Many highschool standouts of tomorrow participated within the 2025 Pangos Jr. All-American Camp, which featured 140 gamers from throughout 13 states plus Canada. On the conclusion of the camp, 6-foot-1 2029 Phillip Reed Jr (Los Angeles) and 6-foot-2 2029 Isaiah Wright (Katy, Texas) had been named the camp’s most excellent participant.
Nobody is aware of precisely what the longer term holds on the subsequent ranges of the sport for center college gamers who take their recreation severe. Some shall be glorious highschool and even standout faculty gamers. Some will peak early and others, similar to 2021 Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Younger, will go on to excel in different sports activities. Younger, together with different notable athletes similar to NBA standouts Evan Mobley, Jalen Inexperienced and Melo Ball, had been all previous contributors of the Pangos Jr. All-American Camp. The camp’s thirteenth version passed off this previous weekend in Lengthy Seaside, Calif., and gave seasoned evaluators a glimpse of a few of the future standouts in highschool and grassroots basketball.
The camp serves as a “popping out social gathering” for a lot of center college standouts, however extra importantly, provides younger gamers a gauge of their talent stage compared to a few of their friends from throughout the nation. It additionally provides camp director Dinos Trigonis and his community of regional and nationwide scouts a primary take a look at potential prospects who will quickly attend one in every of Pangos’ 4 fall regional Frosh/Soph Camps and finally have the chance to get chosen for the NBA-certified Pangos All-American Camp, which is historically reserved for 120 of the nation’s finest rising seniors and juniors.
One participant who get sense of the place he stood at this 12 months’s Jr. Camp was 6-foot-2 seventh grade (Class of 2030) level guard Omar Muhammad, a local of West Fresno who incorporates some components of a prototypical New York Metropolis level guard into his recreation. Muhammad gave his effort a “B-” however relaxation assured he in all probability obtained a extra optimistic last grade from the assembled scouts readily available that watched his explosive talent set, superior deal with and aptitude for the spectacular. “I believe I’ve to work on my protection; I used to be in a position to get to the cup and it’s good to see the place you’re at,” Muhammad mentioned.
Much like many children from West Fresno with hoop desires, Muhammad (who attends Reyburn in Clovis) patterns his recreation after Inexperienced, the Houston Rockets’ standout two-guard who attended this similar camp in 2016. Muhammad’s recreation, nevertheless, is extra harking back to an explosive Fresno St. level guard who additionally spent a while with the Rockets and performed for Trigonis’ journey ball membership (Belmont Shore), Tito Maddox. Muhammad additionally reminds us a little bit of former Sheldon (Sacramento, Calif.) guard Xavion Brown, who earned a scholarship to Appalachian State out of highschool in 2020.
Muhammad was one in every of three seventh graders “moved up” to play within the “Better of the Greatest” All-Star Recreation usually reserved for the camp’s High 30 performers and/or prospects. The others had been 6-foot-2 Jayden Jones of Heritage Core Prep (Northridge, Calif.) and 6-foot Logan Gardner of El Rancho Constitution Faculty (Anaheim, Calif.). Not one of the trio had a specific standout all-star recreation, however did greater than sufficient to deserve a spot alongside the highest class of 2029 prospects that can enter highschool this fall.
The Better of the Greatest recreation MVP for the victorious White-jersey sporting membership in its 73-62 win was 6-foot 2029 Quali Giran of Carson, Calif., who put his stamp on the sport early and completed with a team-high 12 factors on 6-of-11 capturing, 5 rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Giran has a pleasant assortment of offensive talent and pull-up bounce pictures that he makes use of and performs each ends of the ground. As soon as Giran smooths out his cease and begins to make the most of his first step, be careful as a result of the sky is the restrict. The MVP for the Blue-jersey sporting membership was 5-foot-11 combo guard Brendan Fragela of St. Thomas Apostle (Miami, Fla.), one of many camp’s high perimeter marksmen with a savvy recreation who makes the proper reads. Fragela hit two 3-pointers down the stretch to maintain his workforce in vary and completed with a game-high 14 factors to associate with 5 rebounds.
Others who performed properly for the White membership had been 6-foot 2029 Max Bengson of Heritage Christian (Northridge, Calif.), who displayed good defensive instincts and completed with 11 factors, and 6-foot-1 2029 Dekoda Ray of Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate (Mission Viejo, Calif.), who hit two deep vary bombs and completed with 10 factors. For the Blue membership, 6-foot-2 2029 Donnell Meekins Jr., who will play for his father at Mayfair (Lakewood, Calif.) starting this fall, performed with power, hit a 3-pointer and battled inside for seven factors.
In shut voting, two gifted gamers had been chosen total camp co-MOPs: 6-foot-1 2029 Phillip Reed, Jr. of St. Jerome (Los Angeles) and 6-foot-2 2029 Isaiah Wright of Adams Junior Excessive (Katy, Texas). Reed Jr. has a pleasant bundle of instincts, passing potential, with a mid-range recreation as well. Wright is a well known commodity within the Lone Star State and impressed out West with a wide range of scoring abilities and alter of tempo.
Maddox had his son, 5-foot-3 2031 Honor Tyler-Maddox, take part and was simply one of many many former distinguished gamers whose sons had been in attendance. Tyler-Maddox has good imaginative and prescient and attends ABA Academy (Backyard Grove, Calif.). When Maddox was gaining eligibility at Fresno State in 2000, top-of-the-line rebounding forwards to ever play for the Bulldogs was ending up his eligibility. New York native Larry Abney was that tough working participant and his son, 5-foot-6 southpaw sixth grader (2031) Austin Abney, was the MVP of the fifth/sixth Grade Recreation. Abney had a 34-point camp recreation and some different excessive scoring moments. He father performed 12 years professionally and is now a part of the L.A. Clippers’ teaching employees. Noel Felix, one other Fresno St. participant from that period who briefly performed within the NBA, had his son in attendance as properly. Felix went to Inglewood (Calif.), however his son, 6-foot-6 2029 Roman Felix, lives in Clovis, Calif., and was arguably the perfect shot blocker in attendance.
One other member of the Clippers’ employees, former NBA participant Dahntay Jones, additionally had a sixth-grader in attendance: Dahntay Jones Jr., of Heritage Christian (Northridge, Calif.). Jones has good size for his class and a promising recreation.
Two different sons of former NBA gamers participated within the Better of Greatest Recreation: 6-foot-1 2029 Myles Mobley of DNA Prep (Chatsworth, Calif.), the son of Cuttino Mobley, and 5-foot-11 2029 Tristan Ariza of Los Angeles. Ariza’s dad is 2003 Cal-Hello Sports activities Mr. Basketball Trevor Ariza, who prepped at Westchester (Los Angeles) earlier than happening to UCLA and the NBA. His older brother Tajh presently attends Westchester and is without doubt one of the nation’s finest prospects within the 2026 class.
Different occasion standouts included 6-foot-2 2029 C.J. Ani Jr. of Bret Harte (Hayward, Calif.), 2029 5-foot-11 Keifer Johnson of Thurgood Marshall (San Diego, Calif.), and 6-foot-9 Malachi Armour of Hillside Innovation Academy (Romoland, Calif.) Ani is an enormous shot maker, Johnson has a terrific mixture of talent and stamina and Armour is oozing with potential. Armour is the kind of younger participant who will enhance quickly as soon as he reaches the highschool stage.
Ronnie Flores is the nationwide Grassroots editor of Ballislife.com. He might be reached at [email protected]. Remember to observe him on Twitter: @RonMFlores
