Updated FAB 50: Epic Clashes Await!

2024 CIF-SS Basketball Championships

2024 CIF-SS Basketball Championships | Image: CIF-SOUTHERN SECTION/YouTube

This week welcomes two fresh faces, spearheaded by the newly ranked No. 32 Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.). Explore further to uncover why the Knights have surged back in, surpassing 18 other contenders.

In the upcoming days, significant matchups are scheduled to determine league or section champions for esteemed teams in the most recent FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by Ballislife.com. In the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section Open Division championship clash, No. 10 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) will face off against No. 21 Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.). The result will crown a first-time winner for the prestigious sectional title.

To reach the CIFSS open championship game, teams must emerge victorious from their respective pools of four teams each among the eight selected by the section’s open playoff committee. Thus, it’s fitting that the Wolverines and Mustangs square off on Friday night at Cal Baptist University in Riverside after both squads posted perfect 3-0 records in pool play over the past fortnight.

Roosevelt, ascending one spot in this week’s FAB 50 rankings, secured its spot in the section title showdown after a hard-fought 64-59 triumph against bubble team St. Pius X-St. Matthias (Downey, Calif.) in the second pool encounter. Trailing by eight points in the third quarter, Roosevelt seized control of the contest only in the last six and a half minutes.

The junior guard and All-American contender Brayden Burries delivered a game-high 21 points for Roosevelt. Despite already booking a ticket to the section title game, the Mustangs pulled off an 80-76 overtime win over the 11-time CIF state champion Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) following a clutch 3-pointer by junior guard Isaac Williamson to force extra time.

Contemplation was given to boosting Roosevelt a few more positions, but as of now, it cannot surpass No. 20 McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.). The Indians pushed Harvard-Westlake to overtime before succumbing to the CIF’s top-ranked team in a showcased game at the Spalding Hoophall Classic on MLK Monday, ultimately losing 60-59. Naturally, the comparison between Roosevelt and McEachern may evolve in the upcoming week.

McEachern, the sovereigns of Region 3-AAAAAAA, will commence the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Class AAAAAAA state tournament favored alongside No. 40 Grayson (Loganville, Ga.), who fell to No. 39 Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.) and formidable Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.). According to our rankings, if all holds, McEachern would clash with Grayson in the GHSA’s ultimate classification state title duel on March 9.

Upon their return from Springfield, Mass., Harvard-Westlake faced adversity, tasting defeat against Mission League adversaries Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) and Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.). Nonetheless, Harvard-Westlake ascended two spots this week after a commanding 72-38 revenge victory over Sierra Canyon in their second pool game.

The Wolverines’ defense proved impenetrable last week, with role players Christian Horry and Amir Jones sinking their shots from beyond the arc, positioning the team as frontrunners to claim the CIF state open title on March 9 at the Golden One Center in Sacramento.

It’s common knowledge that Harvard-Westlake is driven to secure both the section and state open championships after seizing last year’s CIF open crown in Sacramento subsequent to failing to reach the CIFSS open final two weeks prior.

Harvard-Westlake, who avenged the earlier loss to Notre Dame this season with a 60-56 victory in the Mission League Tournament semifinals, secured their ticket to this year’s CIFSS title game with a resounding 64-40 win against No. 34 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) in their third pool encounter.

McDonalds’ All-American Trent Perry tallied 24 points, with the defense once again proving pivotal as Bosco managed a mere three field goals in the first half, trailing 29-9 at halftime in a lopsided affair.

Notre Dame emerges as the leading addition this week, despite not being selected for the CIFSS open playoffs despite splitting with top-seeded Harvard-Westlake.

Notre Dame assumes the top seed position in the CIFSS D1 playoffs and advances to the Saturday final at the Toyota Arena in Ontario against Windward (Los Angeles), the second seed, following wins over state-ranked opponents Santa Margarita of Orange County (63-50) and Redondo Union of Los Angeles County (67-60).

Notre Dame vaulted over St. John Bosco and No. 35 Salesian (Richmond, Calif.), who only suffered a defeat to Bosco in overtime. This is due to Harvard-Westlake’s dominant display in their pool victories over St. John Bosco and Sierra Canyon.

