2012 Pangos Spring Spectacular Report
by Dinos Trigonis
(May 8, 2012)

 The inaugural Pangos Spring Spectacular was held on April 20-22 at Bishop Gorman High School (Las Vegas NV).  The event attracted 124 teams from California, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Montana and Louisiana as well as Calgary, Canada and Mexico.  Dozens of college coaches were on hand including head coaches Ben Howland (UCLA), Johnny Dawkins (Stanford), Herb Sendek (Arizona State), Steve Alford (New Mexico), Steve Fisher (San Diego State), Dave Rice (UNLV), Randy Bennett (St. Mary’s), Tommy Amaker (Harvard), Marvin Menzies (New Mexico State), Rex Walters (San Francisco), Kerry Keating (Santa Clara), Marty Wilson (Pepperdine), James Jones (Yale), George Nessman (San Jose State), Nick Robinson (Southern Utah) and Jack Murphy (Northern Arizona) as well as assistants from Arizona, USC, Cal, Oregon State, Washington, Washington State, Colorado, Florida State, BYU, Boston College, UTEP, Fresno State, Central Florida, Long Beach State, UC-Santa Barbara, Loyola Marymount, Utah State, Wyoming, Cal Poly, UC-Irvine, Air Force, Boise State, Rice, James Madison, Lehigh, Denver, UC-Davis, Pacific, San Diego, Idaho, Idaho State, Eastern Washington, Montana, UC-Riverside, Montana State, Weber State, Lafayette, Southern Utah, Cal State Bakersfield and Sacramento State.  Media present included Dave Telep & Joel Francisco (ESPN.com), Clark Francis (Hoop Scoop), Frank Burlison & James Kerti (BurlisonOnBasketball.com), Evan

Daniels, Josh Gershon & Greg Hicks (Scout.com), Eric Bossi & Neal Neaves (Rivals.com), Ronnie Flores (ESPNHS.com), Matt Rodriguez (BallisLife.com), Dave Nahabedian (Networx), Paul Dean (WestCoastHoopsReport.com), Dinos Trigonis (Fullcourt Press& Nothing But Net), Chad Groth (AreaCodesBasketball.com), Etop Udo-Ema (Fullcourt Press & Hot100Hoops.com), Gerry Freitas (Hoop Review) and Tracy Pierson (BruinReportOnline.com) as well as representatives from team sites following Arizona, UNLV and San Diego State. 

Sacramento-based Play Hard/Play Smart knocked off Belmont Shore 84-78 in the semi-finals and Danny Granger D-I Ambassadors 94-76 in the championship game to take home the 17u Invitational Division crown. In the 17u Invitational Select play-offs it was Colorado Chaos Elite outlasting the Las Vegas Prospects 76-73 (semi-finals) and the Arizona Stars Elite 80-74 (finals) to take home the hardware. In the 17u Platinum championship game it was Moore Management/OC Pride defeating Buckets Academy 62-55 while in the 17u Platinum Select final it was High Five America 70-67 over San Diego Warriors. In the 16u championship game it was the Las Vegas Prospects 16 beating Utah Hoops 68-61 while in the 16u Select Final, it was AZ Aces/Magic 16 handling Team Superstar 76-51. In the 15u Championship game, the Las Vegas Prospects 15 outlasting Play Hard/Play Smart Elite 15u 71-62, while in the 15u Select Final it was Colorado Chaos 15 over AZ Pharoahs 15 Elite 54-50.

 

Listed below are the event’s all-tourney picks. The tourney MVP is listed first with the rest of the all-tourney selections listed in alphabetical order:

Derry’l Williams 6’3” 2013 Sheldon (Sacramento CA) MVP
Strong and physical off-guard was a central catalyst on PHPS Elite’s winning 17u Invite squad and was a consistent force on both ends of the floor to earn tourney MVP honors.

Andre Adams 6’8” 2014 Westview (Avondale AZ)
Raw athlete runs floor well and has too much upside to ignore.

Bryce Alford 6’3” 2013 La Cueva (Albuquerque NM)
Sharpshooting son of New Mexico coach Steve Alford made big shot after big shot to spark his squad to tourney title game

Dakarai Allen 6’5” 2013 Sheldon (Sacramento CA)
Slithering swingman is a long and hawking defender that is drawing Pac-12 interest.

Noah Allen 6’6” 2013 Palma (Pacific Grove CA)
Shooter with size played with purpose here.

Jamir Andrews 6’3” 2013 Dublin (Livermore CA)Aggressive combo-guard is a harassing defender and is always in “attack-mode” on the offensive end.

