Lynwood, CA – Last weekend, following the second NCAA Live Period of the Spring, Dinos Trigonis hosted the 2nd Annual Pangos All-American Preview Camp in Southern California, April 30th – May 1st. This event was created last year as a way to provide a platform to players that are under the radar, late developers, or lack the exposure needed to earn an invite to the prestigious Pangos All-American Camp that is hosted annually in June (with the exception of the Covid year of 2020). The Pangos All-American Camp will take place from June 5th – 7th and will be hosted in Las Vegas, Nevada at Bishop Gorman High School. One of the allures of the Pangos Preview Camp is that the top performers have the chance to earn an invite to the main event, as well as display their games in front of some of the nation’s top scouts, like Frank Burlison (Burlison on Basketball and McDonald’s All-American Committee member). The 2nd annual Pangos Preview would feature players from the graduation classes of 2023 through 2025, with a few 2026 players attending as well. Each player would play in three showcase format games that took place in three sessions/rounds. The top players would then be selected by the scouts in attendance to earn spots in the Cream of the Crop Top 30 and Top 60 Games. There were approximately 100 players in attendance over the two-day event, as most players were from California. However, given the stakes of a possible Pangos All-American Camp Invite on the line, there were players from Florida, Tennessee, Virginia, Nevada, Arkansas, Arizona, Washington, and Texas in attendance. This article takes a look at 20 players that performed well, provides a brief evaluation for each player, and provides information about each player. This list is ordered alphabetically and not based on rank order. Furthermore, this list of top performers is based on my own assessment of the players over the 2-day event, as well as input from other media and scouts in attendance. We begin with the player that made the longest trip to the event in sophomore Chris Arias.
Chris Arias 6’6″ 2024 Providence School of Jacksonville (FL)
The Florida prospect made the longest haul of any player to try and punch his ticket to the 20th Anniversary Pangos All-American Camp set to take place next month in Las Vegas. Whether or not he was successful in that endeavor is to be seen, but what is for certain is that Arias made the most of his trip and showed off his skills in front of legendary grassroots scout Frank Burlinson, along with the likes of Ronnie Flores, Aaron Burgin, Devin Ugland, and other media and scouts in attendance. Arias is a lengthy and skilled guard that is capable of creating his own scoring opportunities, as well as making plays to find open teammates off the drive and kick. Arias is fluid with the ball in hand, has nice handles and moves to create off the dribble, looks to attack the teeth of the defense, and with his length and bounce is a great finisher around the basket. Arias has solid court vision and with his ability to attack the defense, he draws a lot of attention, which allows him to find open teammates off the dribble penetration. What makes Arias so lethal on the offensive end is his accuracy and limitless range from beyond the 3-point line. Arias is a knockdown shooter, and his statement game came in the second round of games on Day 1, where he went for 27 points and connected on 5 threes. Very impressive long-term prospect at the guard position, as he is a versatile defender that can guard multiple positions.
Seven Bahati 6’5″ 2024 Donda Academy (CA)
Bahati has had a productive spring club season and has picked up interest from multiple D1 programs including a recent one from New Mexico State. Bahati continued his high level of play at the Pangos All-American Preview, where he averaged over 20 points per game and was named co-MVP of the event. Bahati is a player I have been fortunate to watch multiple times since he was in middle school, and he has always had the frame and athleticism to be a high-level guard/wing prospect. Bahati showed that he is one of the best 2-way prospects in California for the class of 2024, as he created steals, blocked shots, and defended multiple positions at the Pangos event. Offensively, Bahati has improved his accuracy from the 3-point line, makes good use of his length and perimeter moves to create off the dribble and get by his defender, and is a creative finisher when attacking the basket. Bahati has a nice pull-up jumper, gets great lift on his shot, and is becoming more of a true 3-level scoring threat. Bahati has good length, enough strength, height, and lateral quickness to defend the 1-3 positions effectively.
