The 2025 Pangos All-American Camp, prime to backside, was deep in expertise and aggressive gamers, nevertheless it wasn’t a tough choice to call the camp’s two Most Excellent Gamers. When the mud settled, ahead Quinn Costello of The Newman Faculty (Boston) and guard Kaiden Bailey of Santa Margarita (Calif.) have been named MOPs. 9 underclassmen chosen for the Cream of the Crop Prime 30 All-Star Sport on the camp’s conclusion.
MORE FROM PANGOS: Unselfishness Contagious At Pangos Camp!
Are three days of pretty unselfish play and aggressive video games, rewarding the highest gamers by a variety into the Cream of the Crop Prime 30 and Prime 60 All-Star contests was no simple job for Pangos All-American Camp Director Dinos Trigonis and his advisory committee. There have been loads of standouts, some under-the-radar gamers attempting to reinforce their nationwide inventory and a few underclassmen who could not be denied.
Trigonis needed to reward as many deserving gamers, and admittedly might have contributed to the lack-luster nature of the 2 Cream of the Crop video games by deciding on 40 deserving gamers for the second (Prime 60) recreation. In that contest, the Blue-Jersey carrying membership rolled to a 124-96 victory over the Purple-Jersey carrying membership, as 6-foot-5 2026 (rising senior) Andrew Williford of AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.), one of the crucial unsung gamers getting into the occasion, led the best way with a team-high 22 factors, together with 4-of-7 3-pointers. He shared group MVP honors with 6-foot 2027 level guard Micah Gordon of Plainfield (N.J.). Gordon, constructed just like 1999 NCAA Closing 4 hero Khalid El-Amin of UConn, scored 15 factors, dished out 5 assists and had three steals.
The MVPs for the Purple membership have been lanky 6-foot-8 2026 wing Shane Pendergrass of Hargrave Army Academy (Chatham, Va.) and 6-foot-9 2026 Drew Anderson of Santa Margarita (Calif.). Pendergrass made 4-of-9 3-pointers en path to a game-high 27 factors and stood out along with his beneath management assault. And in case you might be questioning, sure, he’s associated to the late Soul/R & B legend Teddy Pendergrass. Anderson, who simply might have been chosen for the Prime 30 recreation (reserved for essentially the most deserving campers), made 7-of-8 subject objectives and completed with 14 factors.
The Blue membership additionally rolled to victory within the Cream of the Crop Prime 30 Sport with a 145-133 win over the Purple in a recreation that wasn’t as shut as the ultimate rating indicated. Main the best way for the victorious Blue membership amongst eight double-digit scorers with 19 factors was 6-foot-5 2026 wing Bryson Howard of Heritage (Frisco, Texas), the son of former NBA ahead Josh Howard. He was stable and environment friendly on each ends of the ground all through the camp and has been a standout on the Nike EYBL circuit with Professional Abilities.
Setting the tone for the Blue membership when it took its lead within the first half was 6-foot-6 Jacob Lanier of Parkview (Little Rock, Ark.), who nailed 4 3-pointers within the first half and completed with 18 factors. For Lanier, he made a little bit of camp historical past when he was named Prime 30 Sport MVP for the second consecutive yr. Within the 2024 contest, Lanier nailed all six of his 3-point makes an attempt and completed with 20 factors in a highly-competitive recreation. He was additionally a MVP when he performed on the Pangos All-South Frosh-Soph Camp as a rising sophomore in 2023.
The MVP for the Purple membership was 6-foot-8 2026 Brayden Kyman, Anderson’s teammate at Santa Margarita. Kyman made 6-of-8 subject objectives, together with 3-of-5 3-pointers, to complete with 15 factors together with seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks. All camp lengthy Kyman performed his recreation, did not power issues and confirmed his wares as a talented passer. Main the Purple amongst six double-digit scorers was unheralded ahead Zion Inexperienced, a 6-foot-9 2027 (rising junior) from Camden (N.J.), who had a quiet demeanor and let his play do the speaking. He completed with 16 factors.
Although the Cream of the Crop video games did not reside as much as the billing of the 2024 all-star video games that may have been essentially the most aggressive within the camp’s 23-year historical past, the camp video games definitely have been performed with hearth. It culminated in Duke, representing the ACC, taking down UCLA, presenting the Massive 10, 82-62 within the Pangos Camp Group Championship Sport, as 6-foot-10 2026 Quinn Costello of The Newman Faculty (Boston) and 6-foot-5 2026 Elias Obenyah of Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) led the best way to victory.
Costello closed out his advantageous group play by nailing 5-of-8 3-pointers and ending with 23 factors. Obenyah continued his unselfish method and mid-range onslaught with 19 factors. Obenyah’s laborious work and team-first angle paid off on this camp setting.
Inexperienced led UCLA with 20 factors earlier than following up with a advantageous efficiency within the Cream of the Crop Prime 60 recreation.
