2023 Standouts at the Pangos Best of Colorado League
Monday night was Day I of the Pangos Best of Colorado League ran by Dinos Trigonis of CA. Here are the 2023 standouts from the first day. JJ Williams JJ Williams 6'5" | SF Highlands Ranch | 2023 State CO…
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Continue ReadingMonday night was Day I of the Pangos Best of Colorado League ran by Dinos Trigonis of CA. Here are the 2023 standouts from the first day.
JJ Williams JJ Williams 6'5" | SF Highlands Ranch | 2023 State CO – ThunderRidge
Williams was in the first game of the night and while the connection was glitchy, whenever it did work it showed him making plays for others around him. Williams began the game with a 3-pointer of his own which shifted the defense into over playing him. He from there got out on the break on a backdoor for a finish and then started looking for others. Williams has showcased himself as a facilitator as of late and the play of the game was an off the backboard pass to his teammate for a dunk. Once he consistenty starts scoring the basketball as well as making those passes he will be a player that teams have a difficult time trying to figure out.
Baye Fall Baye Fall 6'11" | C Luthern Christian | 2023 State #13 Nation CO — Lutheran
Fall is a player you cannot miss on the court because more often than not he is flexing on a play. It is either a dunk on offense or a block on defense that ignites the offense and those highlight plays came few and far between on day one. Fall had putback dunk after putback dunk which showed the type of rebounder that he is. Opposing teams have no chance with keeping him off of the boards as he times rebounds well and keeps them high. He had multiple dunks in the game and he also had a couple of body to body finishes. On defense, there is no denying the type of superstar he is and what he can become. He goes after every shot that goes to the rim, he had multiple blocks in the game and he refuses to be scored on. Fall is the real deal.
Assane Diop Assane Diop 6'10" | PF Belleview Christian | 2023 State #107 Nation CO – Belleview Christian
What is an All-Star event without a player like Assane playing in it? He is one of the biggest players in the gym so he stands out with his size but when you see him play it becomes easy to fall in love with the type of player that he is. When you think of what he could be his potential is unmatched and of that a player we have not seen in quite awhile in Colorado. He can bring the ball up the floor, he steps out and shoots it a bit and has great awareness of a player that size. In the first game he was the biggest player on the floor so he posted up on almost every possession. He got free for a couple of easy dunks, he made moves and showcased his excellent footwork and played well. There was also a pullup 3-pointer that adds another dimension to his game. I am eager to see the finished product with Diop as I know we are nowhere near where it will be but he is already one of the most intriguing prospects that we have.
Marzouq Abdur-Razaaq — Overland
That Suns team looked the best on Day 1 as they had five players that finished in double-digits. Of that five, a player that popped out for me was do-it-all wing Marzouq Razaaq. Marzouq finished with 11 points in the game as he played the slashing role as well as got out on the break. Marzouq found holes in the defense and made the opposing team pay as he also played well off of the ball to receive open finishes. Marzouq has soft touch around the rim and the baskets came naturally for him. Once he starts being more aggressive and realizing his potential, the sky is the limit for him as he does a great job of understanding where to be on the floor. When he was on the floor, good things happened and I am excited to see more from him.
Gus Yalden — Asheville (N.C.) School
I am unsure there are lots of hoops junkies in high school like Yalden. While I am writing this article, I am sure that he is hooping — somewhere. The kid loves to play and will not turn down a session no matter what. That is a player that you can build around, one that wants to get better. That is also why high major colleges are starting to take notice. Yalden is a 6’8 do it all forward with a silky smooth jumper and incredible footwork. Yalden was the only player in the event to finish with a double-double as he had 14 points and 12 rebounds on the day. Yalden used his size to crash the boards and went straight up with it. The opposing team could not match his physicality and he understood that and attacked. Yalden is a player that can play multiple positions, has the ability to push it on the floor and push it and watching him you realize how high his IQ is in only his freshman year. Yalden has a polished game. This was another solid outing for him as he continues to put others on notice.