Terrific perimeter shooters shut out 2023 Pangos All-American Camp in grand type, as prolific capturing and scoring made distinction in Cream of the Crop All-Star Video games to shut out the camp. Massive man Flory Bidunga of Kokomo (Ind.) and wing Cam Scott of Lexington (S.C.) named Pangos Camp co-MOPs.
The 2023 Pangos All-American Camp, the twenty first version of the top-notch summer time particular person showcase occasion yearly held in Las Vegas, grew on veteran scouts and media-types over its two and a half days of competitors. Over the previous 20 years, camp director Dinos Trigonis has spoiled scouts together with his expertise meeting line, so initially it was simple to deal with a number of the elite gamers that had been unable to attend due to commitments to worldwide occasions going down in the identical timeframe in a compacted summer time grassroots calendar. When it was all mentioned and achieved, nevertheless, there was loads of depth current and lots of gamers who rose to the event.
Since 2018, the Pangos Camp has been occasion licensed for NBA scouts to guage and the 27 groups that despatched representatives this 12 months needed to take optimistic observe on the sheer quantity of high quality shooters on the occasion. And it wasn’t simply your regular two-guards and combo guards doing the very best work from the perimeter; it was a variety of gamers who displayed marksmanship from the perimeter, together with one who was named co-Most Excellent Participant of the occasion.
That individual participant was 6-foot-6 rising senior (2024) Cam Scott, a smooth wing who had a novel mixture of talent, capturing skill and a projectable body that can solely make him a greater prospect because it continues to fill out. Scott, a Ballislife Underclass All-American at Lexington (S.C.) this previous highschool season, was pretty much as good end-to-end and as mild on his toes as any Pangos Camper in latest reminiscence. Much like former St. John’s standout and New York Metropolis highschool legend Felipe Lopez, Scott’s toes appear to be they barely hit the hardwood when he’s in transition or seeking to assault. Mix that together with his knock down capturing and it’s simple to see why he netted the camp’s second most total factors (99) and was its third main scorer (24.8 ppg). Scott closed out by making 4-of-7 3-pointers, 6-of-9 pictures from the sector, good for 16 factors plus 5 assists, within the Black jersey crew’s 167-131 victory over the Blue jersey-clad membership within the High 30 Cream of the Crop Sport.
Scott will reportedly select between Oregon and Alabama for school.
“I had good folks (teammates) round me and so they trusted my skills,” Scott mentioned on the conclusion of camp. “My mindset was to return in and do what I do finest and be constant to indicate the nation the place I used to be at.”
He was removed from the one standout shooter who carried out nicely within the sport designated for the camp’s high total performers. The camp’s scoring chief (32.0 ppg) was additionally named crew MVP for the Blue crew. That was 6-foot-5 2024 guard Vyctorius Miller of AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.), who began the camp with a bang and in addition closed robust. Miller was effectively pulling down pictures from all three ranges and displaying good self-discipline in his choice and play-making. Within the Cream of the Crop High 30 Sport, he had 22 factors (on 3-of-5 capturing from 3-point vary and 9-of-13 from the sector) and added 5 rebounds and three assists. Simply earlier than the all-star choices had been made, Miller’s capturing was the distinction in his remaining camp sport, as he knocked down a deep, game-winning perimeter shot on the left wing with six seconds remaining over the out-stretched arms of 6-foot-9 2024 energy ahead Flory Bidunga of Kokomo (Ind.).
Along with Miller, the standout capturing for the Blue membership was achieved by 5-foot-11 2024 level guard Rob Wright of Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.), who canned 3-of-6 3-pointers and 9-of-12 subject objectives good for a team-high 23 factors, 6-foot-4 2024 capturing guard Jalil Bethea of Archbishop Wooden (Philadelphia, Pa.), who made 2-of-3 3-pointers and had 12 factors, and 6-foot-4 2024 level guard Trent Perry of Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.), who made 2-of-4 3-pointers and had 11 factors.
Wright joined Miller as crew MVP for the Blue jersey-wearing membership within the Cream of the Crop High 30 sport.
Along with Scott, deep vary shooters who introduced out the heavy artillery for the victorious Black crew included 6-foot-8 ahead Ryan Jones of The Rock College (Gainesville, Fla.), who made 4-of-6 3-pointers and had 14 factors, 6-foot-3 2024 capturing guard Mercy Miller of Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.), who made 2-of-3 3-pointers and had 17 factors, 6-foot 2024 level guard Ahmad Nowell of Imhotep Constitution (Philadelphia, Pa.), who made 3-of-4 3-pointers and 8-of-10 subject objectives for a team-high 19 factors together with a team-high eight assists, 6-foot-1 2024 level guard Tahaad Pettiford of Hudson Catholic (Jersey Metropolis, N.J.), who canned 3-of-6 3-pointers and had 13 factors, 6-foot-6 2024 small ahead Rakease Passmore of Mix Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.), who made 4-of-6 3-pointers and had 16 factors and 6-foot-4 2024 level guard Labaron Philon of Baker (Cellular, Ala.), who knocked down 3-of-4 3-pointers and had 13 factors.
Nowell and Mercy Miller, Vyctorius’ cousin and the son of Rap Mogul Grasp P, had been named crew MVPs for the successful Black jersey-wearing membership.
