Rotary making Pangos event a “Seattle Showcase”

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ST. GEORGE, UT – Day II of the Pangos Rocky Mountain Hoops Summit was more of the same:

End line-to-end line dominance by the Seattle-based Rotary program’s six teams here, and impressive play by one of the elite Class of 2022 post players, were on display in the Nets of Fire Sports Facility from early Saturday morning until almost Sunday morning.

Rotary’s top squad, the Black 17s, throttled two more Southern California-based teams (San Diego’s Border Boyz and Long Beach’s Belmont Shore) – 79-61 and 97-64, respectively.

In doing so it continued to build an on-court resumed presenting a strong case as to why it could have been the top Nike-fronted Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) team in the organization in the spring and summer if not for the COVID-19 pandemic.

The team, led by three of the Top 20 prospects in the national Class of 2021 in Paolo Banchero (who plans to sign with Duke), Kaden Perry (Gonzaga) and Nolan Hickman (Kentucky), plays its final game Sunday afternoon at 12:40 against Sacramento-based College Prep Academy (also 3-0 through Friday and Saturday).

Six-foot-nine Jaxon Kohler (pictured) crushed opponents inside the lane and along the baselines while leading Think Swish 17s to wins over The Players’ Program (Modesto Christian players) and the Border Boyz (San Diego San Ysidro players).

Like its two Saturday opponents, Think Swish is also made up entirely of players from one high school program, Utah’s American Fork.

Many in crowd for the Think Swish-Border Boyz clash – including the hoard of those that document, digitally, everything the kid does short of brushing his teeth – followed nearly every movement by the nation’s most hyped player from the Class of 2023, Mikey Williams.

But it was Kohler (who attended Coronado High in Las Vegas as a sophomore), who provided the highlights and dominance in the game.

Kohler (unofficially) scored 28 points with 18 rebounds after going for 16 and eight in a first half that ended with his team up by 18 points.

Williams, who scored 26 points in loss to Rotary earlier Saturday, was limited to 17 vs. Think Swish, while (again, unofficially) missing 12 of 17 shots from the floor.

Six-five junior Yaw Reneer did a terrific job throughout of the contest for Think Swish in tracking Williams – with or without the ball in his hands – and contesting every shot he attempted.