Given that the Wolverines outclassed these two teams, Notre Dame possessing a triumph over the CIF’s top-ranked team and pushing them in another contest holds significant weight in our rankings rationale. Of course, this scenario could evolve as we refresh the FAB 50 next week once more.

We strive to expedite the process as Monday evening sees the Philadelphia Catholic League final unfolding at The Palestra. The semifinals on Wednesday will feature No. 24 Roman Catholic (Philadelphia) against Father Judge (Philadelphia) and No. 38 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia) against Archbishop Ryan (Philadelphia). Roman Catholic aims to avenge one of its two defeats in the semifinals against Father Judge, who previously triumphed over Neumann-Goretti.

Simultaneously on February 26, the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) tournament championship game will be held at American University. WCAC regular-season champions and FAB 50 No. 3 Paul VI occupy the top seed spot and have only fallen to the two teams positioned above them in the nation’s lengthiest ongoing weekly national poll.

Updated FAB 50 National Team Rankings Powered by Ballislife.com

(9th poll of 2023-24 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, February 18; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included)

No.Prev.High School (City)Record
11Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)27-0
22Columbus (Miami, Fla.)23–4
33Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)27-2
44Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)17-4
55Plano East (Plano, Texas)33-0
66Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas)32-1
77Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.)22-2
88Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.)26-5
99Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)19-6
1012Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.)29-3
1110Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.)24-0
1211AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)21-5
1313IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)15-8
1414Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.)23-0
1520Fishers (Fishers, Ind.)21-1
1616St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.)25-2
1717Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)21-3
1818Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)24-3
1919Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.)21-2
2021McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)22-5
2122Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.)30-2
2223Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)25-4
2324De Pere (De Pere, Wis.)21-1
2426Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)21-2
2529Cordova (Cordova, Tenn.)27-1
2625Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)26-3
2727La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.)19-4
2828Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.)22-7
2932St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.)19-1
3030Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.)28-1
3131Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.)24-3
32NRNotre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)28-3
3315Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.)21-4
3433St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)24-7
3534Salesian (Richmond, Calif.)27-1
3635North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.)21-3
3736Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.)23-4
3837Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.)21-2
3938Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.)24-2
4039Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)25-2
4140John Marshall (Richmond, Va.)19-3
4241Westfield (Westfield, Ind.)18-2
4342Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.)26-4
4443Kell (Marietta, Ga.)23-3
4544Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.)32-2
4645Bullis (Potomac, Md.)23-2
4747Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)22-4
4848Huntsville(Huntsville, Alabama)31-2
4950Curie (Chicago, Illinois)27-2
50NRWinter Haven (Winter Haven, Florida)25-1

Dropped Out: Formerly ranked 46th Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah), and 49th Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Illinois).

Bubble Teams: Alexander (Douglasville, Georgia) 25-2; Atascocita (Humble, Texas) 32-3**; Bellevue West (Bellevue, Nebraska) 22-1; Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Virginia) 21-7; Bolingbrook (Bolingbrook, Illinois) 24-4; Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 28-4; Camden (Camden, New Jersey) 24-2; Christian (Grand Rapids, Michigan) 18-2; Christ the King (Middle Village, New York) 20-4; Dale (Dale, Oklahoma) 24-2; Dearborn (Dearborn, Michigan) 20-0; De Paul Prep (Chicago, Illinois) 28-2; East Lansing (East Lansing, Michigan) 18-2; Edmond North (Edmond, Oklahoma) 18-3; Fort Bend Clements (Sugar Land, Texas) 30-0; Garfield Heights (Garfield Heights, Ohio) 20-1; Hoover (Hoover, Alabama) 31-4; Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) 21-3; Kennedy (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) 21-0; Kokomo (Kokomo, Indiana) 21-3; Ladue (St. Louis, Missouri) 23-1; Lake Taylor (Norfolk, Virginia) 20-1; Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Indiana) 20-3; Lexington (Lexington, South Carolina) 25-2; Lexington Catholic (Lexington, Kentucky) 26-2; Liberty Magnet (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) 29-4; Lincoln Park (Midland, Pennsylvania) 19-3; Madison Prep (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) 27-3; Millard North (Omaha, Nebraska) 19-2; Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Maryland) 32-4; Newport (Newport, Kentucky) 26-3; Noblesville (Noblesville, Indiana) 19-2; North Crowley (Ft. Worth, Texas) 30-3; Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kansas) 18-0; Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Virginia) 18-4; Pascagoula (Pascagoula, Mississippi) 28-1; Pewaukee (Pewaukee, Wisconsin) 18-4; Reidsville (Reidsville, North Carolina) 21-0; Southern Guilford (Greensboro, North Carolina) 23-1; St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) 18-3; St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) 22-6; St. Joseph (Santa Maria, California) 29-2; St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, New Jersey) 24-2; St. Pius X-St. Matthias (Downey, California) 24-6; Thornton (Harvey, Illinois) 25-4; Union (Tulsa, Oklahoma) 21-2; Varina (Richmond, Virginia) 18-1; Veterans Memorial (San Antonio, Texas) 35-1; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 23-1; Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) 13-4; Wayzata (Plymouth, Minnesota).

