Pangos Sweet 16: Underclassmen studs
The youth was served at the Pangos Sweet 16 in Las Vegas for the first NCAA Live Period of the spring in the West. Which players from the 2023, 2024 and 2025 classes caught the eye of our national editor Justin Young? These guys.
The class of 2024 wing was one of the best slashers we saw all weekend at multiple events in the West. After getting a good amount of run with Donda Academy during the scholastic season, Bahati looks like an anchor player for Belmont Shore this season. He’s a supreme slasher with a knack for getting to the iron with little opposition. When he wants to get to the rim, he will. Easily. Bahati could develop into a multi-positional defensive problem at the next level. He has the length and athleticism to make such a move. On the defensive end of the floor, Bahati creates a lot of problems because of his length. He’s always in the way for the opposition. His ceiling could be a very good three and D type at the high-major level. Oregon was posted up to see him for a couple of days in Las Vegas.
The 6-foot-6 wing from central Oregon was one of the nice revelations for us at the Pangos Sweet 16. He and his teammates claimed the 16 and under championship in impressive fashion. Carmichael plays with a swagger in the backcourt. He’s good as a shooter, slasher and scorer. He can handle and attack the rim with the dribble. Creation comes easy for him. When he touches the paint as a scorer, he finished against size. He can post up guards and score with his back to the basket. For a first impression, this was a very good one. Oregon doesn’t always produce a ton of Division I talent and Carmichael looks like a guy worth charting over the next 12 months.
After seeing him thrive at the HoopSeen West Tip-Off at the end of March, the continued upswing rolls on for the class of 2025 guard. A rolled ankle slowed him down but it didn’t keep him away from leading his team to the title game. There is a poise and a “hey, I’ve been here before” confidence that anchors his game. Kelly can score and shoot from multiple spots on the floor. He’s solidified himself as a real important player to track in the class of 2025 in the West. He keeps pushing his team to the bright lights at key events and playing very well when the spotlight chases him.
Keep a close watch on the trajectory of this young big man. In one game we saw him torch the nets with precision from three. The next game we saw him work the glass like an absolute cleaner. He plays big and strong in the paint, snatching boards with ease. He works the pick and roll like an upperclassman and knows how and where to run that action. Enos has huge hands and is strong with the ball when he’s got possession of it. There is an old school flavor to him that traditionalists will like about him. Don’t be surprised to see him rise up even more over the next calendar year.
Keep a close watch on the young guard from St. George. He was always in a play, always pushing tempo and always attached to a positive outcome. Mackey is a very good passer and controlled pace as a point guard. He is very quick from end to end and plays well in pace. He’s quick off the floor and an above average ball-handler. Mackey was one of the best sneaky explosive guards in the 17U bracket. He has great positional size and played well as a rebounder. It wouldn’t come as a big surprise if he really emerges at a bigger level here in the West this spring and summer.
