CHANGING THE GAME: Pangos All-American Camp surpasses expectations; Flory Bidunga of Kokomo (IN) bags Most Valuable Player honors

LAS VEGAS – Leaving a legacy is the theme of the 21st Pangos All-American Camp.

Pushing talented players to another level is the goal and for a select few—maybe up 10—will make it to the NBA. That’s the dream and it started over the weekend for the second consecutive year at Bishop Gorman High School.

More than 150 members of the media and 27 NBA scouts eyeballed the latest crop of schoolboy phenoms for three days, starting on Sunday through Tuesday afternoon. Camp director extraordinaire Dinos Trigonis culls the some of the top Division I-bound student-athletes from coast to coast. He delivers them without a mention of their athletic shoe brands or club team status.

It’s the last major camp in existence that plays by those rules and gives the players exposure to college scholarships. Refreshing!

The camp was guard heavy, especially ones at least 6 feet 4 inches. The deep reservoir of talent was rated by insiders as one of the best in recent memory.

Flory Bidunga, a 6-9, 210-pound center from Kokomo (Ind.), was named the camp’s Most Valuable Player. He is the second straight Hoosier State player to take home the honor following last year’s performance by Xavier Booker of Cathedral (Indianapolis), who is entering his freshman year at Michigan State in the fall.

Bidunga, who plays for Indiana Elite on the adidas circuit, has taken unofficial trips to Indiana, Butler, Purdue, Michigan State, Michigan and Cincinnati. He’s taken officials to Auburn and Florida of the SEC.

On the opening night of camp, a local kid announced he’s headed to a Mountain West Conference powerhouse. Taj Degourville, a 6-5 rising senior at Durango (Las Vegas) says he’ll sign with national runners-up San Diego State. He chose the Aztecs over Oklahoma, UNLV, USC and Iowa. He also had offers from Loyola-Marymount and VCU.

Finally, there were some notable absentees from Pangos for various reasons. Caleb Holt, Brandon McCoy, Jalen Montonati, Jayden Quiantance, Koa Peat and Tyran Stokes, all from the Class of 2026, are involved with USA Basketball U16 National Team playing at the FIBA Americas Championship in Mexico this week.

Injured players from the Class of 2024 were Ryder Elisaldez, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas); Tyrone Riley, St. Pius/St. Matias (Downey, Calif.), Amier Ali, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) and Luke Bamgboye of Dream City (Scottsdale, Ariz.).

Top 30 Cream of the Crop

The 30 top players at camp are listed here. Rob Wright and Vyctorius Miller from the Blue team were MVPs and Mercy Miller and Ahmad Nowell represented the Black team. All players are from the Class of 2024 unless denoted.

In the all-star game, the Black team won 167-130. Eleven players from the winner pumped in double-digits led by Ahmad Nowell with 19 points, including a trio of 3-pointers.

Blue Team

6-0 Rob Wright, Montverde (Fla.) Academy: He was selected for the second straight to the Top 30. This past season played at Ss. Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia) and is a Baylor commit. He’s the ultimate point guard with elite court vision, playmaking skills and ability score from the perimeter to alleviate the pressure from his teammates. Montverde will give him plenty of top-flight competition as a senior.

 6-4 Trent Perry, Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.): He’s a combo guard who can handle and score with the best of them. Mostly Pac-12 schools on are his recruiting radar but that will change later this summer.

 6-4 Jalil Bethea, Archbishop Wood (Warrington, Pa.): One of the top players from talent-rich Philadelphia Catholic League. Bethea is one of those players with a high ceiling and does a lot of everything: score and defend. Involves his teammates and will take over when the game is on the line. Power-6 offers are on the table.

 6-4 Vyctorius Miller, AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.): Another player from a powerhouse prep program that competes in the prestigious National Interscholastic Basketball Conference. Miller has slippery moves when attacking the paint. He’s quick and will take charge at any time.

 6-5 Jasper Johnson, Link Academy (Branson, Mo.): While at camp, Johnson announced on Twitter he transferred to Link from Woodford County (Versailles, Ky.). That’s to bump up to the NIBC competition on a national level. His performance at Pangos was solid too. Johnson is a scorer and he can do it at all three levels. A quick release and quick rise give him an edge on defenders.

 6-5 Eric Freeny, Corona (Calif.) Centennial: Freeny was flying under the radar with several mid-major offers but UCLA offered and he committed in April. He’s one of the better shooting guards. At Pangos, he was playing good defense on the perimeter.

6-6 Tounde Yessoufou, St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.): Only a junior, the small forward averages a double-double at St. Joseph. He hails from the West African nation of Benin. Plenty of offers and time to get better on the wing. Exception rebounder who gets in position to snare it. Good power moves inside and strokes the 3.

 6-6 Hudson Greer, Lake Travis (Austin, Texas): Another junior who has a stick-it-your-face jumper because of a quick, confident release. Don’t snooze on Greer because he may camp out on the three-point line but will blow by you in a flash. A big wing with a big upside.