  1. High School Sports

    Section 7: Millennium & Owyhee Make History

    For the first time in the five-year history of the Section 7 Team Camp, an Arizona club won one of the top two divisions, as Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.) went 4-0 during the prestigious June Scholastic Live Period event. Owyhee (Meridian, Idaho) also makes history capturing a team championship at the 2024 edition of the event held over the weekend at State Farm Arena in Glendale, Ariz.

    The Section 7 Team Camp is a staple on the NCAA’s June Scholastic Live Period calendar and sets the bar for how June live period events should be executed. When it comes to setting the bar for individual play, Cameron Boozer of Columbus (Miami, Fla.) set the bar extremely high in 2023 when he put on a virtuoso performance in leading his team to a major division title at the event and further cementing his status as one of the most productive high school players to come down the pike in recent memory.

    The 2024 edition of the must stop June event for college coaches, national scouts and high school teams in the West Region was a more wide open affair without a dominant top five type player leading a prohibitive favorite. With 160 teams from 12 states and well over 500 prospects who could garner some NCAA or NAIA interest at State Farm Stadium for the event put on by the Arizona Basketball Coaches Association, somebody was bound to step up and lead his team and help his recruiting stock in the process.

    The player who foot the bill in those areas was 6-foot-7 2025 (rising senior) Kingston Tosi of Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.), who turned in a spectacular performance in leading the Tigers to a 69-58 victory over Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco, Calif.) in the title game of the Legacy Foundation Bracket. Tosi, who helped the Tigers reach the 2024 Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) open division title game, netted 31 points on 12-of-15 shooting from the field against a talented Riordan team. The talented scoring wing who excels with a variety of mid-range shots in Millennium’s offense, had 19 points at halftime as the Tigers held a 42-31 lead.

    Riordan cut its deficit to six points (56-50) when Tosi went to the bench with foul trouble, but Millennium quickly re-gained its form when he re-entered the game. Riordan, which defeated Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.) in its semifinal contest, 69-57, and defeated Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), 68-52, earlier in its Saturday quarterfinal game, started hunting jump shots down the stretch to get back in the game and they didn’t fall, as Millennium maintained their lead.

    Jasir Rencher, a 6-foot-6 2025 wing with a mature game who helped his stock immensely at this event, led three Riordan players in double figures with 16 points. Riordan finished the game 1-of-15 from 3-point range, while Millennium went through its offense and got its main players good looks from the field.

    “We work on our offense alot and work to get each other open,” said Tosi, who averaged 26.8 ppg and was credited with 12 blocks in four Section 7 games. Not only did Tosi average 26.8 ppg, he might have been the most efficient offensive player in the event in terms of taking quality shots.

    “With shooters like Cam (Holmes) and Quincy (Everson), it opens up looks for me and with the guys giving me confidence, it feels like no one can guard me. We’ll see if my phone blows up (with schools calling me.)”

    Tosi definitely will see an uptick in his recruitment after his Section 7 performance and for his teammate Cameron Holmes, the 6-foot-6 2026 (rising junior) who was an underclass All-American for a 25-6 club in 2023-24, this event solidified his status as one of the best 2026 wing prospects in the national junior class. He finished the title game with 22 points, including 2-of-3 3-pointers, and shined in high profile matchups earlier in the event.