It was solely becoming Wright was given an MVP award as a result of from the purpose guard place he was simply essentially the most dominant participant and would have been a worthy Most Excellent Participant alternative. Wright discovered creases and lanes higher than any participant in attendance and together with his really feel, explosiveness in tight areas round the important thing and two steps forward imaginative and prescient was enjoying the place as if he got here down from the faculty stage to placed on an illustration for the campers. This was along with his toughness and prowess as a scorer with terrific decrease physique power who is aware of easy methods to use his leverage in opposition to taller gamers.
“I might not be as athletic of a number of the guys right here, however I understand how to make use of my physique and power to my benefit,” mentioned, Wright, who will play his senior season within the NIBC at Montverde Academy after a terrific junior 12 months at Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.). “I actually prefer to play to win and it’s simply one other step to shut out the summer time robust by successful Peach Jam.”
The Baylor Bears are usually not solely getting a gifted level guard who is aware of the sport, they’re additionally getting one who produces on successful groups. Wright is one in all gifted trio of guards who has led Staff Last to a 15-1 won-loss mark on the spring Nike EYBL 17U circuit. Wright would really like nothing greater than to win Peach Jam after which assist Montverde Academy to the NIBC title in 2023-24.
“We misplaced the second sport on the primary session earlier than we knew who we had been as a crew,” Wright mentioned.
One crew that can look to knock off Staff Last in North Augusta, S.C.,July 6-9, is Cordova, Tenn.-based Staff Thad, which incorporates not solely contains knock-down shooters Passmore and Philon, however three extra gamers who made the Cream of the Crop High 30 Sport and have helped the journey ball membership to a 11-3 EYBL mark. These gamers are 6-foot-5 Jasper Johnson of Woodford County (Versailles, Ky.), a dynamic level guard within the rising junior (2025) class, 6-foot-4 2024 capturing guard Larry Johnson of SoCal Academy (Valencia, Calif.) through West Virginia and 6-foot-7 2024 ahead Derrion Reid of Grovetown (Ga.), one more succesful deep-range shooter.
Becoming a member of Scott as camp co-Most Excellent Participant was Bidunga, the camp’s most dominant publish participant by a reasonably large margin. Bidunga was essentially the most excellent participant eventually fall’s Pangos All-American Competition in Southern California and used that as a springboard to a fantastic efficiency in Las Vegas to grow to be the second consecutive Indiana huge man to earn Pangos Camp MOP honors following Michigan St-bound Xavier Booker of Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.). Bidunga was in a position to be part of an illustrious checklist of MOPs together with his depth, improved talent stage and method. Bidunga set the tone early in every sport and made defenders really feel him with punishing finishes and large blocks. For some veteran observers, his conventional sport makes him a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind prospect, whereas different scouts really feel he’s simply scratching the floor of his potential on the offensive finish. Both means, Bidunga’s impression is plain and his work ethic and team-oriented nature will make some P5 D1 college very fortunate in 2024-25.
Based on 247Sports.com, Budinga has visited Auburn, Florida, Kansas and Michigan and can look to make his faculty alternative within the fall. He would really like nothing extra to cap off subsequent season with an Indiana state title after main Kokomo to a runner-up end in Class 4A behind FAB 50 No. 4 Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.), to not point out one other title on the Pangos All-American Competition in September.
“Final 12 months’s Pangos Competition for positive gave extra extra confidence coming into the camp,” Bidunga mentioned. “I’m prepared for an additional MVP efficiency; We’re for positive excited about state after we got here so near it.”
There have been many gamers maybe deserving of a spot within the High 30 Sport and Trigonis challenged High 60 Sport members to take benefit by enjoying exhausting and performing nicely. Three gamers took heed essentially the most and earned High 60 sport MVP honors.
Jase Richardson, a 6-foot-3 2024 level guard from Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.), and Kinds Phipps, a 6-foot-2 2024 level guard from St. Mary’s (Phoenix, Ariz.), netted 25 and 23 factors, respectively, for the Blue crew in its 124-105 victory over the Black membership. Richardson was explosive across the basket and made some nifty passes, though he was credited with just one help as a result of teammates couldn’t deal with his pin-point passes. In reality, three nifty dimes had been ruined on consecutive possessions. Each gamers shot 10-of-13 from the sector and Phipps, who was lately supplied by Boston Faculty, has lengthy been arguably essentially the most artful level guard within the 2024 class and one in all its strongest rebounders from the lead guard place. He performed with confidence on each ends and continued to show his prowess pushing the ball off the glass to facilitate or rating with energy finishes.
Incomes MVP for the Black membership was Arizona-bound Jamari Phillips, a 6-foot-3 capturing guard from AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.). Phillips might be streaky, however he was on the right track for a lot of the camp and completed robust with a team-high 18-point efficiency on 4-of-7 capturing from lengthy vary and 7-of-11 total from the sector.
Different High 60 Sport standouts who had been initially thought-about for the High 30 Sport by the choice committee included San Diego State-bound, 6-foot-6 wing Taj Degourville of Durango (Las Vegas, Nev.), Washington State-bound, 6-foot-2 2024 level guard Adam Njie of Cardinal Hayes (Bronx, N.Y.), 6-foot-4 2025 guard Alexander Lloyd of Westminster Academy (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) and 7-foot-1 2024 middle Khaman Maker of Trinity Worldwide (Las Vegas, Nev.).
Pangos Camp All-Time MOPs2023: (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 (Competition)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 might be reached at ronnie@ballislife.com. Don’t neglect to observe him on Twitter: @RonMFlores