Xavier Edmonds 6’8″ 2023 Bishop Montgomery (Torrance CA)
Edmonds was one of three Bishop Montgomery players that attended the camp, as the Knights were well represented, and all 3 made the Cream of the Crop Top 30 Game. Edmonds showed to be one of the more well-rounded bigs at the camp and displayed his versatility as a stretch forward. Edmonds controls the boards on both ends, has the handles to push the ball off the glass, good court vision to find teammates ahead, and good feel for when to keep pushing and when to slow it down and get into the half-court setting. Edmonds has nice hands around the rim, good touch from fifteen feet and closer, passes well out of the post to cutting teammates, and is accurate from beyond the arc. His ability to hit shots from the perimeter pulls bigger defenders away from the basket and opens up driving lanes for teammates to attack.
Anthony Gilkes 6’6” 2024 Southern California Academy (CA)
Gilkes was one of the more intriguing long-term prospects at the camp and put his final stamp on the event by dropping 31 points in the Cream of the Crop Top 30 Game, as well as earning Most Oustanding Player for that game. Gilkes is a lengthy and athletic wing/guard/slasher that is an excellent rebounder, has the agility and quickness to defend multiple positions on the court, has the wingspan to alter shots on the wing and around the basket, and plays with good energy. Offensively, Gilkes is difficult to defend, as he is efficient from the 3-point line, has the moves and handles to create off the perimeter, capable of scoring it from all 3 levels, and does not hesitate to go at the rim when on the attack. Gilkes has solid court vision and does a nice job of advancing the ball up the court off the defensive rebound, or pushing the transition offense. As far as size, skill, graduation class, and court presence, Gilkes does a lot to impact the game and should be an interesting prospect at the next level.
Gavin Hightower 6’1″ 2025 Windward (Los Angeles CA)
Hightower showed he is a legit threat scoring the ball and has the IQ and poise to be an elite point guard in high school and beyond. Personally, Hightower was the top-performing freshman at the Pangos All-American Preview event, and one of the top 15 performers overall. Hightower has elite handles to break down his defender, makes great use of the hesitation move to keep his man off balance, and can fill it up from all 3 levels with efficiency. Hightower makes great decisions with the ball in hand, reads the defense well to make plays to open teammates, likes to create off the dribble applying pressure to the defense, and has the creativity to finish at the rim over taller, longer players. Hightower continues to improve his accuracy from the 3-point line, as he displayed with a game-high 33 points in his team’s 1st round showcase game, knocking down 7 threes. I was truly impressed how Hightower controls the flow of the game and knows when to kick it into gear and when to slow it down and work for a quality shot.
Robert Hinton 6’5” 2024 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood CA)
In an event that was filled with high-level talent from California and beyond, the biggest stock riser from the Pangos All-American Preview was the smooth but fundamentally sound combination guard from Southern California, Robert Hinton. After a productive game in the initial round of competition, Hinton got in his bag during the second round of games and left a major impression on the scouts and media in attendance. Hinton was scoring it from beyond the arc with fluidity, getting to the rim at will, and knocking down some difficult mid-range shots. Hinton really left his mark on Day 1 as he threw down a nasty breakaway one-handed dunk that got the whole gym out of their seats. Hinton continued his high level of play on Day 2 of the event and was named co-MVP of the camp. Hinton has good handles, has a lot of shift and movement when attacking off the dribble, has good body control to take contact and still get his shot off, and is capable of scoring from all 3 levels with accuracy. Hinton has a solid frame, is able to finish through contact around the basket, displays good balance when taking and making difficult shots from the mid-range, and is effective from the 3-point line. He plays with great poise, controls the pace of play, and still has room to improve and develop as a guard. As good as Hinton performed on the court, I was just as impressed with how he carries himself as a young man off the court.
Ariik Mawien 6’4″ 2023 Capistrano Valley Christian (CA)
Mawien displayed great athleticism and skill at the Pangos All-American Preview, as he is capable of impacting the game in an abundance of ways on both offense and defense. Mawien, who has committed to Pepperdine, illustrated all weekend why he is a Division 1 prospect at the next level. Mawien is a quick leaper that does a nice job on the glass, has the handles and the court vision to push the ball up the court, and finds open teammates in transition. Mawien has nice moves to create off the dribble, a great burst of speed to get downhill, and is a creative finisher around the basket. His signature play at the camp came at the end of the 2nd round of play on Day 1, where he ended the game with a dunk. This was not an average dunk, as Mawien jumped over an opponent and dunked on him. This play illustrated the superior bounce that Mawien brings to the court, which goes well with his advanced guard/wing skills on the perimeter.
