Pangos All-American Camp Recap

The 10th annual all-star camp features the finest from the West Coast and beyond.

by Kellon Hassenstab / @Hoopniks

Last weekend’s 10th annual Pangos All-American camp didn’t disappoint. Everyone knew coming into the camp that most of the best high school basketball talent in SoCal would make the trek to Long Beach to test their skills, but a healthy collection of national level competition also showed out.

Incoming junior Cliff Alexander of Curie, IL, is now in healthy company. After an event in which the 6-9 power forward destroyed rims, bowled through opponents and demonstrated his unique combination of strength and skill, he was selected as the event’s Most Outstanding Player, joining a prestigious group of current NBA and college players. To get that selection as an underclassman is definitely an honor.

Alexander was a problem in the paint for anybody who tried to lock him down. The same can be said for 6-9 forward Jarrell Martin of Madison Prep (LA). The incoming senior was nasty around the rim, but showed a flexible offensive game in which he pulled up on the break and drained long-range three-pointers. Martin has length for days, and can handle. He’s a mismatch on the offensive end.

Two of the top guards at the camp included Kansas commit Conner Frankamp, a 6-1 point guard, and 6-3 guards Anton Gill and Zach LaVine. Gill, who is already pledged to Louisville, and LaVine, who is said to be favoring UCLA, both hit buckets all weekend long and can score all game long. Frankamp has point guard skills, but also drains three-pointers with consistency.

Other Class of 2013 prospects who have already committed impressed in the event. Guards Stephen Domingo (Georgetown), Billy Garrett (DePaul), Brandon Austin (Penn State) and forwards Chris Wood (UNLV) and Zena Edosomwan (Harvard) all look like strong contributors at the college level.

Some of the top uncommitted talent in the 2013 class included post players Johnathan Williams, Karviar Shepherd, Mike Young and Jermaine Lawrence. Top forwards included Vince Hunter and Jordan Bell, while guards Wayne Selden and Solomon Poole both were impressive.

The weather was perfect, and the hoops were hot in the LBC at the Pangos All-American camp. It’s a must-hit spot on the spring circuit for elite players and scouts, and one that event organizer Dinos Trigonis has done a great job loading up with talent.