Pangos Best of SoCal Showcase: Five from 2023

<p>LONG BEACH – If getting an up-close and personal look at some of the best of the SoCal Class of 2023 was the goal, the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church gymnasium was the place to be Saturday afternoon.</p> <p>   The Pangos Best of SoCal Summer Showcase’s Top 20 Class of 2023 game was highlighted by the presence of multiple players who had major impacts on their programs as freshmen last season.</p> <p>   Here are five of them, listed alphabetically:</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="992482" first="Darius" last="Carr"]</strong> 6-2 (St. Bernard): Carr, who joined <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="994964" first="Tyler" last="Rolison"]</strong> as starters for Coach <strong>Mitch Runco’s</strong> Vikings’ squad, scored eight points for a black jersey-wearing squad that dropped a 74-67 decision to its white-wearing counterpart.</p> <p>   As he did for Runco, Carr showed he can score in a variety of fashions Saturday – notably by way of strong finishes at or above the rim and pull-up jumpers.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="994924" first="Xavier" last="Edmonds"]</strong> 6-8 (Bishop Montgomery): Edmonds, who got considerable playing time for the Knights of Coach Doug Mitchell, was the dominant “post presence” in the contest while scoring a game-high 19 points in a losing cause.</p> <p>   Look for him to be Mitchell’s next “elite big” as a sophomore by way of his low-post and face-up skills as formidable rebounding prowess.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="992478" first="Jazz" last="Gardner"]</strong> 6-11 (Los Altos): Gardner, the son of 1994 McDonald’s All-American (at St. John Bosco) and Cal and Pepperdine guard Jelani Gardner, scored 14 points for the white jerseys while showing off well-advanced perimeter skill for a player of his size and age.</p> <p>   He was an All-CIF Southern Section choice and the Hacienda League’s Most Outstanding Player.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="994964" first="Tyler" last="Rolison"]</strong> 6-0 (St. Bernard): Rolison – a point guard who got plenty of action with the ball in his hands when senior Nick Bowden went down with a leg injury in late December – teams with Carr and make up one of 2023’s best backcourts anywhere.</p> <p>  He scored nine points for the winning squad.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="994974" first="Maurice" last="Wright"]</strong> 6-2 (Paraclete): Wright, who said he expects to transfer to Santa Clarita Christian for his sophomore season, seemingly has been a standout at Pangos and West Coast Elite events since the Obama administration.</p> <p>   He scored 11 points for the white jerseys and had at least a half-dozen assists and three or four steals.</p>