The LEAGUE: Best Shooters
Westminster, Ca. — Westminster high school played host to another solid edition of “The LEAGUE” presented by Compton Magic.
Some of the top adidas-affiliated 17u, 16u and 15u club teams in Southern California were on site, playing four games over the course of the weekend with some intriguing inter-city battles, especially between squads from the San Diego area.
Below are some of the top shooters from the event:
Brandon Angel, San Diego All-Stars 17
Angel has all the signs of a true pure shooter: repeatable shot mechanics from every distance, fluid motion through a high release, balance on every shot, and most importantly, absolutely no shoulder dip no matter how far out he’s pulling from. Not only does the Torrey Pines sophomore have the ideal shooting form, he has it at 6-feet-6 with a ridiculous wingspan.
Nick Bowden, Jr., Compton Magic 16
Bowden is one of the quickest trigger shooters in all of SoCal. The 5-foot-10 St. Bernard high school guard doesn’t need much time or space to get his shot off because of the speed he gets his shot off. Bowden has the ultimate confidence in his abilities as a shooter, as well, which makes him an even bigger threat.
Compton Magic wing Johnny Juzang had his jump shot working from deep.Johnny Juzang, Compton Magic 17
Juzang is well-known as a three-level scorer and his mid-range and 3-point shooting were on target over the weekend. The 6-foot-6 swingman has one of the better pull-up mid-range jumpers in the area, but showed progress with his shot off the catch, especially from the short corners. Juzang’s floor spreading helped Compton Magic separate from its opponents on two occasions on the weekend.
Ryan Langborg, Gamepoint 17
Langborg is widely considered the best shooter in SoCal and he continued to prove those in that camp to be correct. We’ve written plenty about the La Jolla Country Day star, but he continues to add more off-the-bounce game to his arsenal. Langborg’s footwork off of shot fakes is under-appreciated, while his ball handling and elusiveness continue to improve as well. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard has evolved from a catch-and-shoot or one-dribble pull-up guy to a player who can create with the dribble and make tough shots.
Jarod Lucas, Compton Magic 17
Lucas’ effortless release, ability to elevate and do all of that while stopping on a dime is what separates him from most other shooters. The 6-foot-3 Los Altos high school standout has the uncanny ability to go from full-sprint into a balanced stop-and-pop jumper from both the mid-range and 3-point levels. Lucas also projects as a mid-80 percent free throw shooter at the next level.
Bryce Pope, Gamepoint 17
What’s so intriguing about Pope is the fact that opponents peg him as a spot shooter, but he’s quick to show he’s just as deadly off the dribble. The 6-foot-2 Torrey Pines guard actually gets his rhythm going with his mid-range jumper before extending out to the 3-point line when he gets his defender off-balance. Pope also has one of the more effective shot fakes in the area.
Michael Pope, California Select 17
If the name looks familiar it’s because it is. Michael is the identical twin brother of the above-mentioned Bryce and his shooting prowess resides mainly at the mid-range level. This Pope has an old school approach with his scoring package, operating efficiently between 13-17 feet with a slight fade action on his jumper which makes it difficult to contest.