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Drummond dominates on Pangos opening day

MORE PANGOS: Spotlight on Kris Dunn
CARSON, Calif.- One of the most eagerly anitcipated events of the summer kicked off Friday night with the tip of the Pangos All-American Camp. Usually held on the campus of Cabrillo High in Long Beach, the 2011 edition has a new home at Cal State Dominguez Hills. The night's featured matchup was Rivals.com's top ranked payer in 2012, Isaiah Austin, facing off with the previous No. 1, Andre Drummond. It was a duel that started close before going in Drummond's favor.
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Friday night Pangos standouts
Andre Drummond, C (St. Thomas More, Conn.)- The 6-foot-10 Drummond couldn't have asked for a better opportunity than an opening night tussle with the player who took his top spot in the class of 2012, Isaiah Austin. Playing with an aggressive style on both ends of the floor, Drummond broke open what was a tight duel early and clearly got the better of the seven-foot Texan. Drummond worked his patented spin move, ran the floor and played strictly within 12 feet of the hoop where he used his strength, speed and quickness to dominate. Often times Drummond has floated to the perimeter and over dribbled or settled for jump shots, but not Friday. As he tends to do, he didn't speak much about a possible move to the class of 2011 or his recruitment.
Kris Dunn, PG (New London, Conn.)- Playing with his summer teammate Drummond, Dunn was outstanding in his own right. A long and athletic kid who can break defenders down off of the dribble at will, he continually stormed his way into the paint and made things happen for himself and others. Dunn also showed outstanding ability to read the pick and roll and impressed by splitting a double team, backing off the help defense and pulling up to bury a three.
Tyler Lewis, PG (Forsyth Country Day, N.C.) and Dominic Artis, PG (Salesian, Calif.)- During the evening's final game, Lewis and Artis were very entertaining. Lewis, an N.C. State pledge, got off to a slow start with some turnovers and missed jumpers. However, after a few wide open buckets in transition he got it rolling and demonstrated his high skill level and ability to create. Meanwhile, Artis continued his solid spring on the other side of the ball. He's a dancer with the ball who lulls defenders to sleep with a high yo-yo dribble before snapping off low crossover to his right or left to lose his defender and get to the paint. Artis is also proving to be a better shooter than given credit for and has benefited from improved athleticism. Bottom line, camps like Pangos are made for these little guys to entertain and they didn't disappoint.
Anthony Bennett, PF (Findlay Prep, Nev.)- The powerful 6-foot-7 Canadian had a very beneficial matchup as freshman to be Stephen Zimmerman is going to be very good but wasn't ready for the overwhelming physicality Bennett hit him with. But, a favorable matchup doesn't change how well he played and has played alll spring. It's getting to the point where all the players who aren't playing always stop by to watch him tear down rims and intimidate.
Jabari Bird, SF (Salesian, Calif.)- A lot of young wings could learn a thing or two from the approach of this 6-foot-5 rising junior. Even when he doesn't get the ball, he inserts himself into the action by crashing the offensive glass and playing passing lanes on defense. He's always good for a tip dunk or two and once he got the ball passed to him he showed much more off of the dribble and as a jump shooter than we had seen so far this spring. Bird listed offers from Arizona, Cal and Washington along with interest from Oregon, Louisville, Texas, Stanford and others.
More Friday night notes and noteables
We first saw Chad Rykhoek a month or so ago and were impressed with his size, good skill level and ability to run. After a second look, the 6-foot-10 big man from Arlington (Texas) Grace Prep impressed again. He's a bit on the slender side, but has good hands and is willing to mix it up. High majors will surely track his progress this summer. ... Playing in his home state, DeMarquise Johnson looked right at home. The 6-foot-5 wing is a crazy athlete with quickness and explosive leaping ability that he uses to his advantage on the break and on slashing drives to the rim. As a jump shooter, he has a somewhat awkward windup but explodes off the floor to shoot a high releasing and high arcing jumper that finds the bottom of the net enough that you have to respect him from deep. ... Amidst all of the high-flying athletes and wild play was the rock-solid, fundamentally sound and skill-based play of Nick Stover. A 6-foot-5 wing from the class of 2012, Stover is the younger brother of UCLA center Anthony Stover and a division one prospect in his own right. He attacks the glass, plays unselfishly and does everything a coach would love to see a player do. ... Keep and eye out for Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman power forward Ben Carter this summer. The 6-foot-8 Carter nearly reached four star status when the rankings were last updated and has a good chance to get there. While very slim, he plays hard in the lane, has good skill and a great motor. ...
One of the camp's highest flyers is 6-foot-6 wing Ryan Wright. The Palmdale (Calif.) High product attacks the rim with vigor and works hard on the glass. He will be tailed closely this summer by West Coast programs from the mid major level and up. ... Rising junior wing R.J. Curington will get a chance to play a larger role on the offensive end at Oak Hill next season and the 6-foot-5 wing looks ready. The three-star prospect is a knock down jump shooter from deep and can fill a lane in transition. Clearly he's learned well during his time in Mouth of Wilson. ... We will focus more on Tevin Glass during Saturday's sessions, but the paper thin 6-foot-8 wing made several plays in transition when we looked to his court. ... Also making lots of plays whenever we looked was big man Zena Edsowoman. A well built 6-foot-8 power forward, he's got lots of length and pounds the glass on both ends of the floor. ... Finally, sophomore to be Shaqquan Aaron got it rolling late. Long and very skinny, he's been more of a spot up jump shooter when we watched him in the past. However, given the opportunity to put the ball on the floor he proved to be more skillful in creating his own shot than we would have expected him to be. ...
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