The Pangos Best of SoCal League tipped-off earlier this month (June 12th at the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church gym (Long Beach CA) and is running through Monday night June 28th – giving us a good view of several top prospects from Southern California. Besides myself, Ronnie Flores (Ball is Life) and Henry Ward (Pro Insight) have stopped by to evaluate players, BallerTV is live-streaming all games played and Beach City Hoops has been in the house shooting video highlights.
Full length video re-plays of all past Pangos Best of SoCal League games this month are now available on replay from Baller TV: https://www.ballertv.com/events/pangos-best-of-indy-league
All upcoming league games will also be live-streamed by BallerTV.com
Team rosters and the league schedule can be accessed online at: https://www.fullctpress.net/2021-best-of-socal-league.html
Below is a look at 20 top league players that have stood out so far.
* Varick Lewis 6’4” 2023 Southern Cal Academy (Los Angeles CA)
Strong lead guard with high octane offensive skills is a threat every possession he gets his hands on the rock. Lewis had 33 points (19 of them in 1st half) last night at the league. 2021 Pangos All-American Camp Top 60 Game selection has early offers from TCU, UC-Santa Barbara and Portland State and is now attracting interest from Arizona State, Nevada, St Mary’s, George Washington, UC- Riverside, Duquesne, Eastern Washington, Georgia State, Howard and Boston University. Sacramento area native will be at Pangos Premier 80 on July 8th @ Mira Costa HS/Manhattan Beach CA and at the Pangos Sweet 16 on July 9-11 at the MAP/Garden Grove CA with Belmont Shore.
* Seven Bahati 6’5” 2024 Los Altos (Hacienda Heights CA)
Quick and athletic slashing scorer that can also spot-up from long distance, Bahati is a bona-fide high-major prospect worth tracking for the long-haul. Seven’s 36-point explosion here on June 16th is the league’s top scoring effort so far. Rapidly emerging as one of the West Coast’s top rising sophs, Bahati forms a potent young combo at Los Altos with Top 40 national 2023 prospect 7-0 Jazz Gardner.
* Jorge Ochoa 6’7” 2022 La Mirada (CA)
Very confident scoring wing forward has a very nice mid-range game and a refined stroke that extends to the 3-point line. 2-time Pangos All-American Camp invitee is also an underrated rebounder and defender. Scored 21 points in his latest league game. Ochoa has received offers from Washington State, Rice, UC-Santa Barbara, Nevada and Loyola-Marymount and is getting a lot of recent attention from San Diego. Will make his 2021 live-period debut at the Pangos Premier 80 on July 8th @ Mira Costa HS/Manhattan Beach CA.
* Ring Malith 6’9” 2022 AOSS Prep (Corona CA)
Skilled perimeter forward with very nice ballhandling and scoring skills is a recent 2021 Pangos All-American Camp invitee. One of the top national sleepers in the West 2022 class, the skilled Malith is a rangy and athletic hybrid-forward with very nice touch on his jump shot.
* Justin Daniels 6’4” 2023 Taft (Woodland Hills CA)
An emerging high-scoring WG in the national rising junior class, Justin is the younger brother of DeAndre Daniels (2014 UConn national champs/Toronto Raptors draft pick). Quick to the cup off the bounce, Daniels has deep 3-point range, a smooth perimeter stroke and is an improving defender. Best days for this Mater Dei/Santa Ana CA transfer are definitely ahead of him. Received his first offer from New Mexico recently.
* Jalen Pitre 6’9” 2022 Poly (Long Beach CA)
Pitre is an athletic and versatile forward with blossoming skills. Great physique with nimble agility in transition, Jalen has nice ball skills and the ability to get to the rim off the bounce. Long lefty will go the prep school route in 2021-22 before heading to Pepperdine – his college destination. Will be at Pangos Premier 80 July 8 to open the July live period.
* Kosi Akametu 6’4” 2022 King-Drew (Los Angeles CA)
One of the top prospects that the LA-City CIF section has to offer this year has emerged as one of SoCal’s top unsigned senior sleepers! Athletic WG slashed and elevated his way to 21 points in his league debut and has been consistently impressive ever since. Solid defender is quick off his feet and a real threat in transition.
* Sam Ibeh 6’6” 2021 Hawthorne (CA)
The unsigned Ibeh is an active and athletic swingman that has range to the 3-point arc and defends with lots of energy. SoCal sleeper has impressed scouts in attendance here.
* Brandon Perez 6’2” 2022 Saugus (CA)
Perez is a very underrated California rising senior guard prospect that scored a game-high 21 points in his league debut. Possessing Ivy League grades and equipped with a HM jump shot, Brandon just received an offer from Western Oregon after an impressive performance at the Section 7 Team Camp in Glendale AZ.
