LEWISVILLE, TX – The Sunday afternoon wrap-up of the 12th Pangos All-South Frosh/Soph Camp delivered a delightful – and oh-so-competitive – Top 30 all-star game at the MAC Sports Center.
When the 30 players were selected (caveat: I was one of those helping with the selections) from the 220 or so athletes in attendance at the two-day event in this Dallas suburb, it was discovered that half of those attended high school in Texas.
So, sure, why not have a “Texas vs. the USA” format for the game?
And it proved a humdinger of an affair, with the “USA” squad (seven of the 15 players were from Arkansas) prevailing, 81-74.
Most camp all-star games turn into run-and-run, “you shoot, I shoot” affairs in which “defense” takes the afternoon off.
That wasn’t the case in this instance, as players and coaches on both benches were almost always standing and vocally involved, players delivered – and received – hard fouls and players on both teams had to be coaxed into posing for a post-game, Top 30 group picture.
Yes, indeed!
Sophomore guards Gerald Doakes (Jacksonville, AR, Lighthouse) and Chanse Robinson (Grambling, LA, Lincoln Prep) were superb over the two days and especially in the Top 30 clash.
Doakes led the USA squad with 18 points, five rebounds and four assists to earn the game’s Most Outstanding Player honor while Robinson (10 points) hit the go-ahead 3-pointer in the second half and also had a big tip-in down the stretch to help USA hold off a Texas run.
Two other sophomores who national stature in the Class of 2020 should elevate after the weekend led the Texas squad in the game.
Six-foot-eight Greg Brown (Austin Vandergrift) led the way with 16 points, 13 rebounds and three blocked shots while the 6-6 Cade Cunningham (Arlington Bowie) added 12 points, five rebounds and three assists.
In the Top 60 all-star game, freshman point guard Jackie Johnson III (Wichita, KS, North) hit four 3s while scoring 14 points to help the white jersey-wearing squad to a 97-71 victory over its dark-jersey counterparts.
Six-four Grant Bulmash (Addison, TX, Greenhill) led the losing squad with nine points and six rebounds.
My selection as the Most Outstanding Player for the entire camp (each camp squad played three times prior to the all-star games) was the multi-skilled Cunningham, followed by Brown, Robinson, Moses Moody (Little Rock, AR, North) and Matthew Murrell (Memphis Whitehaven).
My choice as the Top 25 players in camp (based on performance, not just “potential”), alphabetically:
SOPHOMORES (2020)
Hayden Brittingham (6-4/Ft. Worth Crowley)
Greg Brown (6-8/Austin, TX, Vandergrift)
Cade Cunningham (6-6/Arlington, TX, Bowie)
Davonte Davis (6-3/Little Rock, AR, Jacksonville Lighthouse)
Gerald Doakes (6-1/Jacksonville, AR, Lighthouse)
P.J. Edwards (6-3/Springfield, IL, Lanphier)
Donald Ghostone (6-7/Grand Prairie, TX, Grand Prairie)
Jerry Illiya (6-6/Phoenix CSM Prep Academy)
Caleb London (6-4/Conway, AR, Conway)
Jahari Long (6-3/Houston Episcopal)
Rodney Mason (6-5/Bartlett, TN, Bartlett)
Mike Miles (6-1/Lancaster, TX, Lancaster)
Moses Moody (6-5/Little Rock, AR, North)
Chris Moore (6-6/West Memphis, AR, West Memphis)
Matthew Murrell (6-3/Memphis Whitehaven)
Jaylin Posey (6-2/Grand Prairie, TX, Grand Prairie)
Chanse Robinson (6-0/Grambling, LA, Lincoln Prep)
Jaquon Scott (6-7/Mansfield, TX, Timberview)
Julien Smith (6-3/Ft. Worth Justin Northwest)
Jordan Tillmon (6-0/Pine Bluff, AR, Watson Chapel)
FRESHMEN (2021)
Trey Alexander (6-4/Midwest City, OK, Heritage Hall)
Jackie Johnson (5-9/Wichita, KS, North)
Sekou Kalle (6-10/Louisville Aspire Academy)
Arthur Kaluma (6-7/Coppell, TX, Universal Academy)
Kamryn Waites (6-9/Coppell, TX, Universal Academy)
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