can play way batter," Todd said after a 18-point, nine-rebound, two-block Top 25 game performance and the announcement he was camp co-MOP. "Create better off pick and rolls is one area I need to work on. I have a Kansas State offer and I'm getting looks from Princeton and Howard. I may attend a prep school, possibly in the states, this year."

The biggest true sleeper to emerge at the first Pangos All-Canada Camp was Todd's teammate during the event: 6-foot-5 2019 shooting guard Derrell Perreira-McLaughlin of Pine Ridge Secondary School (Pickering, Ontario). He gave the most consistent effort on both ends of the floor of any college level player in camp and literally willed his camp team to victories, including a big win against Scott's camp team. Perreira-McLaughlin has an active offensive game and really is a positive asset on defense with his lively feet and positive talking. Although he needs to continue to develop touch and consistency with his jump shot, it all came together for Ferreira-Mclaughlin in the Top 25 All-Star Game, as he led the White Team (along with Scott) to victory with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

"The (all-star game) was great and the competitiveness of it was unbeatable," Perreira-Mclaughlin said. "It showed me Toronto is on the come up for basketball.

"No, I didn't expect to be one of the top players in camp. I feel like Russell Westbrook (at Pangos) in that I got something to prove. I need to work on my pull-up game to go to the next level."

For the next level, Perreira-Mclaughlin doesn't have any true college interest as of yet, but expect that to change over the course of the 2018-19 season.

There were a handful of other players surely to catch the eye of college recruiters in the future, and we'll be surprised if 6-foot-10 2021 power forward Jai Smith of Bishop Ludden (Syracuse, N.Y.) doesn't develop into a national Top 50-type talent. Smith attacks the rim with a vengance on his two-hand gathers and is a relentless second-chance rebounder. Smith's offensive face-up game is a work in progress, but he showed flashes of a mid-range jumper off the catch to compliment good passing ability from the post.

Other post players who made a positive impression include 6-foot-8 2019 Markus Harding (Henry Carr, Toronto), 6-foot-10 2021 Javonte Brown (Thornlea Secondary, Thornhill, Toronto) and 7-foot-3 2021 Zach Edney, a Leaside, Toronto native who now attends IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.). Edney intrigued scouts and other veteran onlookers with his sheer size, and he displayed good ability in spurts, although he needs to continue developing stamina, lateral quickness and using both shoulders to score.

As is usually the case at showcase camps, there was an abundance of athletic wing guards, with 6-foot-6 2021 Matthew Nelson (Crestwood Prep, Toronto), 6-foot-3 2019 Malachi Davis (Central Tech, Toronto), and 6-foot-4 2019 Mateo Spencer-Gomes (St. Mary's, Pickering, Ontario) being among the standouts. Davis is athletic and covers ground and combines that with great hang time. He also threw some excellent touch passes.

Among lead guards, the best in the lot included 5-foot-10 2020 Trey Thomas (Crestwood Prep, Toronto), 6-foot 2020 Kevon Watt (Downsview Secondary, Toronto), 6-foot-4 2021 Kyle Duke (St. Michael's College School, Toronto) and 6-foot-1 2022 Javier Gilgeous-Glasgow (Jean Vanier Catholic, Scarborough, Ontario). Thomas was the most impressive front start to finish with his quickness, square shooting, and nice ball skills. Thomas also used his extensive soccer background to display excellent footwork and stamina that showed in the Cream of the Crop Top 25 Game. The jet-quick guard who reminds us of former Westchester (Los Angeles), Cal-St. Fullerton and NBA guard Bobby Brown finished with 14 points.

The best individual performance of the camp was turned in by 5-foot-9 2019 point guard Kalyem Mullings (Central Tech, Toronto), who hit seven 3-pointers, including the game-winner, in a 86-83 camp game victory. The player who most deserved to participate in the Top 25 who didn't was 6-foot-4 2021 wing guard Sage Idahosa (St. Martin Catholic, Mississauga, Ontario).

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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The following list is based on evaluations from all the sessions of the 2015 Pangos All-American Camp, not just the two Cream of the Crop Games. The list is based on performance at the camp only, not on performance combined with previous honors, national or state ranking. Some players did not play in every session of the camp and that was a factor in the final selections. This camp didn’t contain elite one-and-done type talent, but rather a plethora of players who are national top 100 candidates. With the depth of players in the Top 30-150 range, there could be some deserving players who just missed the Top 50 and would be in another evaluators’ list based on which game one focused on among the three playing courts. Our evaluations are based on all-around performance within the context of winning basketball. We also took into account statistics provided at the event and a player's class. For more information about the camp, visit  pangosaacamp.com.