Isaiah Bailey 6’5” 2014 Compton (Compton CA)
Young and athletic wing is a rising star in the national 2014 class.

Gerry Blakes 6’4” post Morningside (Inglewood CA)
High-octane scorer is athletic to the rim and can put points on the board in a hurry. Originally signed with Hawaii as a 2011 grad but did not qualify and is on the verge of being eligible soon in order to enroll as a college freshman next fall. Colorado among those schools showing interest.

 
Joe Boyd 6’8” 2013 Chapparal (Scottsdale AZ)
Strongly built PF can score with his back-to-the-basket and is a physical rebounder.

Justin Byrd 6’3” 2013 Santa Fe Christian (Carlsbad CA)
Slashing scoring wing can get to the cup and finish.

Shaquille Carr 6’1” 2014 Canyon Springs (Las Vegas NV)
Quick PG is slippery off the dribble and is an active defender. One of the West’s and nation’s best 2014 guard prospects.

Brekkott Chapman 6’9” 2014 Roy (Roy UT)
Tayshaun Prince-type player is a very versatile forward that makes plays on both ends of the court.

Eric Cooper Jr. 6’4” 2013 La Verne Lutheran (La Verne CA)
Smooth combo-guard with range on his perimeter shot has committed to Arizona.

Payton Dastrup 6’9” 2014 Mountain View (Mesa AZ)
Fundamentally sound big man with very good footwork and excellent face-up offensive skills is a name on the rise in the 2014 class. Stellar play here earned him a Pangos All-American Camp invite.

John Dawson 6’4” 2013 Clovis (Clovis NM)
Lead guard has plenty of size as well as scoring skills. One of the West’s top sleeper backcourt prospects in 2013.

Joseph DeCiman 6’4” 2012 LeBoldus (Regina SK CAN)
Well-built and athletic wing is an excellent slashing scorer and tenacious defender. 

Deng Deng 6’6” 2012 Cottonwood (Salt Lake City UT)
Wiry wing with a dangerous three-point stroke just signed with Long Beach State.

Tyler Dorsey 6’4” 2015 Ribet (Los Angeles CA)
One of the nation’s finest freshmen and best all-around lead guards regardless of class.

Zena Edosomwan 6’8” 2013 Harvard-Westlake (N. Hollywood CA)
Strong and athletic PF is an ox in the paint and has refined his face-up game. Zena has reclassified to 2013 and will attend Harvard in the Fall of 2013.

Richaud Gittens 6’4” 2013 Marcos de Niza (Tempe AZ)
Athletic shooting guard can finish at the rim.

Daniel Hamilton 6’7” 2014 St. John Bosco (Bellflower CA)
One of the fastest rising sophomores in the nation just checked in at #19 in the very latest Rivals.com 2014 national rankings. Like older brothers Jordan (Denver Nuggets) and Isaac (one of the nation’s top juniors), Daniel can really put points on the board when hot!

Sam Haywood 6’0” 2013 Volcano Vista (Albuquerque NM)
Combo-guard attacks basket with no fear and has “drive and kick” ability.

John Hegwood Jr. 6’4” 2012 Bishop Grandin (Calgary AB Canada)
Smooth combo-guard has the skills and IQ to play both backcourt spots.

Bear Henderson 6’5” 2014 Alemany (Mission Hills CA)
Strong wing has potent inside-out offensive game and is a standout defender.

Carlton Hurst 6’3” 2013 Aurora Central (Aurora CO)
Explosive scorer impressed coaches substantially in Sin City to attract offers from the likes of New Mexico, Wichita State, Wyoming, Colorado State, St. Mary’s and Pepperdine.

Ikenna Iroegbu 6’2” 2013 Oak Hill (Mouth of Wilson VA)
Quick and athletic PG showed here that he is ready to have a big spring and summer. Sacramento native had 23 points/6 assists versus eventual champ PHPS in the 17u championship semi-finals.

 

 
Colby Jackson 5’8” 2015 Clark (Las Vegas NV)
Ultra-quick young PG has the speed to cause opposing defenses problems.

Jaden Jackson 6’1” 2012 West Jordan (West Jordan UT)
Combo-guard has solid handle along with 3-point range.

 Julian Jacobs 6’3” 2013 Desert Pines (Las Vegas NV)
Utah-bound combo-guard is deceptively athletic and a great get for a Ute program trying to establish itself in the Pac-12.

Darrin Johnson 6’4” 2013 Franklin (Elk Grove CA)
Excellent defender runs floor well in transition.

