Francisco’s Finest: Pangos Best of SoCal Summer Showcase (Class of 2023/Part 3)
Francisco’s Finest: Pangos Best of SoCal Summer Showcase (Class of 2023/Part 3) LONG BEACH, CA—I felt the next time I’d be in a gym would be a surreal-like feeling—and that is exactly the case. Dinos Trigonis, who had been running…
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Continue ReadingFrancisco’s Finest: Pangos Best of SoCal Summer Showcase (Class of 2023/Part 3)
LONG BEACH, CA—I felt the next time I’d be in a gym would be a surreal-like feeling—and that is exactly the case. Dinos Trigonis, who had been running events in Arizona, Utah, and Iowa—unveiled his first event in So-Cal—and it was quite good to say the least. From the playmaking abilities of Maurice Wright Jr. and Tyler Rolison to a couple of improved “bigs” in Xavier Edmonds and Jazz Gardner, the talent was evident in the Class of 2023 tilt.
Biggest Surprises
Jimmy Oladukun (La Verne/Damien)
2023, CF, 6-foot-7, 180 pounds
Joel’s take: Oladokun caught our eye last summer as an incoming freshman with a load of potential. Since then, that promise is now coming into fruition. The lanky wing has a solid motor at both ends of the floor and his perimeter game is really beginning to take off. He can make plays inside and out and his 3-point touch showed improvement. As he tightens up his ball skills, triple threat game, and touch, his stock will catapult.
Jontue Cooper (Lakewood/Mayfair)
2023, PG, 6-foot, 150 pounds
Joel’s take: Mayfair lost a lot of fire power, but Cooper showed the skill and savvy to make a difference next season. He is a solid looking point guard prospect with good quickness/speed and he is clever while making plays for others. He can score in the paint as he displayed a nice touch and his vision was impressive as he broke down the defense.
Kenneth Bailey (Crean Lutheran)
2023, CG, 6-foot-2, 175 pounds
Joel’s take: Bailey was one of the more mature prospects at the event who possessed a solid all around game. He is a combo-guard who can come off a pin-down screen to knock in the 3 or snatch a rebound and lead the break. His strength was on notice with his ability to finish in the paint through contact.
Tyron Tyler (Bakersfield/Independence)
2023, WF, 6-foot-5, 165 pounds
Joel’s take: This was our first look at Tyler and we came away impressed. He has that prototypical wing-type frame with good length and he’s an explosive athlete. He excels in transition where he can slash his way to the rim or throw down the big dunk. His nose for the ball was impressive as he attacked the glass aggressively whereas in the half court set you can see glimpses of an evolving triple threat game.
Aaron Montez (Servite)
2023, PG, 5-foot-10, 150 pounds
Joel’s take: There were a bevy of young point guards who surprised at this event, and Montez was one of them. He is a quick point guard who showed a nice burst and he can get by his defender with either hand. His vision was uncanny in the paint and overall his facilitating skills were on tap.
Jai Robinson (Eastvale/Roosevelt)
2023, PG, 5-foot-7, 150 pounds
Joel’s take: He is undersized, but Robinson is a slick operator on the floor. He is cat-quick with a tight handle and he can change speeds as well. His ability ot slither into the teet of the defense is impressive and he shows nice range from 20-feet.
Giovanni Goree (Calabasas/Viewpoint)
2023, PG, 5-foot-9, 160 pounds
Joel’s take: Goree may remind some of former Cal State Long Beach standout Caspar Ware. The bulky point guard prospect is tough to stop off the bounce as he gets low while attacking would-be defenders. He can get in the lane, utilizing his strength, and either toss in a floater or drop off a nifty assist. Defensively, he gets underneath ball handlers and has active hands.