Cassidy Awards: MADE Hoops WestMania
NORWALK, Calif – WestMania presented by MADE Hoops attracted some of the top grassroots teams on the West Coast and beyond to Orange County over the weekend, and the event was loaded with high-level prospects turning in impressive efforts Rivals national analyst Rob Cassidy was on hand for the event and doles out some awards based on notable performances he saw.
*****
RUMOR MILL: Top prospects converge on MADE Hoops WestMania
2024 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2025 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team
2026 Rankings: Top 100
TRANSFER PORTAL: Latest news | Transfer search | Transfer tracker/player ranking (football) | Transfer team ranking (football) | Transfer tracker/player ranking (basketball) | Transfer team ranking (basketball) | Rivals Portal Twitter
*****
UNLIMITED RANGE: Jason Crowe Jr.
Crowe’s reputation as an elite scorer has grown over the last year, as the California-based guard exploded for multiple 40 and 50-point games during the high school season. On Saturday afternoon, it was business as usual for the 2026 star, as he led a loaded Team Why Not in scoring with 20 points. It was the fact that there doesn’t seem to be a limit to his range, however, that was most head-turning. The game saw him knock down four 3-pointers, three of which came from beyond NBA range. Clark is a threat to pull up from anywhere in the half court and puts tremendous pressure on defenses to know his whereabouts at all times. Crowe is also gifted when it comes to creating shots for himself. Crowe’s defensive motor has improved in recent months, which showed through his ability to terrorize passing lanes with his long arms on Saturday. It’s worth keeping in mind that 6-foot-3 Crowe is one of the youngest players in the 2026 class and may add additional length before he hits a college campus.
Recruitment: College coaches are not permitted to contact prospects in the class of 2026 until June 15, but Crowe already holds an offer from UCLA. The five-star guard says he hopes to hear from programs such as UCLA, USC, Arkansas, Duke and Kentucky when direct contact from coaches is allowed. Overseas professional options also exist for Crowe, who may seriously consider that possibility when the time comes due to his father’s positive experience going that route when he was a player.
*****
BACKING IT UP: Brandon McCoy Jr.
The No. 1 prospect in the 2026 Rivals150, Brandon McCoy led his Arizona Unity team to a Friday night victory with a performance that saw him score at all-three levels while shining as a passer as well. McCoy also impacted the game on the glass where he always manages to play larger than his frame. It was his explosive scoring that turned heads in Los Angeles, however, as he created his own shots from almost everywhere on the floor all game, showcasing a reliable floater, a reliable long-range jumper and the ability to take defenders off the bounce and to the basket on command. His Friday night outing was one of the most notable scoring performances of the weekend and helped McCoy solidify himself as the No. 1 prospect in the class at least for the time being.
Recruitment: College coaches aren’t allowed to contact 2026 prospects until mid-June, but McCoy says he already has budding relationships with UCLA head coach Mick Cronin, SMU coach Andy Enfield and Georgia Tech’s Damon Stoudamire. Expect bluebloods and other heavy hitters to become aggressive once programs are permitted to contact McCoy directly on June 15.
*****
LOTTERY LOCK: A.J. Dybantsa
Dybantsa pulled off one of the most impressive plays of the event when he causally threw down an Eastbay Dunk in his Oakland Soldier team’s Friday night game with West Coast Elite. Obviously, his weekend performance expanded beyond just one highlight, however. The hyper-athletic Dybantsa is incredibly advanced from a skill perspective for his age and seems to be becoming an even better ball handler than he was at this time last year. And while he’s still not as efficient as he’d like to be, he’s taking strides from a shot selection standpoint as well. The 6-foot-8 forward is the no-doubt No. 1 prospect in the 2025 Rivals150 and shows no signs of relinquishing his spot and is a near lock to be drafted in the lottery come 2026.
Recruitment: Dybantsa took an official visit to Auburn last month and programs such as Kansas, North Carolina and Duke are also involved to differing extents. Arkansas is also expected to make a play for the five-star forward, as John Calipari has been laying groundwork with Dybantsa for some time.
*****
STOCK UP: Winters Grady
Grady is a shooter’s shooter and showed just how lethal he can be from deep on Friday night, as his 3-point snipping almost single handedly kept Jalen Green Elite in the game against Arizona Unity. The four-star guard is more than just a specialist, however, as he flashed a high-level motor and some toughness on the defensive end, where he made physical plays and routinely contested shots at the rim. Grady has become a much more apt shot creator in the last year and has proven his skill set goes well beyond being a reliable catch-and-shoot option. Currently ranked as the No. 66 prospect in the Rivals150, Grady could leap into the top 40 or so if he continues on his current trajectory.
Recruitment: UCLA, Oregon and Indiana are all involved with Grady as things stand but it seems likely that new programs will push into the fray this summer. Washington has also offered, but it’s unclear how hard the Huskies are pushing at the time.
*****
YOUNG SNIPER: Levi Oakes
Oakes isn’t going to wow anyone with his physical traits, but the 2027 guard is a promising young shooter that could become much more than that if he adds size and becomes more comfortable taking defenders off the bounce in the years ahead. The 6-foot guard knocked down eight 3-pointers to lead his independent Build Your Own Way squad to a win over Nike EYBL program Strive for Greatness on Saturday. Oakes has a relentless motor in addition to his reliable long-range stroke and made mostly wise decisions with the ball in his hands on Saturday, avoiding turnovers and never dribbling himself into trouble. The effort was one of the event’s most impressive 3-point shooting performances and put Oakes on the the radars of those in attendance.
Recruitment: Oakes is just a freshman and is yet to receive a scholarship offer.
*****
THE FINISHER: Kayden Edwards
There were few more consistent finishers at the weekend event than Edwards, who is developing a reputation for circus-like layups and the ability to convert buckets off the high glass. On Friday night, Edwards looked explosive, taking defenders off the bounce and doing his thing at the rack once he arrived there. He came on a bit from long-range at the end of the game, but it was his work as a shot-creator and slasher that popped off the page.
Recruitment: Programs such as TCU, Oklahoma State and Arkansas are involved with Edwards, who will look into visiting each this fall.
*****
WELL-ROUNDED: Cameron Holmes
Holmes clearly added significant muscle over the last year and now checks in at a self-reported 6-foot-6, 205 pounds and his needed up frame is allowing him to impact games in more wide-ranging ways. At the event, Holmes functioned as more of a bully on the glass than he ever has before and was much more difficult to disturb with a bump. Holmes has a smooth jumper and his more reliable from the mid-range than the outside for now but that part of 2026 standout’s game is also continuing to take shape
Recruitment: Holmes recently added an offer from Stanford and seems intrigued by the opportunity, citing the combination of academics as basketball as the reason he hopes to check out the Cardinal's campus down the road. Kansas is also in frequent contact with Holmes’ high school coach. He’s already been on campus at Dayton, for whom his older brother, DaRon Holmes, plays and plans to return for a more formal visit down the road.