View Pangos Camp Day 1 Recap | Link

View Pangos Camp Day 2 Recap | Link

View Pangos Camp Day 3 Recap | Link

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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View my Pangos Camp Day 1 Recap | Link

View my Pangos Camp Day 2 Recap | Link

The theme at this year's Pangos All-American Camp was parity. In terms of national talent, it was one of the deepest camps in the event's 13-year history. While there wasn't a top five 2016 national prospect that used the nation's top independent showcase camp to solidify his national ranking (as has been the case in recent years), there was a plethora of Top 35-80 types that helped their national profile over the three-day event.

When the dust settled, the player that immediately put his imprint on every camp game he played, along with the one who arguably was the most consistent throughout, were named Pangos Camp co-MOPs.

The impactful player was 6-foot-5 shooting guard Mustapha Heron of Sacred Heart (Waterbury, Conn.). With the physical nature to his offensive attack, defenders were at Heron's mercy all weekend, as he scored at will around the basket and overpowered bigger, secondary defenders. Heron, a senior-to-be, needs to improve his shooting consistency and flat trajectory, but there is no denying his impact on the game. The most skillful shooting guard was 6-foot-5 Rawle Alkins of Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.). The powerful New Yorker can score, and potentially dominate, inside, outside, in the half court or in transition.

In the Pangos Camp Cream of the Crop Top 30 game for the event's best players, Heron scored a game-high 20 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field. He also had five rebounds and made 9-of-10 free throws. Alkins, like Heron a member of the 2016 class, dominated the first half as his Gray team rolled to a 94-87 victory over the Blue team. Alkins finished with 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting in one half of play before he had to leave to catch his flight back home.

Trae Young, Taurean Thompson Earn All-Star MVP Honors

"The top players, we kind of all know each other; I haven't seen Rawle play like that, but he's the real deal," said Top 30 game team MVP Trae Young of Norman (Norman, Okla.).

Young's deep jump shooting ability was on full display in the Top 30 game, as he made 3-of-6 3-pointers and scored 13 points to go along with four assists. The 6-foot-2 junior-to-be was named co-team MVP of the wining Gray team along with another 2017 prospect -- 6-foot-10 power forward Mohammed Bamba of Westtown (West Chester, Pa.).

For the Blue team, 6-foot-10 power forward Taurean Thompson of St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) was MVP. He closed out a fantastic weekend with 16 points while converting all of his shot attempts from the field. The senior-to-be was 2-of-2 from 3-point range and 6-of-6 from the field. The only shot he missed was one free throw and he also grabbed a team-high six rebounds.

Thompson's performance was a microcosm of his weekend. He converted quality field goal attempts at as high of a rate as any player in camp. More importantly, Thompson didn't jack up poor shots as players had a tendency to do in spurts this weekend. Thompson is a finesse four-man with a good jumper who can take his game to the next level if he improves his triple threat game. If he learns how to drop his inside shoulder off his first step, Thompson's slight frame will become less of a factor.

Mohammed Bamba Closes Out With A Bang

_{Video: Bamba Sunday Morning Highlights}

Joining Young and Thompson as Cream of the Crop Top 30 game MVP was Bamba, one of the camp's most intriguing prospects. He made 6-of-8 shots from the field to finish with 14 points and seven rebounds.

Legendary national scout Brick Oettinger of the ACC Sports Journal felt Bamba, a native of Harlem, New York, was the best long-term prospect in camp. It would be hard for us or any other longtime Grassroots basketball observers to come up with a strong argument against that sentiment. The 6-foot-10 junior-to-be felt more comfortable as the camp went along and if it ran for a few more days, we have little doubt many in attendance would have felt he was the best prospect.

Bamba particularly excels at the defensive end, with good instincts, incredible timing and a good grasp of defensive concepts. On the offensive end, Bamba puts his length to good use to finish around the basket. He handles it well enough that he doesn't have to be a true post-up man and though his jumper is a work in progress, his shooting form is solid.

