Rivals.com's West Coast swing continued on Saturday as we started near Disneyland in Anaheim for the Double Pump Tournament before ending late at night back at the Pangos Sweet 16. The day saw point guards such as Casey Benson and Jordan McLaughlin stand out, while a pair of twins from Las Vegas helped to engineer a bit of an upset.
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McLaughlin shines
Last month, Jordan McLaughlin played really well at the Nike Elite 100. The 5-foot-11 point guard from Etiwanda (Calif.) High showed a high skill level and an aptitude for getting his teammates the ball in the right place at the right time.
Playing with Prodigy Elite Red at the Pangos Sweet 16, McLaughlin again showed all of that. But the four-star rising junior also showed much more.
While he's not the biggest point guard out there, well above-average athleticism and quickness are big parts of McLaughlin's game. He is always in attack mode and pushes the tempo, keeping his defenders on their heels. His jumper is dangerous, he goes right or left, and he's also a pest on the defensive end of the floor.
Asked fir his school list, a tired McLaughlin mentioned USC, UCLA and San Francisco but said he wasn't entirely sure of what new interest was coming his way. If the stands with coaches from places like Washington State, Gonzaga, Arizona, San Diego State, UNLV, Utah and many others are any indication, McLaughlin has a lot more attention coming his way.
Benson a skilled floor general
Over at the Double Pump tournament, Casey Benson of the Double Pump Elite 2014 team had himself a fine day as he helped his squad reach the finals of the 16-and-under division.
A 6-foot-2 point guard from Tempe (Ariz.) Corona Del Sol, Benson is one of the more highly skilled point guards out there.
Benson is at his best navigating the high pick-and-roll. Because he's a very good shooter, defenders can't afford to go underneath ball screens. Additionally, Benson is a natural righty who plays basketball as a southpaw, and because of that he's very good with either hand, which in turns opens up the floor.
"I think I'm a guy who is a leader out there," said Benson. "I just try to make the right play, whether it be for myself or for one of my teammates out there."
Allen twins key big win
At the Pangos Sweet 16, Dinos Trigonis' Belmont Shore team is the host team, and they were the pre-tournament favorites. Saturday night, The Magic had a little something to say about that as Las Vegas (Nev.) Centennial's twin guards Marcus Allen and Malcolm Allen led their squad to a win.
The bigger of the two at around 6-foot-3 or so, Marcus is a bit more of a shooting guard but can run the point if needed. Malcolm is slightly smaller than his brother and checks in at about 6-foot-1 and spends the majority of his time running the point.
Saturday night, their positions didn't matter because they were both making plays. Their drives to the basket, timely jump shooting and spirited defense allowed them to jump out on Belmont Shore early and then hold on late for a wire-to-wire win.
Both of the twins are outstanding students, and they were watched closely by head coaches from Northern Arizona, Santa Clara, San Francisco and Colorado. The duo are no brainers at the mid-major level and could get more serious looks from high-major programs if they finish July playing like they've started.
Power forward Jack WilliamsClick Quick hittersHere to view this Link. of the Double Pump Elite 2014 squad isn't the thickest of four-men, but he is very agile and has a high skill level. In particular, Williams is a very good face-up jump shooter. He reported offers from Colorado, Arizona State and Rice to go with interest from Harvard, Arizona, Stanford, St. Mary's and Pepperdine. During June, Williams visited Colorado, Arizona State and Stanford.