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LAS VEGAS – There wasn’t anything approach real defense – half court or transition – and offensive patience and execution were also at bare minimums.

  Yes, the 17^th annual Jordan Brand Classic – played Saturday evening in T-Mobile Arena after moving from Brooklyn – was pretty much like every other “national” prep all-star basketball game.

   But it did provide a nice opportunity to see many of the top freshmen in the 2019-20 college season – and, no doubt, many of the top picks in the 2020 NBA draft – in action together once last time.

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  LAS VEGAS – Richard Isaacs, Jr. demonstrated once more Saturday afternoon why his should be one of the first names mentioned when the discussion turns to the best high school players in the Class of 2022 anywhere.

  “Pop Pop”, who attends Coronado High in near-by Henderson, but has been raised in a whole lot of gymnasiums in Nevada and Southern California, dictated both the pace and outcome during the Vegas Elite EYBL’s squad’s 86-64 victory over Southern California-based Strive for Greatness at Bishop Gorman High for the championship of the 16-team bracket, 16s’ division of the Pangos Easter Classic.

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LAS VEGAS – “Defense” might have been an abstract concept but the Vegas Elite EYBL clash with the Southern California-based ICAN All-Stars Friday afternoon in the 17s division of the Pangos Easter Classic at Bishop Gorman was chalk full of hoops entertainment value.

   The Las Vegas-based team, which begins Nike/EYBL spring action next week in Georgia, led by double figure-margins most of the way but then held off a furious ICAN rally to prevail, 101-98.

    The EYBL is led by high-profile members of the Class of 2020 in Josh Christopher (Lakewood Mayfair), Julian Strawther (Henderson Liberty) and Noah Taitz (Bishop Gorman), as well as one of the five-best prospects in the Class of 2021 in Jaden Hardy (Henderson Coronado).

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  IRVINE – The West Coast-based adidas-fronted boys’ grassroots programs made their 2019 debut on the athletic apparel company’s “Gauntlet” spring and summer circuit over the weekend at the Momentous Center.

   And The Usual Suspects were outstanding, notably Evan Mobley (Rancho Christian), Jaylen Clark (Corona Centennial), Dalen Terry (Phoenix Hillcrest) from the Compton Magic 17s, Kyree Walker (Phoenix Hillcrest), Dominick Harris (Rancho Christian) and Makur Maker (the senior 7-footer from Orange Lutheran who just joined the program) from Dream Vision’s 17s.

   The second session of the Gauntlet Series will be held in Dallas (April 18-20), where the Compton Magic, Dream Vision and San Diego-based Game Point programs will be joined by other western-based “adidas” squads such as Team Lillard (Bay Area), Exum Elite (Utah), Billups (Colorado), Team Lavine (Washington) and the new, Portland-based Maurice Lucas 20 Enforcer program.

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  ANAHEIM – Its 17s squad – the runner-up for the Nike-sponsored Peach Jam title last July – didn’t come to Orange County for the fourth Southern California Spring Tip-Off this past Saturday and Sunday at the American Sports Center.

   But, just beginning Year II of its existence, the Russell Westbrook-fronted “Why Not?” Elite Youth Basketball League program continues to look to be on a firm foundation.

   That was apparent, based upon the performances of the program’s 16s and 15s squads at the American Sports Center.

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