 6-7 Naasir Cunningham, Overtime Elite (Atlanta): One of the top athletes in the Class of 2023, Cunningham is a schooled player with exceptional, refined skills. Explosive on his first three steps and can score on the fly or beyond the line. The New Jersey native has offers aplenty.

 6-7 Derrion Reid, Grovetown (Ga.): The Peach State is one of the top recruiting states, period, and Reid is maybe the best. He provides deep range on his 3-pointers but attacks the rim with ease. He’ll often guard the opponent’s top players. That’s why Kansas, Creighton, Georgia, Alabama and Georgia Tech are among his recent offers.

 6-9 Darrion Sutton, Accelerated Prep (Denver): A long, thin Californian and rebounder, Sutton is a stud and a great get. He attacks the boards at both ends with ferocity and will rock the rim when there’s carom awaiting. He’s a rapidly developing post.

 6-9 Thomas Sorber, Archbishop Ryan (Philadelphia): Sorber is one of three Philadelphia Catholic League players on the Blue team and four from the City of Brotherly Love to earn Top 30 accolades. He’s already a key piece for recently hired coach Ed Cooley at Georgetown. He runs the floor well and possesses good foot work and power moves in the paint.

 6-9 Flory Bidunga, Kokomo (Ind.): The Pangos All-American Camp MVP is quite an honor and the Hoosier earned it. He’s top-5 recruit and shoo-in for the 2024 McDonald’s All-American Game next March. Bidunga is built for the post with long arms and muscular arms. He defends the rim, redirects shots, possesses a big-time court IQ and is explosive. A joy to watch.

 6-10 Jaden Toombs, Dynamic Prep (Dallas): He has a college physique and looks the part of a 4 or 5. Thrives in up-tempo and loves the open court. Attacks the rim and has a nice handle for a big. The junior has a nice touch near the basket and his foot work is on the rise.

 6-10 Pape N’Diaye, Trinity International (Las Vegas): N’Diaye is thin and wiry, meaning he’s got to hit the weight room. He has long arms and reads the angles well when rebounding. Serious shot blocker. He has an endless motor, sprinting downcourt and can pull up to hit the mid-range and 3-pointer. Has offers from several schools, including Boise State, Xavier, Colorado, Kansas, Arizona State, Central Florida and Utah State.

Black Team

 6-0 Ahmad Nowell, Imhotep Prep Charter (Philadelphia): One thing’s for sure, the four Philadelphians made an impression this week here. Nowell was a co-MVP on the Black Team. He plays for Team Final on the Nike EYBL circuit. Nowell is a crafty combo, who can play with the ball or off it. His perimeter game is soaring and he defends two positions.

6-1 Tahaad Pettiford, Hudson Catholic (Jersey City, N.J.): The Auburn recruit is a consummate playmaker and set-up man, thinking pass first. However, he’s an offensive scoring threat too. Solid defender and 3-ball specialist will win many games in the SEC.

 6-3 Johnuel “Boogie” Fland, Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.): What a player from perhaps the best league in the country (save NIBC). He was one of the elite players at Pangos and has Michigan and North Carolina in his crosshairs but no college decision yet for the combo guard. Indiana is next on his list. Fland is a proven scorer and facilitator. The NBA scouts were on high alert when he came within 30 feet of the hoop. That’s high praise for the future pro.

 6-4 Mercy Miller, Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.): One of the top point guards has already verballed to Houston and should be a welcome addition as the Coogs transition to uber-talented Big 12. Miller has a high arcing shot from the perimeter and consistently knocks down the 3-pointer. His defending is improved.

 6-4 Labaron Philon, Baker (Mobile, Ala.): Philon is quick in the transition game and makes good decisions, meaning a sharp basketball IQ. That’s a plus. So is his fluid release and mid-range game. Earlier this spring, he was named Alabama’s state player of the year (second time) and decommitted from Auburn. The Pangos showing adds to his dossier.

 6-5 Larry Johnson, Huntington (W.Va.) Prep: The lefty has power moves in traffic and finishes at the rim. He slashes, slithers and can score the basketball with consistency. The superior athlete plays above the rim.

 6-6 Cam Scott, Lexington (S.C.): One of the camp’s MVPs, Scott had a breakout week in Nevada. He’s already participated at USA Basketball’s national team training camps. Show leaderships skills and keeps the team in check. His footwork is a plus and court vision another for 2-guard. South Carolina might have the recruiting edge heading into the summer.

 6-6 Rakease Passmore, Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.): A couple of things stood out at Pangos. Passmore defended his position unlike others. He also fought through screens showing toughness and commitment to stopping an opponent. The wing man has a good court sense and drains the 3-pointer when needed.

 6-6 Kon Knueppel, Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee): For some reason Knueppel caught our eye. Nothing flashy but brought toughness of a midwestern winter storm or winds whipping off Lake Michigan. He’s gotten Big Ten written all over and the fight of an overlooked Missouri Valley Conference recruit, who wants to prove them all wrong. Knueppel is a shooter and makes good decisions. It appears Notre Dame, Ohio State, Louisville and Virginia top his list. It’s still early.

