The 2025 Pangos Frosh/Soph Camp sequence acquired underway with the West being the primary of 4 stops throughout the nation. This camp wasn’t deep, however the two all-star sport had been as effectively performed as any on the regional underclass-oriented camp that started over 20 years in the past within the West. The 2028 and 2029 courses within the West had been effectively represented at McBride (Lengthy Seaside, Calif.), with a pair of massive males standing out from the pack.
Every year on the Pangos Frosh/Soph Camps, a number of the nations’ finest younger expertise is on show as they start their journey of taking part in elite grassroots occasions. The autumn calendar for highschool groups in Southern California has taken on a lifetime of its personal and lots of the elite highschool gamers within the area did have fall league commitments to take care of in the course of the camp and that did have an effect on the general numbers.
What it didn’t have an effect on, nevertheless, was the trouble of the elites who determined to point out up and that was culminated with the refreshing show in the course of the camp’s two Cream of the Crop All-Star video games reserved for the most efficient campers. Some campers did need to miss one of many three camp video games in an effort to fulfill fall league duties, however people who performed with supreme effort on each ends of the ground had been rewarded. When the mud settled amongst 129 campers from 9 states, it was essentially the most constant performer who was rewarded for his influence on every camp sport with the Most Excellent Participant award.
That participant was 6-foot-9 sophomore (2028) P.J. Parker of McClatchey (Sacramento, Calif.). Parker (pictured center) attended the camp as a freshman in 2024 and was ranked No. 34 based mostly on efficiency. That particular rankings place will be argued, however what can’t be is the very fact Parker got here into this camp no less than two inches greater and with extra willpower. He was fairly frank together with his mindset and objectives coming into this yr’s frosh/soph camp. Mix that together with his improved ability degree and method, and you’ve got a efficiency that may, fairly frankly, earn him prime billing in any credible scout’s rating.
“I made a decision to make everybody get up and to return from nothing, I’m now right here,” Parker informed Ballislife.
The right here is Sacramento, the place generally youngsters don’t have it simple rising up and may get neglected at camps or for nationwide rankings. Parker expanded on what motivated him.
“I wasn’t often known as the most effective child [in my area] rising up and I needed to overcome a variety of challenges. I additionally wished to point out folks you are able to do no matter you need to in life and to by no means take ‘no’ for a solution.”
Parker’s a lot improved sport included extra power (he admittedly has hassle gaining weight) and a wide range of strikes across the basket. His potential to maintain the ball excessive on the catch and end with a wide range of half hooks, up-and-under strikes, or just with two-hand energy flushes, plus the identical zeal on protection, made him essentially the most spectacular performer over two days and evoked photographs of Kevin McHale throughout his heyday with the Eighties Celtics dynasty. When you think about he was the environment friendly and productive camper who didn’t want the ball fed to him (when it comes to quantity) to make a optimistic influence, by a reasonably giant margin, it was simple to see why camp director Dinos Trigonis and the various scouts voted him camp MOP. Parker completed the Cream of the Crop High 30 Sport with eight factors and two blocked photographs.
Proper behind Parker when it comes to most spectacular and dominant large man in attendance was 6-foot-10 2029 (freshman) Mamadou Issa Sow of CIA Bella Vista (Scottsdale, Ariz.). The Senegal native through Canada did have one lack-luster sport during which he wasn’t challenged vertically or across the rim, however when a foe did current some competitors, Issa Sow (pictured left) stepped up, big-time.
Sow runs the ground effectively, is a superb passer on the transfer going through the basket or on the block, and may end with fast and authoritative strikes across the basket. Sow had a spirited matchup with 6-foot-8 2028 energy ahead Oumar Dabo of San Gabriel Academy (Calif.) and did loads of optimistic work towards a giant man who rebounds like former Florida Gator Donnell Harvey. They weren’t capable of match up a second time, or pair up, within the Cream of the Crop High 30 Sport due to Dabo’s highschool commitments as a result of in the event that they did, Dabo would have doubtless been talked about in the identical breath with Parker and the occasion’s prime freshman.
All-Star Video games Put a Capper on Occasion
Sow was named White crew MVP after his membership defeated the Black jersey-wearing unit, 103-96, as he completed with team-highs of 15 factors (7-of-8 capturing), 5 rebounds, three steals and two blocks. On the Black membership, 6-2 2029 guard Phillip Reed of Palisades (Calif.), a program whose college students at present attend class on the outdated Sears constructing in close by Santa Monica due to the devastating hearth that destroyed loads of the campus in January, was named MVP after placing his stamp on the sport by scoring the primary 5 factors and taking part in with a ferocity that made almost everybody chosen for the sport step up the depth. Reed, who performs the sport with the instincts of a faculty soccer defensive again (albeit with jump-shooting potential), completed with 14 factors, seven rebounds, and 5 steals, the later two game-highs.
