Pangos Frosh/Soph Camp: On The Rise
Camp Director Dinos Trigonis gathered many of the top freshmen and sophomores in the western United States for the two-day Pangos All-West Frosh/Soph Camp at Cerritos College.
The event is the go-to affair for scouts and media if they want to see the best up-and-coming prospects and get a feel for the future of west coast basketball.
While there were plenty of “ranked,” “starred,” and “well-known” names in attendance, some players put their stamp on the event by putting people on notice that they are on the rise in their respective classes.
On the Rise
Jaden Byers, 2021, Corona Centennial
The 5-foot-10 Byers could be next-up in a long line of talented point guards to go through Corona Centennial High. He’s a lightning quick lefty with an advanced feel for the game. His best attributes at this point are his crafty layup and finishing packages and his quick hands on the defensive end. Byers has a knack for slipping through tight spaces and putting pressure on the rim.
Jaden Byers showed impressive speed and finishing ability at the Pangos All-West Frosh/Soph CampKennedy Reece Dixon, 2021, Dorsey
Could Dixon help spark a Los Angeles City Section basketball resurgence? Maybe. At 6-feet-3 with nice length, his combination of size, speed and athleticism makes him a terror to deal with on the break. Dixon looks for any opportunity to sprint the lane wide in transition and finish above the rim with a powerful dunk.
Brandon Porter, 2020, Eastvale Roosevelt
The 5-foot-7 sophomore is exactly what Eastvale Roosevelt coach Stephen Singleton likes in his players: Strong, physical, tough-minded and defense-oriented. Porter relishes in locking down the other team’s best scorer, but did show that he can fill it up on the offensive end, as well. Porter used his combination of size, strength and speed to get to the basket and score when he pleased.
Elijah Randall, 2020, San Marcos
Randall’s weekend performance earned him a Top 30 game selection. He’s one who can be described as a “jack-of-all-trades” type player. He rebounds well on both ends of the floor, can lead the break if he needs to, is a power finisher in the paint and can step out and knock down a 15-foot jumper. One of the most impressive parts of Randall’s game is he can guard multiple positions at 6-4.
Jake Tawhiao, 2020, Mater Dei Catholic
Tawhiao is well-known by my colleague Aaron Burgin, who knows the San Diego hoops scene like the back of his hand. For me, it was one of my first opportunities to give the 6-foot-3 point guard a long look and I came away impressed. Tawhiao is a true point guard in every sense of the term. He plays with great pace, doesn’t over handle, makes the simple, but effective pass and every read he makes is the correct one.