The 2025 Pangos All-American Camp, high to backside, was deep in expertise and aggressive gamers, but it surely wasn’t a tough choice to call the camp’s two Most Excellent Gamers. When the mud settled, ahead Quinn Costello of The Newman College (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 straightforward process for Pangos All-American Camp Director Dinos Trigonis and his advisory committee. There have been loads of standouts, some under-the-radar gamers making an attempt to boost their nationwide inventory and a few underclassmen who could not be denied.
Trigonis wished 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) sport. In that contest, the Blue-Jersey carrying membership rolled to a 124-96 victory over the Pink-Jersey carrying membership, as 6-foot-5 2026 (rising senior) Andrew Williford of AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.), one of the unsung gamers getting into the occasion, led the way in which 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 much like 1999 NCAA Ultimate 4 hero Khalid El-Amin of UConn, scored 15 factors, dished out 5 assists and had three steals.
The MVPs for the Pink membership have been lanky 6-foot-8 2026 wing Shane Pendergrass of Hargrave Navy 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 below 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 sport (reserved for probably the most deserving campers), made 7-of-8 discipline 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 Pink in a sport that wasn’t as shut as the ultimate rating indicated. Main the way in which 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 strong 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 Expertise.
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 sport. 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 Pink membership was 6-foot-8 2026 Brayden Kyman, Anderson’s teammate at Santa Margarita. Kyman made 6-of-8 discipline 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 sport, did not power issues and confirmed his wares as a talented passer. Main the Pink 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.
Despite the fact that the Cream of the Crop video games did not dwell as much as the billing of the 2024 all-star video games that may have been probably the most aggressive within the camp’s 23-year historical past, the camp video games actually have been performed with hearth. It culminated in Duke, representing the ACC, taking down UCLA, presenting the Huge 10, 82-62 within the Pangos Camp Workforce Championship Sport, as 6-foot-10 2026 Quinn Costello of The Newman College (Boston) and 6-foot-5 2026 Elias Obenyah of Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) led the way in which to victory.
Costello closed out his effective group play by nailing 5-of-8 3-pointers and ending with 23 factors. Obenyah continued his unselfish strategy and mid-range onslaught with 19 factors. Obenyah’s laborious work and team-first perspective paid off on this camp setting.
Inexperienced led UCLA with 20 factors earlier than following up with a effective efficiency within the Cream of the Crop Prime 60 sport.
Duke took on Florida St., the one group to enter Tuesday with a 3-0 mark, in its Tuesday morning sport 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 sport 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 shedding effort.
For Bailey, it was his second triple double of the camp and his stat line was similar to his 4 sport camp averages of 21.5 ppg, 8.8 rpg, and 9.5 apg. And regardless that it wasn’t straightforward 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 Could’s NCAA dwell 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 sport as a rising sophomore, made the Prime 60 sport final yr, after which put collectively a historic camp efficiency. When it comes to manufacturing, it was among the best three-day performances within the occasion’s historical past from a guard.
“Expertise completely performed a giant a part of my efficiency,” Bailey mentioned afterwards whereas taking footage with Costello and his Santa Margarita teammates Kyman and Anderson. “I felt that assured coming in, as assists are so large 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 part, 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 supply sheet is rising, as he was provided by Minnesota on the day camp concluded.
“After the dwell interval, my recruitment picked up and I am now getting Huge 10 and ACC seems and I simply acquired a suggestion from Vanderbilt,” Costello mentioned. “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 a number of reps in and I imagine I’m the very best shooter right here.”
Pangos Camp All-Time MOPs
2025: (co): Kaiden Bailey, Santa Margarita (Calif.) 6-3 PG
2025 (co): Quinn Costello, The Newman College (Boston) 6-10 PF
2024: Meleek Thomas, Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.) 6-4 SG
2023: (co): Flory Bidunga, Kokomo (Ind.) 6-9 PF
2023: (co): Cameron Scott, Lexington (S.C.) 6-6 SF
2022: Xavier Booker, Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.) 6-11 PF
2021: Jalen Duren, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-10 C
2020: Jabari Smith, Sandy Creek (Tyrone, Ga.) 6-10 PF (Competition)
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 (Center Village, N.Y.) 6-5 SG
2015 (co): Mustapha Heron, Sacred Coronary 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, Phrase 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 nationwide Grassroots editor of Ballislife.com. He will be reached at [email protected]. Remember to observe him on Twitter: @RonMFlores