Jalen Milt 6’3″ 2023 Norview (Norfolk VA)
Milt was another player that made the long trip out West in order to get a chance to put his game on display in front of some of the top scouts and media in California and beyond, and he took full advantage of his opportunity. Milt plays with great energy and passion for the game, and he had it going on both ends of the court early and often at the Pangos All-American Preview. Milt is a rangy and athletic guard/slasher who looks to pick up full court and apply relentless pressure on his opponent throughout the game. He has quick hands and good strength to disrupt the opponents dribbling space, nice footwork and lateral quickness to stay in front of smaller, quicker guards, generates steals that lead to transition points, and can defend the perimeter regardless of the position. Offensively, Milt has solid handles, good wiggle when creating off the dribble to keep his defender off-balance, has the physicality to finish through contact, and is a creative finisher at the basket. Milt has a smooth stroke on his shot and is efficient scoring the ball from all 3 levels. Loved the way he competed in each game and represented Virginia very well.
Darrell Morris 5’10” 2024 Crean Lutheran (Irvine CA)
Morris was one of the better true point guards that left his mark on both ends of the game. Morris was hounding opponents with his relentless on-ball defensive pressure, leading to numerous turnovers and easy transition points at the Pangos All-American Preview. Morris loves to get into his opponent’s dribbling space, has lightning-quick hands to poke the ball from his man, and great footwork to stay in front of his opponent regardless of how many times they try to shake him. Offensively, Morris has impressive ball-handling skills, keeps the ball on a string while surveying the court, makes nice use of the change of speed to get his defender off-balance, and is one if the more crafty finishers around the basket, as he finds ways to get buckets over taller players in the paint. Morris continues to improve his accuracy from the 3-point line and has a nice stop and pop mid-range floater that he gets to fall frequently. Just recently got his 1st official offer from Sacramento State.
Trent Perry 6’4″ 2024 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood CA)
Perry, the other sophomore from Harward-Westlake in attendance at the event, was not to be outdone by his fellow high school teammate in Robert Hinton, as he would put on a shooting clinic in multiple games and was also named co-MVP of the Pangos All-American Preview. Perry has a solid handle on the ball, makes proper use of the crossover move to create separation from his defender, has the moves to get to his shot spots where he is accurate from fifteen feet and beyond, and has good body control for crafty finishes around the basket. Perry has a nice shooting form, can catch fire from the perimeter in a hurry, and is lights out from the 3-point line once he starts heating up. Perry finished with 7 threes in his 3rd showcase game and was very efficient from the field throughout the event, as he earned a spot in the Cream of the Crop Top 30 Game. Harvard-Westlake will have a lot of firepower next year from the dynamic sophomore duo to go along with Brady Dunlap and the rest of the squad.
Dylan Purnell 6’6″ 2023 Tennessee Prep Academy (Memphis TN)
Purnell made the trip from the Southern portion of the U.S. and his game and skill set did not disappoint, as he showed his ability to impact the game on the perimeter, around the basket, and on the defensive end. Purnell has good size and strength as a wing/guard prospect, he has good bounce to control the boards, has the handles and court vision to push the ball off the glass in transition, and was able to find teammates routinely up the court. Purnell makes good uses of the long crossover to get his defender off-balance, able to get downhill once his opponent is on his heels, the physicality and length to finish with consistency at the rim over bigger players, or find teammates with the slip pass around the cup. Purnell showed consistency from the 3-point line, and with his size and skill he was a match-up problem, as bigger players did not have the foot speed to stay in front and smaller perimeter players did not have the strength to handle him once he was within fifteen feet of the basket.