    Holmes finished with 28 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a 75-65 quarterfinal victory over Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) and its highly-regarded 2026 wing Brannon Martinsen. In the semifinals, the Tigers downed Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.), a program that won major Section 7 division titles in both 2019 and 2022, 83-57, as Tosi made 7-of-12 field goals and 8-of-10 free throws en route to 23 points. Holmes and 6-foot-1 2025 Quincy Everson, finished with 18 and 15 points, respectively. Tosi got Millennium’s successful weekend off on the right foot on Friday when he made 15-of-21 shots from the field in a 38-point performance, as the Tigers downed St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.), 84-79, in their first round matchup. Holmes finished with 18 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four blocks and four steals in his showdown with probable 2025 McDonald’s All-American Tounde Yessoufou

    With its 4-0 mark, Millennium became the first AIA club to capture a Section 7 championship in one of the two major divisions. Before this year, those divisions have been dominated by Bishop Gorman and Southern Section powers from the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF).

    Millennium being the first AIA program to be in the Section 7 spotlight is a fact Holmes did not sell short.

    “Oh my God, to go 4-0 it means alot,” said Holmes. “It means alot to have Section 7 here in this stadium, with all the college coaches and everything that is going on.”

    Millennium was not the only school to break through and earn a major Section 7 title. Owyhee (Meridian, Idaho) used terrific teamwork and outside shooting to capture the Legacy Foundation Bracket with a 83-64 victory over Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.). The visitors from Florida were the same program that lost to Columbus (Miami, Fla.) in the 2024 FHSAA Class 7A state title game and were impressive in making it to Sunday’s title game versus a school that has only been open for four years.

    The talent-laden Oak Ridge club carried only seven players, but impressed in its 75-71 semifinal victory over Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.), the defending CIF open champs and a team that lost to Columbus in the 2023 Section 7 top division title game. Perhaps the Pioneers were a bit weary playing their fourth game in three days with a limited bench, but Owyhee being a veteran, cohesive and talent-laden cub in its own right was probably the biggest factor in the outcome.

    The Legacy Foundation title tilt went back-and-fourth early and the team from Southwest Idaho that has been around a shorter period of time that Section 7 itself took a 38-33 halftime lead. Eventually, its crisp passing that led to open 3-pointers and bullish shots around the paint from 6-foot-7 2025 power forward Jackson Rasmussen led to Owyhee taking control of the game in the second half.

    Owyhee took a 44-33 lead on a conventional 3-point play by the Idaho-bound Rasmussen and never looked back from there. Rasmussen, who covers ground with the ball, has good defensive instincts and broad shoulders and can finish over both of them, had more than one conventional 3-point play and Owyhee was able to get to the spots around the key that is usually the prime real estate for success. Rasmussen finished with 24 points, six rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals for the Storm.

    While Rasmussen already has made a verbal commit to Idaho and is a terrific pick-up for the Vandals, Owyhee coach Andy Herrington is a bit perplexed (to put it mildly) 6-foot-3 2025 combo guard Boden Howell is not receiving more college interest. Herrington coins Howell a legitimate D1 basketball player and based on his performance in Arizona we whole-heartedly agree. He reports an offer from Portland, but his recruitment should pick up tremendously after Section 7 weekend.

    Howell, whose confidence permeates in all his movements on the floor and excels on corner 3-pointers and pull-ups, finished with 21 points, including 3-of-7 from 3-point range, and chipped in three assists versus Oak Ridge. Owyhee also got a big game from Logan Haustveit, a 5-foot-10 2026 guard who also excels on the gridiron. Haustveit, a terrific southpaw shooter, netted 18 points, including 4-of-9 3-pointers.

    As a team, Owyhee made 11-of-27 from 3-point range, while Oak Ridge only connected on 2-of-11. This was Owyhee’s fourth trip to Section 7 and to get the opportunity to win a championship in a top division was meaningful for its players and program. Incredibly, Owyhee traveled to Arizona for the first time for the event before the school even opened in the fall of 2021.

