WESTMINSTER, Ca. – The theme of the 2018 Pangos All-West Frosh/Soph Camp that was established on Saturday at Westminster High didn’t wasn’t derailed during Sunday’s final day of the event.
A camp that numbers Lonzo Ball, Russell Westbrook, Jrue and Aaron Holiday, Tyler Dorsey, Brandon Jennings, Jaylen Hands, Jarryd Bayless and many, many other among its alumni may never have had as many top-level guards at one time as were on hand over the weekend.
And that point was illustrated adroitly in the Top 30 Crème of the Crop all-star game Sunday afternoon.
The squad wearing white jerseys pulled away from its black jersey-wearing counterparts, 102-86, in a game in which the very best of the guards in the 200 player-plus event demonstrated why they stack up well with the nation’s elite backcourt prospects in the classes of 2021 (sophomores) and ’22 (freshmen).
Sophomores Isael “Isa” Silva (Jesuit, CA, Carmichael) scored 26 points with four rebounds and four assists and Devin Askew (Santa Ana Mater Dei) added 20 points – including six 3s – to go with five rebounds and five assists for the winning squad.
The black jerseys were led by sophomore T.J. Wainwright (Santa Monica; he was at Culver City as a freshman) and freshman Richard Isaacs Jr. (Henderson, NV, Coronado) who scored 18 and 14 points, respectively. The left-handed Wainwright hit four consecutive 3s in the first half.
The 6-foot-4 Askew came into the event touted as the No. 1 western point guard-prospect in his class and he performed to that level in his three camp games (with “USC”) and in the Top 30 Crème of the Crop all-star game.
But, in the camp games and top all-star clash, the 6-3 Silva and 6-0 Zaon Collins (Las Vegas Bishop Gorman; he played with the black jerseys Sunday afternoon) offered ample on-court documentation as to why they need to be firm parts of any debate about the top spot in the 2021 western PG debate going forward.
Going into that final game, my perspective was that Askew, Wilhelm Breidenbach (Askew’s 6-8 Mater Dei classmate), Isaacs and Silva were each worthy of overall “Most Outstanding Player” for the entire camp designation.
And what transpired in the game didn’t leave making a MOP decision any clearer.
Ultimately, here’s how I sorted it out:
Camp Most Outstanding Sophomore: Silva (PICTURED). He was the best passer/open-court decision maker in the camp. And, at least in that final game, he scored as easily (notably from, but not exclusive to, long-range jumpers) as did two exceptional scorers at the position – Askew and Isaacs – did.
Top 30 All-Star Game Most Outstanding Player: Askew. He hit four of five attempts from 3-point range in the first half. And, in the second half, he hit consecutive 3s while being checked by the best on-ball defender in the camp in 6-3 sophomore Jahmai Mashack (Etiwanda).
Camp Most Outstanding Freshman: Isaacs. This kid has played in every western-based event of note (and national ones, as well) over the past year. And it seems as if he has never had an off game – much less off weekend – in that stretch. It’s nearly stunning that a high school point guard can be this polished before he’s even played a high school game!
Camp Most Outstanding Sophomore Post: Breidenbach. Cool tidbit: The next two guys I’d put in this category, Nick Davidson (Santa Margarita) and Paxton Burzell (JSerra), like Breidenbach, also attend high schools that are members of the Trinity League which also includes Bellflower St. John Bosco, Orange Lutheran and Anaheim Servite.
Camp Most Outstanding Freshman Post: As was the case with Breidenbach, this was an easy call by way of Kijani Wright (L.A. Windward). Wright was a member of the Compton Magic’s 15s squad last spring and summer while Breidenbach starred for the program’s 16s club.
They matched up on multiple possessions in a camp game Sunday morning and although Breidenbach’s Arizona State team (which included Isaacs) prevailed over Wright’s Arizona team, Wright competed and executed pretty well against a guy who has a season of high-level high school competition on his resume.
Wright was credited with nine points and six rebounds and Breidenbach four and five while playing for the winning squad in the Top 30 game.
Another Compton Magic 15s’ standout, guard Dylan Andrews, played very well in the Top 60 All-Star contest.
Wright and Andrews could give Coach Colin Pfaff and the Windward program the best “2022 duo” in Southern California in 2018-19.
And, one last note about Etop Udo-Ema’s Compton Magic organization: What other grassroots program can currently claim five “bigs” under its umbrellas of the caliber of Onyeka Okongwu (Chino Hills) and Isaiah Mobley (Temecula Rancho Christian) of the Class of 2019; Evan Mobley (Rancho Christian) Class of 2020; Breidenbach of 2021 and Wright of 2022?
Barring any stunning balloting, each is on target to become a McDonald’s All-American in his respective graduating class.
Six Other Sophomores Who Are Better Than Most Realized before Saturday: (alphabetically) John Christofilis (Seattle O’Dea); Reece Dixon (L.A. Dorsey); D.J. Johnson (Hayward Moreau Catholic); Marsalis Roberson (Oakland Bishop O’Dowd); K.J. Simpson (West Hills Chaminade) and Grant Tull (Gridley in Northern California).
In the Top 60 All-Star game, Andrews (24 points), Mike Anderson (a sophomore guard from Philadelphia’s Roman Catholic), Daniel Rouzan (a sophomore from Bishop Gorman with a strong low-post offensive sets of skills), A.J. Burgin (a sophomore guard from San Diego High) and David Elliott (a sophomore guard from Lake Balboa, CA, Birmingham) were among the standouts as the white jerseys edged their black jerseys-counterpart, 106-104.
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