Theo Johnson 6’6” 2012 Franklin (Elk Grove CA)
Undersized PF has real ability to take bigger defenders off the dribble.

Diontae Jones 6’6” 2014 Clark (Las Vegas NV)
Very good defender has a knack for the ball.

 Macoumba Kane 6’9” 2014 Impact Academy (Las Vegas NV)
Kane has plenty of length and potential.

Zach Lee 6’6” 2013 Eldorado (Albuquerque NM)
Athletic wing forward has a nice mid-range game.

Kajon Mack 6’2” 2012 Serra (Gardena CA)
Defensive-minded combo-guard is a very underrated 3-point shooter.

Brandon Miller 6’2” 2013 Brighton (Sandy UT)
High scoring guard pumped in 35 points versus Gamepoint. Excellent student too.

 Chance Murray 6’3” 2013 Price (Los Angeles CA)
Steady floor-general has been the object of Pac-12 attention for quite some time now. 

Hunter Myers 6’7” 2013 Douglas (Minden NV)
Myers was outstanding all-tourney long – drawing praise from several national scouts present including ESPN.com’s Dave Telep. Strong enough to score in the paint but also skilled enough to extend defenses with his 3-point range, Hunter is a match-up problem for most post defenders he faces. Off-the-charts student too!

Gokul Natesan 6’4” 2012 Cupertino (Cupertino CA)
Tremendous student also has excellent accuracy from the 3-point line.

Alpha Ndaw 6’9” 2013 Saddleback Christian (Laguna Niguel)
Rugged PF rebounds well and has shooting range to about 17 feet.

Cullen Neal 6’5” 2013 Eldorado (Albuquerque NM)
Talented lead guard with size has commited to St. Mary’s. Son of New Mexico associate head coach and former NBA player Craig “Noodles” Neal.

Cole Nordquist 6’4” 2013 Pleasant Grove (Sacramento CA)
Wing plays with great energy and has excellent intangibles.

Randy Onwuasor 6’4” 2013 Inglewood (Inglewood CA)
Very athletic wing with excellent physique.

Norvel Pelle 6’11” 2012 Stoneridge (Simi Valley CA)
Former St. John’s signee is one of the most formidable shotblockers still left on the board in 2012.

Keanu Peters 6’0” 2013 Valley (Las Vegas NV)
Quick point is emerging as one of the top West Coast sleepers in 2013.

Dorian Pickens 6’4” 2014 Pinnacle (Phoenix AZ)
Long and athletic wing can score and has already received a Pac-12 offer from Arizona State.

Elliott Pitts 6’5” 2013 De la Salle (Concord CA)
One of the most underrated wings in the nation is quickly losing that “sleeper” tag based on his play here.

Malik Pope 6’8” 2014 Burbank (Sacramento CA)
One of the biggest revelations of this event, Pope is an intriguing prospect with a size/skill combination that is sure to attract herds of HM college coaches.

Josh Ramirez 6’5” 2012 Ayala (Chino Hills CA)
Savvy small forward has a nice all-around game.

Noah Robotham 5’10” 2014 Gorman (Las Vegas NV)
Smart point guard can knock down shots and his impressive play here garnered interest from the likes of Rice, BYU, James Madison, UC-Davis and Northern Arizona.

Chris Salas 6’4” 2012 El Dorado (Valencia CA)
Leading scorer in 17u platinum title game (25 points) is a 2012 sleeper swingman.

Austin Sparks 6’8” 2013 Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch CO)
Skilled and versatile combo-forward defends the post well.

Leo Smith 5’9” 2013 Oakland Tech (Oakland CA)
Quick point guard can create for teammates.

Jake Toolson 6’4” 2014 Highland (Gilbert AZ)
Scoring off-guard boosted his stock here with a strong performance.

Derryck Thornton Jr. 5’11” 2016 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth CA)
One of the top points in the 2016 national class, Thornton more than held his own here –taking his Cali Style squad to the 16u championship Final Four.

Dakari Tucker 6’4” 2012 Serra (Gardena CA)
Smooth SG has excellent perimeter stroke. Just signed with Utah.

Austin Waddoups 6’2” 2012 American Fork (American Fork UT)
Scoring point just signed with Southern Utah

Kentrell Washington 6’4” 2012 Clark (Las Vegas NV)
Lead guard with high basketball IQ is drawing interest from Boston College, Northern Arizona, Loyola Marymount, Canisius, Eastern Washington, Hartford and Cal State Bakersfield.

Sir Washington 6’3” 2013 Clark (Las Vegas NV)
Strong lefty has impressive ability to beat defenders off the bounce.

