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Emphatic dunk just one of Rex Pflueger’s highlights in Las Vegas

2013 adidas Super 64

adidas

Kelly Kline/adidas

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - 2015 shooting guard Rex Plfueger (Mater Dei HS) has been a productive member of the Compton Magic program for quite some time now, and his improvement has caught the attention of many high-major programs on the west coast.

But there wasn’t as much national attention during the spring, when Pflueger and his teammates took some lumps (and dished them out as well) against older squads in an attempt to prepare themselves for July, which is the most important month on the spring/summer recruiting calendar.

Those games ultimately paid off for both the Magic, who won the 16U division at the adidas Super 64 this past weekend, and for Pflueger as he played well throughout the final evaluation period of the summer.

“We played 17’s (age bracket) all spring,” Magic 16U coach A.J. Diggs told NBC Sports. “This summer we’ve played strictly 16’s, and all of our guys have looked dominant against their age group.”

Oh, Pflueger also did this while in Las Vegas.

While the dunk was impressive, Pflueger’s game encompasses a lot more than his ability to finish above the rim. Pflueger also has range beyond the three-point line, and his athleticism is an asset on the defensive end as well. Pflueger’s play throughout the week earned him a share of MVP honors in the adidas Super 64 16U division (with teammate Cameron Walker).

“My game is to always be in motion, always high-energy and trying to get the team going,” Pflueger told NBC Sports in an interview Saturday morning. “Defensively I feel like I’m one of the leaders on this team.”

To Pflueger’s point, in the immediate aftermath of that dunk he also combined with teammate Nicholas Pete to reject Bragg’s dunk attempt on the other end.

So which play holds more value as far as Pflueger’s concerned?

“Honestly I know the right answer is to say the block but both are pretty equal just because of the hype,” Pflueger said. “The block, mainly because it stopped [their] momentum and helped get our team going.”

Given his play throughout the spring and summer, Pflueger’s recruitment was bound to take off even before his emphatic dunk. In a playoff win over the Eric Gordon All-Stars, the Magic trailed by as many as 17 points before Pflueger’s hot shooting from deep helped to spark a Magic rally for a ten-point victory.

“Mostly Pac-12 schools, and others such as San Diego State, Gonzaga, Boston College and Notre Dame,” Pflueger said when asked about his recruitment.

But just because his team’s summer is complete doesn’t mean that Pflueger’s work is done. The next step for Pflueger, according to Coach Diggs, is to further develop his mid-range game. As Pflueger works to accomplish this task, look for his recruitment to gain even more momentum heading into the fall.

Image courtesy of adidas

Raphielle can be followed on Twitter at @raphiellej.