"I think I did pretty well," Bamba said of his Pangos performance. "Me, Omari Spellman and Bryce Aiken, we all came out here on a mission to prove we were better than a lot of the players. What I wanted to do personally was put my team in the best possible position to get stops. There were a lot of good ball-handlers, so eventually they were going to get by their defender."

Bamba, who plays for the PSA Cardinals 16s on the Nike EYBL circuit, ended up at Westtown on the recommendation of his travel ball club coaches. He stated it's still early for him in the recruiting process and that after his junior season he would have an idea of which schools will be the better fits.

Joining Bamba, Young and Alkins as double digit scorers for the winning Gray team were 2017 prospects Brandon McCoy, a 6-foot-11 center from Morse (San Diego, Calif.), and Billy Preston, a 6-foot-9 small forward from Prime Prep (Dallas, Texas). McCoy had 12 points and a game-high eight rebounds while Preston had 13 points.

For the blue team, Heron and Thompson were the only two players in double figures.

Mamadi Diakite's Dilemma

Every year, arguments can made about Cream of the Crop Top 60 participants that should have been chosen for the Top 30 game -- or players not chosen at all that should have made the second. With the depth of this year's Pangos Camp, it was not an easy task to select the all-star game participants.

The player who stood out during camp games as the one who should have played in the Top 30 game was 6-foot-9 senior-to-be Mamadi Diakite of Blue Ridge School (Dyke, Va.). He didn't play particularly well in the Cream of the Crop Top 60 game, but he was one of the most athletic forwards in attendance and will be rated among the Top 25 camp performers by GrassrootsHoops.net. He had a big-time dunk in the Sunday morning session and can really get up to snatch rebounds.

Diakite is just scratching the surface of his potential. A native of Guinea, Diakite has a soccer background and has only been in America for a year and four months. Both of his parents hover around 6-feet, but he has a grandfather who stood over 7-foot.

"I saw a lot of stuff at this camp I have never seen in my life," Diakite said. "The camp was good, but at times the players were trying to show off. It got me frustrated because I have a lot more ability than I showed."

Diakite has offers from programs such as Virginia, Virginia Tech and South Carolina with the Cavaliers the leader to land his services.

Cream of the Crop Top 60 Highlights

Cassius Stanley, a rising ninth-grader reportedly set to attend Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) and one of the most athletic wings in the camp regardless of class, was named Top 60 game MVP. The 6-foot-4 2019 prospect made 7-of-8 field goals to finish with 17 points for the Blue team in its 105-100 win over the Gray team.

Teammate Harrison Henderson, a 6-foot-10 center out of South Grand Prairie (Grand Prairie, Texas), also made 7-of-8 shots for the winning club. Henderson finished with 16 points and we felt outside of Diakite he had the strongest argument to play in the Top 30 game.

For the Gray team, Christian Popoola Jr., a 6-foot-3 junior-to-be from Lone Peak (Highland, Utah), scored a game-high 18 points. He also was recorded as making 7-of-8 shots from the field.

Pangos Camp All-Time MOPs

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: Isaiah Briscoe, Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.) 6-3 PG
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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The top overall performer in terms of dominance at his position is Mustapha Heron of Sacred Heart (Waterbury, Conn.). The 6-foot-5, 200-pound uncommitted shooting guard (he de-committed from Pittsburgh during his junior season) stands out among with his scoring ability, confidence, and the inability of any defender to stop him from getting to the spot he wants on the floor.

Big Day For Ethan Thompson

It's always tough to follow in the footsteps of a father or an older brother who played the game at a high level. For Ethan Thompson, a 6-foot-3 shooting guard at Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.), it's a double dose of expectations and comparisons. His father, current Oregon State assistant coach Stevie Thompson Sr., starred at Crenshaw (Los Angeles) and Syracuse and got a cup of coffee in the NBA. This past season, Ethan's older brother Stevie Jr. was one of California's best players. The duo helped Bishop Montgomery win a CIF Division IV state title in 2014 and Stevie Jr. will join his father in Corvallis, Ore. in the fall.

Ethan, a junior-to-be, has a thin frame similar to his brother, but is taller and will be bigger and stronger by the time he's a senior than Stevie Jr. was. The comparisons to bigger brother are inevitable, but Ethan is forging his own identity on the grassroots circuit. He took a big step in that direction with arguably the best individual offensive performance of the Pangos Camp so far.

Ethan made 11-of-13 shots from the field, including 5-of-5 3-pointers, to finish with 27 points in his team's 81-74 victory. He added three assists and three rebounds.

