Held at Gibson Park in Miami’s historic Overtown neighborhood, Dinos Trigonis brought the West Coast flare from all of the nationally known Pangos event to South Florida. Blending players from countless shoe companies under one roof in a two court facility, the event was ideal for players and scouts alike to evaluate the vast amount of talent that South Florida has to offer along with the talented group of West coast sleepers from Belmont Shore to combine for an elite independent tournament on a non-shoe sponsored weekend. Teams brought the South Florida grind, size, and athleticism for what made a heavily competitive weekend of high level games in Overtown, while also providing players exposure for potential selection to the prestigious Pangos All American Camp.
While we previously featured a number of the elite seniors that the Fantastic 40 had to offer, it’s time to take a look at some of the more talented underclassmen. Despite being known by college coaches, a lot of the aforementioned players are still a bit under the radar nationally, but are undoubtedly names that you’ll be hearing sooner rather than later.
Here are a few of the top underclassmen from the Pangos Fantastic 40:
Cayden Daughtry, 6’0, PG, Florida Rebels 17U, 2027
Making his return to the Fantastic 40 after putting on a show last year, Cayden Daughtry showed why he’s one of the elite scoring point guards in the class of 2027. The state champion playmaker (for FAB 50 No. 9 Calvary Christian HS) is a straight flame thrower from deep, is far more bouncier than a year ago, and is outstanding out of pick and roll play. The five star guard may not be the biggest player, but certainly brings five star game and five star confidence to the floor every time that he laces them up.
Tai Bell, 6’2, PG, SOH Elite 16U, 2028
The son of NBA veteran Raja Bell is following in his father’s footsteps, bringing immense toughness to the court at the Pangos Fantastic 40. The super confident freshman is a lockdown defender, is a very confident scorer, and shows an IQ unlike most players his age (especially in pick and roll play). Shortly after putting on a show in Miami, Bell received his first high major D1 offer from Florida State. He also was chosen a Ballislife Underclass All-American.
Dradyne McDaniel, 6’6, SF/PF, SOH Elite 16U, 2029
Playing up two years with SOH’s 16U team, it was easy to forget that Dradyne McDaniel is only an eighth grader. The versatile lefty forward played with a super high motor, showed off a solid jumper facing the rack, and is already an impact level defender. Considered by many to be a top 10 players in the 2029 class, McDaniel has gained a wealth of experience playing in Overtime Elite League.
Kyle Sanders, 6’10, C, Belmont Shore 17U, 2028
A very interesting long term prospect, it was my first time laying eyes on Kyle Sanders and it’s easy to see why there’s such a buzz. The long armed freshman was an elite rim protector, ran the floor well, and showed the tools that you’d hope for out of a youngster playing up two years. With an older brother heading to Utah next season, Kyle certainly has the potential to follow in his footsteps at the high major level.
Brendan Fragela, 6’0, PG, Miami Basketball Academy 16U, 2029
Another eighth grader who made a serious impact at the Pangos Fantastic 40 playing up was Miami native Brendan Fragela. The lead guard possesses serious range, is capable of shooting off of the bounce or with his feet set, and has no shortage of confidence. Fragela typically runs with the Florida Rebels and shows that he can hold his own nationally, earning Cream of the Crop Top 30 MVP honors at the Pangos Jr. All American Camp.
Charlie Cohn, 7’0, C, SOH Elite, 2027
The biggest player that the event had to offer was Charlie Cohn, who has made some serious strides since we first saw him last year. The developing post utilized his length on both ends of the floor, showed solid agility in space, and exhibited really nice touch around the rim. Cohn is a high academic sophomore who keeps getting better amidst his rapid growth spurt.