Quincy Rhymes 6’5″ 2024 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas NV)
Rhymes is a lengthy and fluid guard/wing that made an impression out of the gates in the first round of games, as he scored 20 points and pulled down 8 rebounds. Rhymes, another intriguing long-term guard prospect with size and skill, showed off his all-around ability to score the ball and do it at a high level at the Pangos All-American Preview. Rhymes has a large wingspan that he uses to his advantage on both ends of the court. Offensively, Rhymes has nice handles, makes great use of the crossover to shake his defender, and uses the full extension to finish at the rim when he has his man beat. Rhymes has a smooth, fluid shooting form and is accurate from the 3-point line and the mid-range game. He is most effective when he is on the attack to get to the mid-post, where he can stop on a dime and has the lift and length to shoot over taller defenders in the post. Rhymes is confident with the ball in his hands and has improved as a playmaker since I last saw him at the Pangos All-West Frosh/Soph Camp back in September. I like the fluidity and control of pace that Rhymes plays with.
Tyrone Riley 6’5″ 2024 St. Matthias/St. Pius (Downey CA)
Riley was not able to attend the first day of the camp, but made his presence felt on Day 2 and earned a spot in the Creme of the Crop Top 30 Game. Riley impacts the game in a variety of ways on both ends and has good size and skill to play the 1-3 position on offense effectively. Riley never looks rattled on the court, plays with good pace and poise when the ball is in his hands, he has the handle to push the ball up the court, which is helped with his activity on the glass. Riley has nice moves to create off the perimeter, good strength and length to finish through contact around the basket, and is a volume scorer that can fill it up from fifteen feet and beyond. Riley has strong hands on defense and gets into his opponent’s dribbling space to create turnovers and easy offense. Riley is particularly good when he has the 3-ball going, which opens up the court and allows him to get in his bag and attack the basket.
Benjamin Roseborough 6’4″ 2024 Prolific Prep (Napa CA)
One of the better-known Sophomore prospects at the Pangos All-American Preview was Northern California native and elite bucket getter Ben Roseborough. I have been fortunate to see Roseborough multiple times since he was in middle school, and as his overall game continues to evolve, one thing remains the same, he flat out knows how to score the rock. Roseborough averaged over 20 points per game throughout the event, but his signature game came in the second round of play, as he went for 28 points and connected on 5 threes. Roseborough has tight handles, has nice shift on his moves to evade his defender, weaves through traffic to get to his signature mid-range fadeaway jumper, or can use his physical build to bully his way to the basket where he is a creative finisher around size. Roseborough is at his best when he is hitting from the 3-point line, as he has limitless range beyond the arc, which opens up driving lanes where he is nearly impossible to defend, as he is a legit 3-level scoring threat. Roseborough truly benefitted from attending the Pangos event and put his game in front of a lot of eyes that matter.
Jeremiah Whitmore 6’6″ 2023 Fountain Valley (CA)
Whitmore was punishing the rims all weekend long at the Pangos All-American Preview. Whitmore is a superior athlete with an impressive physical build that allows him to impose his will on smaller, skinnier defenders. Whitmore is a monster on the boards, using his quick bounce and length to corral the ball from taller players, likes to get out and push the tempo in the open court, and excels in transition. He has enough handle to get downhill off the dribble, and once he makes that move he is able to bully his way to the rim for contested finishes at the basket. Whitmore is effective from the 3-point line, which creates more opportunities for him to attack off the perimeter. He has the size to defend post players, and the athleticism to guard on the wing. Whitmore impacted the game in a variety of ways all weekend.
Notable Players that also played well:
6’8 2023 Zyier Beverly (Washington of Los Angeles/CA)
6’10 2023 Juslin Bodo (Southern Cal Academy/CA)
6’3 2024 Mister Burnside (Paraclete of Lancaster/CA)
6’9 2023 Isaiah Chappell (Crossroads/Santa Monica CA)
6’8 2024 Ryan Enos (Cathedral Catholic/San Diego CA)
5’9 2023 Giovanni Goree (Viewpoint/Calabasas CA)
6’11 2023 Martin Gumwel (Rancho Christian/Temecula CA)
6’11 2023 Cyprian Hyde (Vista/CA)
6’5 2024 AJ Johnson (Taft/Woodland Hills/CA)
6’5 2025 Shamar Jones (Southern Cal Academy/CA)
6’5 2025 Alexander Lloyd (Westminster Academy/Fort Lauderdale FL)
6’3 2023 Kelcy Phipps (Bishop Montgomery/Torrance CA)
6’4 2023 Will Smith III (Bishop Montgomery/Torrance CA)
6’10 2024 Steven Solano (Donda Academy/CA)