Ethan is a deadly shooter off the catch and when his feet are set. He has an innate ability to find the open spot on the court, but still needs more work shooting off the bounce and exploding to turn the corner off his first step. Ethan also makes no bones about what he's learned from his older brother -- and what he does better than him.

"Stevie did not let other people get him out of his game and I learned that from him," Ethan said. "I'm trying to play an all-around game and not just be compared to him. I'm try to show I'm a good athlete. He shoots floaters good, but I finish around the basket better and finish better through contact."

We take a look at some of the camp's top Saturday performers who are trying to keep pace with Heron (listed alphabetically):

Rawle Alkins, Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) 6-5 2-016 G: The New York contingent at the Pangos Camp performed well on Saturday. Alkins is also pushing Heron as the player the talent scouts on hand talk about as the camp's most dominant perimeter performer. When he doesn't settle for jumpers, he can dominate on the offensive end and is a crafty passer. Alkins can change direction with the ball well and defenders often back away from him in transition because of the physicality.

Alkins is open for college and is looking to see what personnel changes and defections the schools he's interested in will have at the conclusion of the 2015-16 season. That obviously translates into a spring announcement for the CTK standout.

Alkins may not return to CTK because of the eligibility issue regarding a brief stay at a school in Florida before enrolling at the New York parochial school in ninth grade. He feels its a "50/50" chance he can restore his eligibility and stated he would like to return to the program for his senior season. Our New York contacts with insight to the situation say the chances of him returning are less than 50 percent.

Harrison Henderson, South Grand Prairie (Grand Prairie, Texas) 6-10 2016 F: This power forward prospect loves to handle the ball and actually has the ability to in the open court. Henderson has good passing skills in the open court and has good shot blocking ability. In an afternoon game, Henderson had eight points, eight rebounds and two assists.

T.J. Leaf, Foothills Christian (El Cajon, Calif.) 6-9 2016 F: Last season's CalHiSports.com Division II State Player of the Year shined in an afternoon game with 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field. He nailed both of his two 3-point attempts and added six rebounds. Leaf has a multitude of offensive moves around the basket and can attack in either direction. Leaf does need to work on his shooting on the dribble, but does utilize a quick release without brining the ball low on the catch. Lead also does a good job of keeping the ball high on rebounds and his intangibles, such as cheering for teammates, is also a great asset to his skill package.

Nate Morris, Lancaster (Lancaster, Texas) 6-10 2016 C: This post player has been one of the hardest workers on the defensive end in camp. He attacks ball-handlers off hedges, loves to contest shots at the rim and also has the rundown block in his repertoire. Morris runs the floor hard, but offensively needs to work on his initial post move off the catch. Last season he played alongside Texas A & M recruit Elijah Thomas, a consensus to 50 recruit, and the practice experience has proved to be invaluable.

"It was a grind everyday in practice," Morris said. "Elijah is a great player, one of the best players in the country, and I learned to compete with the goal to be as good as him or better. I learned my weaknesses and he's kind of like a brother to me now."

Omari Spellman, MacDuffie (Springfield, Ma.) 6-8 2016 F: This true four-man is a load underneath and knows how to use his broad shoulders (6-foot-9, 270-pounds) to create space and leverage. He was finishing well in traffic on Saturday and most importantly, knows what he is. He hit for 10 points and four rebounds on Saturday afternoon.

Isaiah Washington, St. Raymond's (Bronx, N.Y.) 6-0 2016 G: Spellman's teammate on North Carolina State had a big 25-point outing in the game in which Ethan Thompson went off. Washington has good touch (10-for-10 free throws) and is a good shooter who excels at penetrating and getting to the teeth of the defense. He is susceptible to over-dribbling, as some New York-bred point guards tend to do, but he's an instinctual player who cannot be faulted too much for that in a camp setting. He tries to emulate former Utah Jazz legend John Stockton.

P.J. Washington, Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) 6-8 2017 F: An unselfish power forward, Washington is an underrated passer. He makes his presence felt on the offensive -- even when he's not a focal point. Washington was finishing strong around the rim on both Friday and Saturday afternoon before leaving early to participate in USA Basketball's 3-on-3 exhibitions. The fact he decided to come to Pangos Camp before fulfilling his other obligations shows something about his competitive nature.

