Best of SoCal Showcase: 2026 Standouts (Pt. 2)

<p>LONG BEACH, Calif. — Saturday’s Pangos Best of SoCal Showcase featured eight games with some of the top SoCal prospects across various graduating classes participating. In this series we’ll take a look at the top performers in each of the classes starting with the class of 2026.</p> <p><strong>Donovan Knighten</strong>, 2026, Alliance MS (Los Angeles) - One of the main notes written down for Knighten was "knack for the ball" because of how active he was on both ends of the floor. The 5-foot-7 guard was quick and crafty with the ball in his hands and proved to be difficult for defenders to keep in front. When Knighten got two feet in the paint, he made high IQ decisions with his passes or soft-touched floaters.</p> <p><strong>Zander Ovies</strong>, 2026, Tri City Christian (Vista) - Ovies showed good feel when playing out of ball screens as his first step burst and aggressiveness to the basket resulted in multiple high percentage finishes around the basket. The 6-foot guard is smart and crafty when finishing around length as he uses the rim and backboard to shield off rim protectors to score off the glass. </p> <p><strong>Nathaniel Stokes</strong>, 2026, New Vision MS (San Bernardino) - Stokes was simply overpowering defenders throughout this game. The 5-foot-9 guard had his combination of speed and physicality on display in the open court as his ability to get downhill and stay balanced when finishing through contact gave defenses trouble. Stokes was always in attack mode and did a nice job of putting pressure on the defense.</p> <p><strong>Markee White, Jr.</strong>, 2026, Chino Hills (CA) - When next season rolls around, White will be among the top incoming freshmen in Southern California because of his skill-set and fluid athleticism at his size. The 6-foot-5 wing/forward can operate inside and out on the offensive end with his ball skills, footwork and ability to catch-and-shoot on the perimeter. It's still too early to project what level of prospect he will be and even what position he will play at the next level, but he'll be a prospect to track for the next level over the next four years.</p> <p><strong>Briggs Young</strong>, 2026, Tri City Christian (Vista) - Young displayed a versatile and advanced scoring package which included a consistent catch-and-shoot three-pointer and the ability to use a shot fake to create floater and layup opportunities for himself. The 5-foot-11 guard played with a lot of poise on the offensive end, didn't force bad shots and let the game come to him.</p>