Frank Burlison

LAGUNA NIGUEL – With the all-important June competition in front of NCAA Division I coaches just around the corner, there were two top-notch boys’

basketball events held in Anaheim and Long Beach over Memorial Weekend.

*The host program came away with top championships in the Magic Memorial (held at the Open Gym Premier facility just around the corner from the Magic Kingdom), with the Compton Magic 17s, 16s and 15s adidas 3SSB-affiliated squads bagging those divisions.

*And, at McBride High in the east side of the LBC, the Nothing But Net Memorial Weekend Showdown/presented by Pangos showcased a litany of the best that the classes of 2026, ’27 and ’28 have to offer in Southern California next season – as well as during the Section 7 (Mesa, AZ) and Cali Live (Ladera Ranch Sports Center) over the final two weekends of June.

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LONG BEACH – Buzzer-beating 3-pointers decided the Pangos Best of SoCal Spring Showcase’s final two boys’ basketball games Saturday at the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church gymnasium.

In the first, Tyler Lopez of Los Alamitos hit a turn-around shot over the outstretched hand of Joseph Wicker of Millikan with three seconds to go to lead the white jerseys past the black, 75-74.

In the second, Alexandros Alexakis – who is from Greece and attends SoCal Academy – hit a shot from mid-court as the buzzer blared to help the white jerseys to another win, 79-78.

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MESA, AZ – Six 17s boys’ basketball teams finished the first weekend of the 2025 Nike/EYBL 3-zip after play wrapped early Sunday afternoon in the Arizona Athletic Grounds Sports Complex.

The Merritt Division’s Team Takeover, Oakland Soldiers, New York Rens and New York PSA were 3-0 while Team Why Not and CP3 were unbeaten in the Raveling Division.

As expected, the Team Takeover-Utah Prospects showdown was the most competitive game in the division Sunday, with the team based in the Metro-DC area prevailing in overtime, 82-78.

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MESA, AZ – A couple of “2-0 East vs. West showdowns” are set to take place Sunday morning in the Athletic Grounds complex on the final day of the first weekend of the 2025 Nike/EYBL boys basketball spring and summer season.

Team Final of Pennsylvania takes on the Oakland Soldiers on Court 3 while the Utah Prospects face Team Takeover (from the Metro DC area) on Court 14, in a couple of Merritt Division 17s games set to tip at 9:30 a.m.

Four top-tier prospects in the Class of 2026 will lead the respective squads, Jason Crowe, Jr.

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MESA, AZ – The Utah Prospects – after winning consecutive 17U championships on the adidas/3SSB spring and summer circuit – didn’t waste any time Friday night showing they are well-equipped to challenge for the ultimate team hardware against Nike/EYBL competition as well.

The Tim Davis– and Lynn Lloyd-led program, whose move to the Nike grassroots program was announced on Oct. 11, faced JL3 (the Houston-based program fronted by NBA legend John Lucas) in their EYBL debut Friday on the first day of the first EYBL spring session in the Arizona Athletic Grounds.

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