* Nathan Medina 6’3” 2022 Village Christian (Cerritos)
One of the most intriguing 2022 sleepers in SoCal this summer has to be Medina. Smooth guard with excellent feel and dangerous 3-point range (nailed four 3s on the league’s opening day) is also a tremendous student (4.2 GPA).
* Everett May 6’6” 2021 Los Alamitos (CA)
Unsigned senior shooter-deluxe connected for 7 “threes” en route to 23 points in his league debut. Son of Cerritos JC head coach Russ May is considering spending a post-grad year at a prep school in 2021-22.
* JC Anthony 7’0” 2021 Golden State Prep (Napa CA)
One of the best remaining unsigned senior West Coast big men is the SoCal native Anthony. Long, agile and skilled, JC can finish above the rim and has the ability to stretch floor with his perimeter shot. Improved rim-protector too.
* Will Smith 6’3” 2023 Bishop Montgomery (Torrance CA)
Smith has had a sterling reputation as a defender but it’s his offensive octane that has been increasing as of late. Athletic slashing scorer with nice jump shot range that extends to the 3-point line scored 21 points in his last league game. Terrific student (has heard from Princeton and UC-San Diego) will be a central core part of Belmont Shore’s 16u squad this summer.
* Ashton Hardaway 6’7” 2023 Bishop Montgomery (Torrance CA)
Versatile and skilled young forward has nice touch from the perimeter and the potential to evolve into a high-scoring player at the next level. Ashton is transferring from Bishop Montgomery but has not decided on a new school for 2021-22 academic year yet.
* Maurice Wright 6’3” 2024 Santa Clarita Christian (CA)
Wright seems ready to make a major jump in his development this summer. Quick and pesky defender is difficult to contain off the bounce and has real scoring skills (had 21 points his last league game). Now is a good time to buy this stock!
* Justin Gladney 6’2” 2021 NELA Prep (Los Angeles CA)
Assertive and crafty lefty unsigned lead guard can create his own shot as well as distribute to teammates. Competes at a high level on both ends and is a certified gym rat. Fairfax/Los Angeles grad is also a pesky defender.
* Roddie Anderson 6’1” 2022 Fountain Valley (CA)
Really like the consistent month to month improvement of Anderson, a confident PG that makes plays for teammates and can score off the dribble. Very good energy and tenacity on defense makes him a good on-ball defender.
* Jeremiah Davis 6’3” 2021 Fountain Valley (CA)
SoCal senior diamond in the rough sleeper has strength and athleticism off the bounce and the capability of being a lock-down defender. Has decided to go the JC route and will enroll at Fullerton College (CA) next Fall.
19 Jermaine Rogers 6’3” 2022 Ayala (Chino Hills CA)
Confident wing scorer loves to attack the cup off the dribble or spot up from deep. Very good student too (3.8 GPA).
20 Dane Persek 6’7” 2022 J Serra (San Juan Capistrano CA)
Blue-collar post-forward with an accurate touch on his perimeter shot and ample bounce to finish above the rim. Dane had 21 points in his last league game. Good student too.
Other players worth noting for their fine play (in alphabetical order):
* Caden Arnold 6’5” 2021 Elite Prep (Los Angeles CA)
* Will Brenner 6’7” 2023 Santa Monica (CA)
* Majok Chuol 7’0″ 2024 AOSS Prep (Corona CA)
* Gabriel Cummings 6’3” 2022 Poly (Long Beach CA)
* Jontue Gibson 6’2” 2023 Mayfair (Lakewood CA)
* Jaden Goodall 6’4” 2024 Canyon (Anaheim CA)
* Josh Goodall 6’5” 2024 Canyon (Anaheim CA)
* Kalib LaCount 5’8” 2022 King-Drew (Los Angeles CA)
* Pablo Magallanes 6’6” 2022 Tustin (CA)
* David Manea 6’6” 2023 Orange Lutheran (Orange CA)
* Darrell Morris 5’9” 2024 AOSS (Corona CA)
* Malachi Scott 6’7” 2022 Compton (CA)
* Omarion Shackelford 6’4” 2022 Morningside (Inglewood CA)
* Pejon Slater 6’7” 2022 Santa Clarita Christian (CA)
* Prince Turner Jr. 6’0” 2023 Lakeside (Lake Elsinore CA)
* Makaih Williams 6’1” 2022 St. Anthony (Long Beach CA)
* Moses Wright 6’3” 2025 Santa Clarita Christian (CA)
** first of a series of reports from the Pangos Best of SoCal League. We will be highlighting additional players in future reports
