We took in all three days of last weekend’s Pangos Spring Spectacular and reviewed our notes to take a deeper look at 10 players who stood out at the NCAA sanctioned event during the first of two spring viewing weekends of 2015.
Justin Bassey, Colorado Academy (Denver, Col.)/Colorado Elite 6-4 2016
Had a solid weekend displaying the ability to push the ball in the open court as a wingman. He can play (and guard) the two or three and offensively can finish. He’s also crafty around the rim. He’s a Harvard commit and will fit in nicely in the Ivy League. Teammate Riley Welch (Bergen Catholic/6-0/2016) also played well at the event.
Rylan Bergersen, Borah (Boise, Idaho)/Hoop Dreams Idaho 6-4 2016
He plays with the disposition a scrappy kid with limited athleticism, but the more you watch him the more you realize he’s a good athlete with “some go.” He’s creative player and a good perimeter shooter to boot. Has quality grades and his father (Roberto Bergersen) also is his travel ball coach and played at Boise State.
Reggie Chaney, Liberty (Frisco, Texas)/Proskills Elite 6-8 2018
Just as his travel ball running mate Kyler Edwards did, Chaney made quite an impression playing in the main division of the event with a team made up of all 2017 and 2018s expect for 6-5 forward Kobe Wrice, a 2016 from North Dallas. The Proskills Elite older team competed at the EYBL. Has all the makings of a Top 150 power forward prospect and with normal progression of his shooting touch, will have his choice of big-time suitors.
Aleczander Check, Centennial (Bakersfield, Calif.)/California Chaos 6-2 2017
Once he learns to tone down the high-risk passes, Check will be on his way to becoming one of the best players in California’s Central Valley regardless of class. The combo guard prospect has a solid frame and knows how to score in a variety of ways. He’s also known for his clutch play and helped Centennial win multiple games with big fourth quarter performances.
Tarik Cool, Desert Vista (Phoenix, Ariz.)/AZ Aces Elite 6-2 2016
Confident point guard can get to his spots on the floor because he isn’t easily bothered by defensive pressure. Knows how to distribute and can shoot the perimeter shot at a high rate. This past weekend, he really shot it well. Is reported with a 3.4 GPA.
Kyler Edwards, Bowie (Arlington, Texas)/Proskills Elite 6-3 2018
Not only does he have excellent size for a young lead guard prospect, he already has a strong frame and carries it well. At times he’s prone to the freshman decision-making mistake, but he’s quite advanced for his class. He’s a good rebounder with a solid jumper and can change direction well while making good plays in the open court or in a half court setting. A national-level recruit and easily one of the top overall prospect in the event.
Scott Everman, San Marcos (Santa Barbara, Calif.)/L.A. Rockfish 6-6 2016
A player who we had a chance to evaluate during the regular season, he showed improved athleticism around the basket. He’s a solid face three-man with a solid, square stroke. We weren’t aware he had the jumping ability and the timing around the rim that he displayed at the Pangos Spring Spectacular. At times he can get out of his element by trying to do a bit too much, but overall he’s a sleeper low D1 prospect.
Tim Harrison, Parker (San Diego, Calif.)/Gamepoint Elite 6-8 2016
Developing nicely into a low-high to high-major prospect with an improved offensive repertoire. It was good to see Harrison expand his shooting range and he even executed a couple of half hooks that looked like natural moves. Harrison has an impressive wingspan and was rebounding in traffic and generally in a more aggressive nature than in the past. What will really take Harrison’s game to the next level would be an improvement in guarding wing players.
Antanas Krimelis, Phelps School (Malvern, Pa.)/Lithuania Elite 6-5 2016
On a team with plenty of D1 prospects who attend high school or academies in various parts of the country, Krimelis was the most explosive perimeter player. A natural shooting guard, Krimelis got by plenty of defenders and finished at a high level. He’s a good athlete who can cover ground off his first step. In one game, he went for 30 points and scored the game-wining lay-up in the closing seconds. He came in with interest from Penn and Hofstra but you can expect his recruitment to pick up going forward.
Ethan Thompson, Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.)/Belmont Shore 6-3 2017
Helped Belmont Shore capture the 17U Invitational with consistent play on both sides of the ball. Thompson with instincts and length, Thompson has a chance to be a standout defender, as he got is hands on plenty of balls in the passing lanes or when ball-handlers tried to throw entry passes in his area. The younger brother of Oregon State signee Steve Thompson Jr., Ethan has always been a quality shooter, now he just needs to clean up his intermediate game (involved in too many charge/block situations for a scorer of his caliber) to have a chance to be an All-American as a senior.
Note: Listed alphabetically; Only report only includes players with remaining high school eligibility. No class of 2015 players or post-graduates are included. There were many standouts who fall in this category.
Ronnie Flores is the Publisher and Editor of GrassrootsHoops.net. He can be reached at ronlocc1977@yahoo.com. Don’t forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores
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