Pangos Premiere 80 Top SoCal Big Men
This past Thursday, Firebaugh High School in Lynwood, CA played host to the Pangos Premiere 80 Showcase. The event was a solid kickoff to this past weekend’s AAU live period with a lot of talent in the building. Here’s a…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThis past Thursday, Firebaugh High School in Lynwood, CA played host to the Pangos Premiere 80 Showcase. The event was a solid kickoff to this past weekend’s AAU live period with a lot of talent in the building.
Here’s a look at some of the top local (SoCal) big men that I saw at the event.
1. Isaiah Johnson – Bishop Montgomery 2020
The incoming senior forward has to be one of the more underrated players in his class. Every time I see him play I’m impressed. He’s a great athlete who can run the floor well and finish at the rim. He’s also able to handle the ball well for a big man and he can make plays for himself off the dribble. He’s got good footwork in the post. He attacks the glass well and he has good defensive instincts. Poised for a big senior year.
2. Jabari Steward – Compton 2020
Another underrated big man who is in position to have a big senior year. He has all the makings of being a defensive anchor in the paint. His man to man defense in the post is solid and he’s a good shot blocker with good timing on his block attempts. He has good footwork in the post too and he takes his time when making a move in the paint. Finishes well at the rim. A good free-throw shooter too.
3. Fidelis Okereke – King/Drew 2020
This incoming senior big man just picked up an offer from Cal State Dominguez over the weekend. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him pick up some more offers as his senior year gets underway. He excels at the defensive end of the floor, a very active shot blocker. He’s versatile too in that he can switch on wings on the perimeter. Offensively, he’s showing an ability to put the ball on the floor, and he’s even got range out to three-point line.
4. Jorge Ochoa – Orange Lutheran 2022
He just finished up his freshman year in high school, and he’s only going to get better. He’s very versatile on the offensive end. He can play in the paint like a big, but he can also run the floor like a wing and finish a play. He can create his own shot and beat his defender off the dribble. He creates contact well and constantly get himself to the free-throw line. Good shooter from the perimeter.
5. Koat Keat – Renaissance Academy 2022
This was my first time seeing him play in person, and he looked very impressive. He’s a great athlete with very quick feet on defense. He can body up bigs in the post and he can cover wings on the perimeter at times as well. He’s a good rebounder too. Offensively, he can play in the paint, as well as shoot from three and even bring the ball up court. He’s a decent passer out of the post as well.