 6-6 Isaiah Abraham, St. Paul VI Catholic (Chantilly, Va.): The athletic combo guard/forward has honed his craft for three years in the DMV and the powerful Washington Catholic Athletic Conference. He’s a clutch player who has delivered when needed. He’s a noted rebounder and can score in and out. A valuable future chip for the likes of Virginia, Villanova, Georgetown, Marquette, Connecticut, Tennessee and Kansas State.

 6-8 Tyler Betsey, St. Thomas More (Oakdale, Conn.): After checking in at Pangos, Betsey visits the nearby and reigning national champions Connecticut Huskies from June 9-11. Duke and Alabama are also in play. Betsey can stroke it with the best of them. Deadly accurate from distance and can stretch the defense.

 6-8 Ryan Jones, The Rock School (Gainesville, Fla.): Jones attends the same school that produced current NBA MVP Joel Embiid. Jones is more suited for the perimeter and is a marksman from beyond the arc. He’s a rhythm shooter who can fill it up from the mid-range to the 3. He’s big wing and brings it every night.

 6-9 Robert Miller, Pasadena (Texas) Memorial: The athletic power forward has nice size for the position. He rebounds and steps out for the jumper. His passing skills in the high post and wing were a plus at Pangos. This is a player to keep an eye on this summer. The P5s are on him but where he lands is anyone’s guess.

 6-10 James Brown, Link Academy: Brown is already committed to the North Carolina Tar Heels and they are getting a dandy. The Chicago native recently transferred from St. Rita (Chicago) and will fit in nicely at Link, the reigning Blue Star Media Elite 25 National Champions and NIBC member. Brown finishes with either hand while possessing nifty post moves. His passing is another big man plus.

 7-0 Emmanuel Stephen, Dream City Christian (Glendale, Ariz.): Stephen was truly one of the top bigs here. He unleashes a bounty of head fakes to create space and will drill the short fadeaway. He especially applies the pressure inside and plays with an edge and protects the rim. He’s long and physical and that’s why Kansas, Seton Hall and Arizona State are on him.

 7-2 Moustapha Thiam, DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.): The junior center is long, lean and mean are the rim. He runs the floor with big strides and finishes at the iron. His wingspan is an intimidating factor with shooters thinking twice. Work in progress but the natural gifts are there and need honing. Size does matter.

Cream of the Crop Top 60

The Top 60 were the second cut of player that were recognized for their play over the three days. The players were determined by a panel of national evaluators. MVPs were Jase Richardson of Bishop Gorman; Styles Phipps of St. Mary’s (Phoenix) and Jamari Phillips of AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.). Phipps was a Top 60 selection a year ago.

In the Top 60 All-Star Game, the Blue team beat the Black, 124-105.

The Top 60 players by Black and Blue rosters (all players are from the Class of 2024 unless denoted).

Blue Team

6-0 junior Jalen Reece, Oakridge (Orlando, Fla.); 6-2 Styles Phipps, St. Mary’s; 6-3 Jase Richardson, Bishop Gorman; 6-4 Mikey Lewis, Accelerated Prep (Denver);m6-4 Brayden Burries, Roosevelt (Eastlake, Calif.); 6-4 Nathan Guerengomba, South Kent (Conn.) School; 6-5 Robert Hinton, Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.); 6-5 Taj Degourville, Durango; 6-6 Joson Sanon, Vermont Academy (Saxtons River, Vt.); 6-6 Kendyl Sanders, St. Bernard (Playa del Rey, Calif.); junior 6-7 Nikolas Khamenia, Harvard-Westlake; 6-8 sophomore Brannon Martinsen, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.); 6-9 junior Aleks Alston, Kenwood (Chicago); 6-9 Tyler McKinley, Link Academy; 6-10 Matt Gilhool, Long Island Lutheran (Brookhaven, N.Y.); 6-11 Aiden Sherrell, Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.).

Black Team

6-2 Adam Njie, Cardinal Hayes (Bronx, N.Y.); 6-2 John Mobley Jr., Bishop Gorman; 6-4 junior Alexander Lloyd, Westminster Academy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.); 6-4 junior Darius Adams, Manasquan (N.J.); 6-4 Jamari Phillips, AZ Compass Prep; 6-5 junior Jamier Jones, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.); 6-6 junior Elzie Harrington, St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.);  6-6 Drake Powell, Northwood (Pittsboro, N.C.); 6-6 Jaiden Glover, The Patrick School (Hillside, N.J.); 6-7 Pharaoh Compton, AZ Compass Prep; 6-7 junior Shon Abaev, Calvary Christian (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.); 6-8 Keitenn Bristow, Holliday (Texas); 6-8 Kanon Catchings, Brownsburg (Ind.); 6-8 Matt Hodge, St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.); 6-9 junior Dewayne Brown, Hoover (Ala.); 7-1 Khaman Maker, Trinity International (Las Vegas); 6-9 Lathan Sommerville, The Skill Factory (Atlanta).