Duke took on Florida St., the one group to enter Tuesday with a 3-0 mark, in its Tuesday morning recreation and got here away with a 86-84 victory. Obenyah had 22 factors, 6-foot-8 2026 Sammy Jackson of Roman Catholic (Philadelphia) 19 factors and 6-foot-6 2027 Dooney Johnson of Juneau (Milwaukee, Wis.) added 14 factors in the important thing victory over a group that featured six all-star recreation choices, together with 6-foot-3 2026 Kaiden Bailey of Santa Margarita (Calif.). He went for 30 factors, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in a dropping effort.
For Bailey, it was his second triple double of the camp and his stat line was similar to his 4 recreation camp averages of 21.5 ppg, 8.8 rpg, and 9.5 apg. And regardless that it wasn’t simple to peg down the Cream of the Crop choices, it did not take a rocket scientist to call Bailey, final yr’s co-MVP in Southern California’s Trinity League and an all-state participant, and the fast-rising Costello (14.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.6 apg) because the camp’s co-Most Excellent Gamers.
For Costello, it has been a meteoric rise since Might’s NCAA reside interval and for Bailey it was a fruits of three years of expertise on the NBA licensed camp. Bailey wasn’t chosen for an all-star recreation as a rising sophomore, made the Prime 60 recreation final yr, after which put collectively a historic camp efficiency. By way of manufacturing, it was top-of-the-line three-day performances within the occasion’s historical past from a guard.
„Expertise completely performed an enormous a part of my efficiency,“ Bailey stated afterwards whereas taking footage with Costello and his Santa Margarita teammates Kyman and Anderson. „I felt that assured coming in, as assists are so massive in a camp setting and the rebounds was simply an effort factor. I actually felt I took a leap up this yr and I’m coming with the mindset to win every thing, whether or not it’s the Trinity League or at this camp.“
Bailey is being recruited closely by Purdue and San Diego St. and USC are additionally within the combine.
As for Costello, his provide sheet is rising, as he was supplied by Minnesota on the day camp concluded.
„After the reside interval, my recruitment picked up and I am now getting Massive 10 and ACC appears and I simply obtained a proposal from Vanderbilt,“ Costello stated. „I got here in with a assured mindset as a result of I knew there was going to be a ton of expertise right here. I used to be 6-foot-4 my freshman yr and have been including about two inches per yr. I have been getting lots of reps in and I imagine I’m the most effective shooter right here.“
Pangos Camp All-Time MOPs
2025: (co): Kaiden Bailey, Santa Margarita (Calif.) 6-3 PG2025 (co): Quinn Costello, The Newman Faculty (Boston) 6-10 PF2024: Meleek Thomas, Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.) 6-4 SG2023: (co): Flory Bidunga, Kokomo (Ind.) 6-9 PF2023: (co): Cameron Scott, Lexington (S.C.) 6-6 SF2022: Xavier Booker, Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.) 6-11 PF2021: Jalen Duren, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-10 C2020: Jabari Smith, Sandy Creek (Tyrone, Ga.) 6-10 PF (Pageant)2019 (co): Cade Cunningham, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-7 G2019 (co): Evan Mobley, Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.) 7-0 C2018: Charles Bassey, Aspire Academy (Louisville, Ky.) 6-10 C2017 (co): Cole Anthony, Archbishop Malloy (Queens, N.Y.) 6-2 PG2017 (co): Charles Bassey, St. Anthony (San Antonio, Texas) 6-10 C2016 (co): Trevon Duval, API (Dallas) 6-2 PG2016 (co): Michael Porter Jr., Father Tolten (Columbia, Mo.) 6-9 SF2015 (co): Rawle Alkins, Christ the King (Center Village, N.Y.) 6-5 SG2015 (co): Mustapha Heron, Sacred Coronary heart (Waterbury, Conn.) 6-5 SG2014 (tri): Isaiah Briscoe, Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.) 6-3 PG2014 (tri): Tyler Dorsey, St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) 6-5 SG2014 (tri): Stephen Zimmerman, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) 7-0 PF2013: Stanley Johnson, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 6-7 SF2012: Cliff Alexander, Currie (Chicago) 6-9 PF2011: Shabazz Muhammad, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) 6-6 WF2010: Myck Kabongo, Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) 6-2 PG2009: Harrison Barnes, Ames (Ames, Iowa) 6-7 WF2008: John Wall, Phrase of God Academy (Raleigh, N.C.) 6-3 PG2007: Brandon Jennings, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 6-1 PG2006: James Harden, Artesia (Lakewood, Calif.) 6-5 SG2005: Davon Jefferson, Lynwood (Calif.) 6-8 WF2004: CJ Miles, Skyline (Dallas) 6-6 WF2003: Robert Swift, Bakersfield (Calif.) 7-0 C
Ronnie Flores is the nationwide Grassroots editor of Ballislife.com. He may be reached at [email protected]. Do not forget to observe him on Twitter: @RonMFlores