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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The Pangos All-American Camp has evolved into arguably the top independent (i.e. non shoe-company sponsored) elite camp on the grassroots circuit. The event, founded and directed by Dinos Trigonis, has grown from a camp with a regional feel to one with a solid national outreach with a focus on potential "breakout" performers.

The top performance on Friday was turned in by 6-foot-5 shooting guard Mustapha Heron of Sacred Heart (Waterbury, Conn.). Heron used his strong frame and confidence around the rim to score 26 points in his team's 66-55 victory. Heron, a 2016 prospect, dominated play with a combination of overpowering moves to the basket and crafty finishes.

Heron, who led his high school team to a 28-0 record and No. 26 Grassroots Hoop FAB 50 national ranking, knows how to set up defenders with hesitation moves that leads to open lanes to attack. In one sequence, he took a nice pass from 2018 guard Spencer Freedman of Santa Monica (Santa Monica, Calif.) and converted a hard angled layup. When Heron got fouled, he made the opposition pay as he converted 14-of-14 shots from the free throw line. In addition to the production, Heron was vocal with teammates and looked to lead by more than just example.

"A lot of us don't know each other well, so the more vocal you are, the more comfortable guys can get with you," Heron said. "The ball fakes are a natural part of my game; I'm just that type of player.

"Last season, we went 28-0 and the team came together at the right time. Individually, I'm just trying to get better in all aspects of my game."

Heron is open in his recruitment with the St. John's new coaching staff looking like they'll be major factors in the race. He wants to make his decision by the start of his senior season.

Mario Kegler vs. Billy Preston Highlight Second Round Games

In a grassroots setting such as Pangos Camp, evaluators not only look for the top performers, but the top individual matchups of players who play similarly or the same position.

The top matchup we evaluated was 6-foot-9 junior-to-be Billy Preston of Prime Prep (Dallas, Texas) and 6-foot-7 senior-to-be Mario Kegler of Arlington Country Day (Jacksonville, Fla.).

One thing we noticed right away is how much bigger Preston was, as he could eventually be a legit 6-foot-10 prospect with face-up guard skills. As Preston has grown in recent years, he hasn't lost any coordination while his ball-handling and decision-making continue to improve. He still needs to work on his shot release (a bit low), but overall he's easily one of the most versatile prospects at the camp.

Preston was able to overpower Keggler at times early in the game and controlled the offensive glass. Keggler adjusted and was a bit more active to get on the break to his advantage as the game wore on. Keggler got fouled and converted some easy buckets to help his team pull out a 59-46 victory.

Preston, a Southern California native, was credited with 11 points, including two 3-pointers, four rebounds and three assists. Keggler, a Mississippi native, made 7-of-14 field goal attempts to finish with 21 points and 6 rebounds.

The numbers favor Keggler on paper, but Preston performed as well as any game we saw during the high school season. His decision-making has vastly improved and his post passing out of double teams was on point.

As for Keggler, he made a positive impact as he tries to prove to national talent evaluators that he's one of the best prospects in this class, which he told us is his main summer goal. Keggler is taking an unofficial trip to Arizona State after the camp and is excited to be on the West Coast.

"I've never really been out here much, so to see the city of Phoenix and what it's like, that is going to be awesome," Keggler said. "When I was in eighth or ninth grade, Texas was my dream school and Kevin Durant was the first basketball player I ever followed. When they saw me play for the first time, I had a good game and I even cried before it because I was so pumped up and happy. As I gotten older, I don't know, I realize there is a lot of things out there to see and learn."

"I've talked to coach (Bob) Hurley and he's a great coach."

Other Friday Pangos Standouts

Trae Young, Norman (Norman, Okla.) 6-2 2017 G: We watched Young play in the EYBL last weekend for Mokan Elite, and the more we watch him, the more we realize how much he impacts the game. Young has a nice pull-up jumper and even though he isn't overly athletic, he makes up for that it with a knack for being in the right place at the right time and being a step ahead of the defense. He made two 3-pointers and finished with a team-high 11 points.

Bol Bol, Bishop Miege (Roeland Park, Kan.) 6-10 2018 C: What stands out right away about the son of former 7-foot-6 NBA center Manute Bol is how fluidly he runs the court for a young post prospect. Bol Bol didn't always get the ball in the right positions when he was hustling, but it's easy to see the talent and immense potential. We saw him block a shot and he had a highlight alley-oop finish. Bol Bol finished 3-of-4 from the field for eight points.

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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