There was terrific Cream of the Crop video games through the years on the Pangos Fr/Soph sequence of camps, most notably the Texas vs. Everyone affair on the 2017 All-South camp that featured additional No. 1 general NBA Draft decide Cade Cunningham, however it might be onerous to recall a greater set of well-played all-star video games on the identical occasion. It might need been the most effective set of Cream of the Crop video games ever performed.
Maybe the one athlete equal to Phillips from the guard place was 6-foot 2029 Bre’vynn Johnson of Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) and when he hit a 3-pointer on the halftime buzzer the White membership led Black, 56-47. The black unit put up a valiant effort, nevertheless it was the White’s protection down the stretch that was the distinction within the 103-96 victory. Clinging to a 97-92 lead with three minutes remaining, the White’s crew protection went up one other notch and even Issa Sow acquired into the act, diving to get better a unfastened ball close to mid-court that capped a terrific effort by all of the individuals.
One of the expert wing in attendance, 6-foot-7 2028 Troy Arthon of Chaminade (West Hills, Calif.), added 13 factors for the profitable White membership. Additionally making a huge impact for the victors, whereas juggling fall league video games for Millikan (Lengthy Seaside, Calif.), was 6-foot 2029 Quali Giran, who completed with 10 factors. He and 6-foot-1 2028 Tayshaun Bozeman of Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) had been arguably essentially the most explosive lead guards in attendance. No one might efficiently keep in entrance of Bozeman off the dribble all through camp, as he chipped in 4 factors and three help for the Black.
Additionally taking part in effectively for the Black membership was 6-foot-4 2028 capturing guard Aaron McMorran II of Desert Pines (Las Vegas, Nev.). Together with his distinctive movement and fast set off, McMorran pissed off every defender he went up towards, and he completed the Cream of the Crop High 30 Sport with a team-high 16 factors. Two of the higher wings in attendance, Terrence Byrd, a 6-foot-6 2028 from Sandra Day O’Connor (Pheonix, Ariz.) and Carter Parker, a 6-foot-4 2028 from Vasquez (Acton, Calif.) every netted 12 factors for the Black membership.
Three High 60s Moved Up
The Cream of the Crop High 60 Sport was so well-played, Trigonis determined to maneuver up three deserving performer to the highest sport. Extremely, 6-foot-2 2028 Chace Patterson of St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) netted 13 factors on 5-of-8 capturing for the victorious White unit within the prime sport after netting 17 factors within the Black’s 91-86 victory over the White within the High 60 sport. Patterson was the most effective slashing scorers in attendance and used the all-star video games to guage his standing among the many campers maybe greater than some other participant.
Additionally scoring 17 factors for the profitable Black Membership within the High 60 sport was 6-foot guard Miles Cooper of Faculty Park (Nice Hill, Calif.). Cooper hasn’t met a shot he received’t take, and in the identical token, can’t make, and it was his scoring burst throughout a 9-0 run to start the second half that gave the black membership a 51-41 lead after it led by a degree at halftime. The lead ballooned to as large as 19 factors, however extremely the White membership took a 72-70 lead on a layup by 6-foot-5 2028 Lucca Maher of Burlingame (Calif.) earlier than the Black membership re-gained management. The profitable membership acquired the cushion it wanted on the final basket of the sport, a layup by Patterson.
Maher scored 14 factors for the White, because it was led in that division by 5-foot-11 2028 spark plug DaShaun Harris of Democracy Prep (Las Vegas, Nev.) with 15 factors.
Cooper joined Patterson with 17 factors. The third participant moved as much as the highest sport was 6-foot-5 2028 Jack Loevner of Riordan (San Francisco, Calif.). He completed the High 60 sport with 11 factors, three assists, two steals and a terrific effort on each ends.
Two gamers we wished to single out for his or her play who weren’t chosen to both Cream of the Corp All-Star Sport are 6-2 2028 Damitrius “Zaire” Nelson of Sheldon (Sacramento, Calif.) and 6-foot-1 Josiah Wilson of Redondo Union (Redondo Seaside, Calif.).
Ronnie Flores is the nationwide Grassroots editor of Ballislife.com. He will be reached at [email protected]. Don’t neglect to observe him on Twitter: @RonMFlores
