Best of the West: 17u Standouts (Pt. 1)

<p>The Pangos Best of the West Shootout was one of very few club basketball events to take place in Southern California due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.</p> <p>The event featured some solid SoCal-based programs and individual talents at Ladera Sports Center in South Orange County. Below is my first set of standouts from the 17u level games I was able to get my eyes on. Players are listed in alphabetical order by last name.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="748737" first="Roddie" last="Anderson"]</strong>, 2022, Cali Rebels - Anderson remains one of the more under-appreciated 2022 prospects in the region. The 6-foot-2 Fountain Valley high school product plays with toughness, speed, and aggressiveness on both ends of the floor, which leads to him being a guy who gets paint touches and finishes in transition while creating turnovers on the defensive side of the ball. Anderson continues to become a more confident perimeter shooter and improved his vertical athleticism over the summer.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="943437" first="David" last="Elliot, IV"]</strong>, 2021, DNA Academy - The Loyola Marymount-bound guard is well-know in SoCal hoops circles as one of the most explosive scorers we have in the region and he showed plenty of that scoring arsenal at this event. Elliot, a 6-foot-2 combo guard, has a plethora of dribble moves and a lethal jumper with deep range which allow him to operate efficiently in isolation situations.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="943443" first="Daniel" last="Esparza"]</strong>, 2021, Veritas - Esparza had a breakout campaign at Sonora high school last season and wasted no time committing to Cal Poly (SLO) when the opportunity presented itself. The Mustangs are getting a knockdown perimeter jump shooter who plays with immense confidence and focus. Esparza is the ultimate competitor whose motor rarely stops running and has shown the ability to play both on or off the ball as needed.</p> <p><strong>Charlie Gehler</strong>, 2021, Coastal Elite Slayers - Gehler is likely the least recognizable name on this list, but if he shoots the ball for St. Augustine next season like he shot it for Coastal at this event, he could be a guy who plays his way into a Division III or NAIA roster spot. The 6-foot-2 shooting guard has fundamental shooting mechanics, understands how to move without the ball and come off of screens, and has a balanced and fluid release.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="951213" first="Marcus" last="Green"]</strong>, 2021, Prodigy Elite - It’s always good to see Etiwanda role guys compete on the club scene because you get to see a little bit more of their game. Just like he does for the Eagles, the athletic and strong 6-foot-4 forward showed impressive basketball IQ, defensive versatility and toughness inside on the boards. What I noticed from Green in this event that was a true progression was his feel as a passer in dribble hand-off action. The senior showed great timing and touch on his passes and rolled hard to the front of the rim.</p>