Tyler Watts 6’4” 2013 Durango (Las Vegas NV)
Slashing scorer can finish above the rim.

DJ Wilson 6’6” 2014 Capital Christian (Sacramento CA)
Shooter with length is one to track in this sophomore class.

Chris Wood 6’9” 2013 Findlay Prep (Henderson NV)
Very skilled player with tremendous length is overflowing with potential. UNLV-bound prospect has the upside to rise to the very top of the 2013 national class.

Other players that impressed here:

Chris Sandifer 6’4” 2014 Serra (Gardena CA)
Lefty is a dangerous sniper from long distance and is an underrated athlete.

Namon Wright 6’4” 2014 Pacific Hills (Los Angeles CA)
Promising soph wing has developed an accurate jump shot.

McKay Anderson 6’5” 2013 La Verne Lutheran (La Verne CA)
Crafty wing has a soft perimeter touch. Very good student.

Atoumane Seck 6’9” 2012 Stoneridge (Simi Valley CA)
Physical defender and rebounder.

Thomas Welsh 6’10” 2014 Loyola (Los Angeles CA)
Developing young center has good hands and is active in the paint.

Stanley Roberts 6’7” 2014 Peninsula (Rolling Hills CA)
Burly PF is a physical rebounder.

 TK Edogi 6’7” 2012 Valley Vista (Surprise AZ)
Athletic forward is active on the glass.

Taelin Webb 5’11” 2014 La Mirada (La Mirada CA)
Cerebral PG has the smarts to run a team efficiently.

Emmett Cook 6’5” 2013 Churchill (Calgary CAN)
Bouncy wing guard with a silky perimeter shot.

Benas Griciunas 6’11” 2013 Findlay Prep (Henderson NV)
Skilled postman uses the glass well around the basket.

Justin Burks 6’6” 2014 Arbor View (Las Vegas NV)
Combo-forward with a high motor plays hard every possession.

Fatai Eke 6’8” 2014 East (Bakersfield CA)
Long PF is a very good shotblocker.

Ryan Manning 6’6” 2013 Sheldon (Sacramento CA)
Versatile swingman can score in a variety of ways.

Austin Armstead 6’3” 2015 Bullard (Fresno CA)
Good looking freshman wing is one to track.

Dorian Butler 6’6” 2013 JW North (Riverside CA)
Multi-dimensional combo-forwardrebounds well.

Jermaine Wilson 6’9” 2012 Morningside (Inglewood CA)
Improving center has a good work-ethic.

Juwan Major 6’3” 2013 Las Vegas (Las Vegas NV)
Wiry off guard is a solid defender.

Hunter Walker 6’5” 2012 Righetti (Santa Maria CA)
Unsigned senior SF runs floor well and can score in the paint.

Cameron Osorno 6’2” 2012 La Verne Lutheran (La Verne CA)
Off-guard with range on his jump shot.

Darryl Gaynor 6’3” 2014 Palo Verde (Las Vegas NV)
Athletic defender can slash and score.

Kameron Murrell 6’1” 2014 St. John Bosco (Bellflower CA)
Strong and steady lead guardis a solid defender.

Sam Merrill 6’3” 2014 Bountiful (Bountiful UT)
Combo-guard with a nice mid-range game is drawing interest from Utah State.

Devon Kohn 6’4” 2012 Green Valley (Henderson NV)
Scrappy wing can score off the bounce.

Nicksha Federico 6’4” 2013 Cathedral Catholic (San Diego CA)
Potent 3-point shooter led his High Five America squad in scoring during this event. Excellent student.

Nnamdi Okongwu 6’8” 2015 La Verne Lutheran (La Verne CA)
Young post player has the size and potential to be a force in future years.

Novian Cherry 6’5” 2012 ABCD Prep (Dallas TX)
San Diego native is a swingman with extended perimeter range on his jump shot.

Murshid Randle 6’3” 2014 Central (Fresno CA)
Crafty SG has ability to put points on the board.

Robert Cartwright 6’1” 2014 Flintridge Prep (La Canada CA)
Heady lead guard is a nice passer.

Joey Covarrubias 6’2” 2014 Cantwell (Montebello CA)
Heady off-guard with legitimate three-point stroke.

Eric Duncan 6’1” 2013 McNair (Stockton CA)
Combo-guard can finish in traffic.

Daniel Torres 5’10” 2014 Oceanside (Oceanside CA)
Solid ballhandler and fine passer.

Jahmere Mitchell 5’11” 2014 Morse (San Diego CA)
Quick point is a good on-ball defender.

Photos courtesy of Scott Kurtz