Cassidy's Takeaways: Day 2 of the Pangos All-American Camp
LAS VEGAS – One of the premier events on the grassroots calendar, this year’s installment of the Pangos All-American Camp is under way, and the talent level is off the charts as usual. Monday was the second day of action at Vegas’ Bishop Gorman High School and featured a load of recruiting news to go along with impressive performances.
Rivals.com’s Rob Cassidy was on hand and provides news and notes from the camp below.
MIRANDA SHINES, PREVIEWS GEORGETOWN VISIT
Following a 24-point effort that featured three 3-pointers and a handful of blocks, 7-footer Isaiah Miranda said he intends to visit Georgetown during the upcoming weekend and add one more summer trip before shutting things down until next year.
“I’ll probably do one more junior-year visit, but I don’t know which school,” Miranda said on Monday. “Right now I’m just ready to get to Georgetown and see it. I just want to learn about the campus and how they’ll utilize me.”
Miranda, who looked as versatile as ever on Monday, named Connecticut, USC and LSU as schools heavily involved with his recruitment for the time being. He says a number of other programs have been in sporadic contact as well.
“It’s up and down with a lot of other schools,” he said. “One week, I’ll hear from one set of schools. Next week, it’ll be different, so we’ll see.”
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BOWEN GEARING UP FOR JUNE OFFICIALS
The No. 31 prospect in the 2023 class, Taylor Bowen is set to take visits to Florida State and Providence this month and, at least for the time being, feels zeroed in on Seminoles and Friars to a certain extent.
“They’re my first two official visits and they might be the only ones,” Bowen said on Monday. “We have a live period coming up after, though, so something might change and I might take some more. But, for now, it’s them."
Arkansas and Connecticut remain in the mix, but Bowen said he is unsure if he’ll take official visits to either campus, opting instead to speak at length about his relationship with the Florida State staff. Bowen’s FSU visit is starting to seem like a possible turning point in his recruitment. If all goes well in Tallahassee, the Seminoles may become the team to beat down the stretch.
“I think I could fit in really well there with the way they play and the players they produce,” Bowen said of FSU. “I’m excited to get down there and see it.”
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JOHNSON EYES VISIT-STUFFED SUMMER
If Chris Johnson gets his way, he’ll amass a mountain of frequent flier miles in the months ahead, as the four-star guard has summer visit plans that are ambitious to say the least.
“In this month of June and next month, I’m supposed to be going to Kansas, Texas, Alabama, Arkansas and UConn,” Johnson said. “They should all happen this summer, but if they don't I’ll be taking them eventually.”
Of the visits currently on his tentative itinerary, Johnson says he’s most certain that a trip to Kansas will take place this summer, as the Jayhawks have been leading the charge on his recruitment for some time.
“They love my game and they’ve really been on me for a long time,” Johnson said of KU. “They’ve really been on me hard since the school year. I really love their coaching staff and how they play together.”
The combination of head coach Bill Self and assistant coach Jeremy Case are spearheading Johnson’s recruitment for the Jayhawks, who seem to have made a lot of headway in the race to land the four-star prospect, who is also extremely high on Arkansas.
“Coach Case is a real down-to-earth guy,” Johnson said. “He lets you know the real and doesn’t sugar coat anything for you. He’s just cool and easy to talk to.”
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YATES' STOCK CONTINUES TO SOAR
There were few players more impressive than Wesley Yates on Monday evening, as the class of 2023 guard used his thick build and quickness to get to his spots and score at will at the basket while getting to the free-throw line with regularity. Currently ranked as the No. 38 prospect in the Rivals150, Yates is set to slide up the rankings when things refresh.
It isn’t just Rivals that has taken note of the Texas-based prospect’s hot spring, however, as a host of major programs have entered his recruitment.
“I would say Arkansas, LSU, Baylor, Stanford, Auburn and Washington are probably talking to me the most right now,” Yates said.
The 6-foot-3 guard says he’ll take two more junior-year visits but has not determined destinations. Gonzaga, Arkansas, Baylor and LSU are the programs in the hunt to receive said visits and a decision on that front could come before the end of the month.