Best of SoCal Fall Showcase: Top 20 Junior Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>LONG BEACH — Dinos Trigonis and his Pangos brand of events put on its annual Best of SoCal Fall Showcase for current junior and senior prospects to compete in an individual evaluation type setting Sunday at McBride high school. There were four games on the day with known and unknown prospects taking the floor. In this piece we take a closer look at the standouts from the “Top 20” Junior Game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Daniel Mihigo | Cooper Academy</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mihigo established himself as a physical interior presence on both ends of the floor. The strong forward was an active rebounder, using his quick reaction time to pursue boards outside of his area. Offensively, he finished with power around the basket, converting second-chance opportunities and post touches with authority. His ability to consistently compete on the glass and control the paint makes him a valuable interior piece. He finished with 14 points and six rebounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2895483' first='Ean' last='Britt'] | Campbell Hall</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Britt was one of the better perimeter shooters in this game, knocking down three catch-and-shoot threes with confidence and range. He has good positional size and length for a wing, which complements his scoring ability. A fluid athlete with smooth mechanics, he showed the ability to get into his jumper off the bounce as well. His shooting touch and size give him a translatable skill set at the next level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Elijah Popoola | Palisades</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Popoola showcased an efficient scoring arsenal highlighted by his catch-and-shoot consistency out to the three-point line. He played well within the flow of the offense, using cuts, movement, and timely slashes to generate open looks. His ability to impact the game without needing the ball in his hands stood out. Popoola's blend of shooting touch, off-ball activity and physical and athletic tools make him an offensive threat in a variety of situations. The 6-foot-5 wing finished with 14 points, including 2-for-4 from distance.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Mekhi Robertson | SoCal Academy</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Robertson is a well-paced point guard who blends scoring and distributing effectively. He doesn't get sped up under defensive pressure and plays with poise. His burst allows him to attack in transition or get downhill out of ball screens. He has a variety of crafty finishes in his scoring arsenal that make him tough to contain. The 6-foot-3 junior finished with 11 points and three assists.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2915701' first='Olujimi' last='Popoola'] | Palisades</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Popoola is a smooth and explosive athlete with a versatile dribble, pass, and shoot skill set. He can create offense in isolation or slide off the ball as a secondary attacker. His athleticism in space and traffic allows him to finish through crowds with body control and touch. As his three-point shooting continues to improve, his offensive ceiling only gets higher. The 6-foot-5 lefty finished with 14 points and four rebounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->