Pangos Premier 80: Ten Best

<p>If you love pickup basketball with elite players, then the Pangos Premier 80 was your cup of tea. </p> <p>The unofficial kickoff of the first July evaluation period lived up to the billing, as the top stars from both California and beyond displayed their game in two games in the dazzling Mira Costa HS gym. </p> <p>Which players delivered top performances? I give you my Top 10.</p> <h3>Isaiah Elohim, 6-5 2024 G, Heritage Christian</h3> <p>What can I say about Elohim that hasn’t already been said by dozens of other evaluates. A physically imposing combo guard who score in a variety of ways (scored from every level). He deftly changes speed and pace to get into the paint at will and has the upper body strength to finish through contact. A very good midrange scorer (pull-up jumpers, a nice floater package). He also does an excellent job setting up teammates out of the pick and roll and off of his drives. The top player on hand and it wasn’t close. </p> <h3>Aidan Shaw, 6-9 2022 PF, Blue Valley (KS)</h3> <p>Elite prospects often times take plays off in settings like this, but not Shaw, who has a tremendous motor. He defends every position and really takes pride in being a lockdown defender. His ability to pursue rebounds outside his area was without peer. His length and timing make him an excellent shot blocker both on the ball and from the weakside. While his offensive game is 15 feet and in, he’s extremely productive in his wheel house. </p> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="994925" first="Dennis" last="Evans"], 7-1 2023 C, Hillcrest (CA)</h3> <p>Evans started out slow on Court 2 in his first game, but on the main stage, he put together a defensive clinic in his second game. His shot-blocking timing was on full display has he had 6 rejections in the first half alone, plus a half dozen shots he altered by his presence alone. While not yet a great offensive player (he brings the ball down too often in the paint), he finished a few pick-and-roll plays with authority around the basket and also had two or three offensive putbacks for slam dunks. Evans also did a great job corralling boards in the paint area. In an era where players are increasingly older in HS, Evans doesn’t turn 16 until this month. His upside is quite high. </p> <h3>Pierre Geneste, 6-10 2023 C, Ribet Academy</h3> <p>Geneste was a blue-collar force in both games he played, blocking shots, grabbing rebounds inside and outside of his area, and sprinting the floor to fill lanes in transition, where he would finish with authority. He’s raw offensively in the half-court, but in an era where bigs are asked to do less shot creation and more shot finishing, you would be hard pressed to find guys who do that as well as he did in both games. </p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/IMG_9012.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1234710" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/IMG_9012-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <h3>James Brown, 6-9 2024 C, St. Rita (IL)</h3> <p>By contrast, Brown is a throwback big in the best sense of the world. A skilled tactician in the paint, Brown used footwork and ball skills to score with either hand, but in a new-era wrinkle, could step out and hit shots from midrange and three. Defensively, he’s not a leaper, but did a solid job playing position defense and closing out defensive possessions with rebounds inside and out of his area. Only 15, the sky is the limit for Brown.</p> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="994940" first="Keyon" last="Kensie"], 6-7 2023 W, Compton </h3> <p>A long, lanky wing with great athleticism and three-level scoring instincts, Kensie made a big impact in both games. He first caught my attention with two really strong scoring drives off the wings, and then kept my attention as he followed it up with a pair of deep threes. Kensie sprints to his spots on the wing offensively and does a good job staying shot ready. Defensively, he wreaked havoc with his length and active hands and had a pair of weakside blocks as well. He’s got "high major wing" written all over him.</p> <h3>Mike Miller, 6-4 2022 G, Oak Hills (CA)</h3> <p>If there was an under-the-radar player who made the most of this setting, it was Miller, an uber athletic wing who hustled his way into my Top 10. He was everywhere on the floor: diving after loose balls, battling for offensive rebound and advancing the ball in transition for scores. Offensively, he scored it from all three levels, and is a very underrated ball handler who used his handle to shake loose of defenders for midrange and short-range scores. If he can build on this performance, he’s going to land on some mid-major radars. </p> <h3>Trey Pettigrew, 6-3 2022 G, Kenwood (IL)</h3> <p>The Illinois product is a scorer, simple and plain. His instincts are to get buckets, and he uses his slick handle to create shots in the midrange, and an array of scoring plays from three and from close range. There are times where he overhandles and will hunt shots, but in this era where "bucket getters" are the rage, it’s clear to see his appeal. </p> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="994956" first="Osiris" last="Nalls"], 6-1 2023 PG, Viewpoint (CA)</h3> <p>Nalls had the most understated top performance of the event. His physical metrics don’t jump off the page (though he is longer than you’d expect),but his game does. An unselfish passer and efficient scorer, Nalls knocked down shots from deep and made some nice plays off of pick-and-rolls and pick-and-pop sets. Very impressive performance. </p> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="947395" first="Oziyah" last="Sellers"], 6-4 2022 G, Southern California Academy</h3> <p>One of the nation’s elite jump shooters, Seller’s picturesque shooting was on full display, but so was his improved ball handling, which has allowed him to develop an improved scoring repertoire from midrange. But when push comes to shove, Sellers has an elite skill, and high-majors are paying attention. </p> <h3>Sebastian Mack, 6-3 2023 G, Durango (NV)</h3> <p>OK, so I have 11 guys. Mack started his first game on fire from all three levels. He’s not the most explosive athlete, but his first step, craftiness and body control allow him to score it effectively. He gets into the paint using that change of pace dribble and scores with touch around the basket. </p>