    “We play terrific team defense,” Howell said. “We definitely came here to let people know Owyhee can play some basketball and to prove we can play with anybody.”

    Oak Ridge was led by Providence-bound 6-foot-5 win Jamier Jones with 19 points. Speaking of Grid-Hoopers, C.J. Ingram, a 6-foot-5 2025 specimen who plays quarterback and will likely play another skill position at any college of his choice, might be the nation’s best. He showed at the recent Pangos All-American Camp and at Section 7 he could be a major contributor at a P5 school in hoops if he chose to. He was the most explosive athlete around the rim at this event, even hurdling an opponent for a dunk in its 60-55 quarterfinal win over Damien (La Verne, Calif.). Ingram, who led Hawthorne (Fla.) to state titles in both sports as a junior, finished with 13 points and eight rebounds for Oak Ridge.

    Ingram had 12 points, five rebound and three steals versus Damien, while contributing 13 points, six rebounds and three assists in the semifinal win over Harvard-Westlake. Jones and 6-foot 2025 guard Jalen Reece, the son of Oak Ridge head coach Steve Reece, each scored 18 points against Harvard-Westlake.

    Owyhee defeated Salesian (Richmond, Calif.), 58-48, in its semifinal contest as Howell led the way with 26 points. That result set up a third place game in the Legacy Foundation bracket that was a rematch of the 2024 CIF open division state title game in California. Some of the cast of characters were different, but it was still a meaningful “rematch”. Havard-Westlake had a 57-51 lead late, but Salesian’s Isaiah Davis, a 5-foot-10 2026 point guard, hit a clutch 3-pointer to tie the game with 10 seconds remaining. Harvard-Westlake’s Dominique Bentho, a 6-foot-8 2026 forward known for his work around the basket, then banked in a 14-footer from straightaway just before the buzzer sounded to give the Wolverines a 61-59 victory.

    In other Section 7 title games, St. Piux-St. Matthias (Downey, Calif.) defeated Mojave (North Las Vegas, Nev.), 83-74, in the Coco 5 Bracket. In the AZ Family Bracket, St. Anthony (Long Beach, Calif.) downed Clovis North (Clovis, Calif.), 53-51, as 6-foot 2026 guard Jayshawn Kibble nailed a 16-footer from the right wing right before time expired. In the Willeng Construction Bracket, Rolling Hills Prep (San Pedro, Calif.) defeated Campbell Hall (North Hollywood, Calif.), 67-50. In the Mayo Clinic Bracket, Crespi (Encino, Calif.) defeated Canyon (Anaheim, Calif.), 65-56.

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  2. High School Sports

    NBPA Top 100: Teamwork Makes Dream Work!

    The 30th annual NBPA Top 100 Camp closed out on Wednesday and a talented and unselfish Houston Rockets team closed out the four-day camp 9-0 after beating a talented New York Knicks team twice, including in the championship game. Camp is loaded with big men and 6-foot-10 Chris Cenac of Newman (New Orleans, La.) is named MVP among 110 campers.

    The purpose of the NBPA Top 100 Camp is to help in the development of the world’s elite high school-aged basketball players and give them a taste of what it is like to play in the NBA. The NBA is an exclusive group (there has been less than 5,000 NBA players all-time since the league’s inception) and this exclusive camp, held annual at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla., has featured some of the biggest names in basketball over the past 30 years, from the likes of Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, Jaylen Brunson, Kyrie Irving and James Harden, plus a plethora of other future pros.

    There is no doubt plenty from the 2024 crop of 110 campers will one day play in the NBA, but for now it was all about competing, learning and getting better, not to mention performing well in front of scouting representatives of every NBA team and hundreds of college coaches.

    There was roughly 11 players on each of the camp’s 10 teams coached by current or just retired NBA players going through a coaching mentorship program put on by the NBPA. The four-day camp was also one of attrition, as the participants play NBA regulation length games with NBA rules and on the last two days of the camp, each team played three games in a seven-hour period.

    When the dust settled, the Houston Rockets team used balance and teamwork to post a 9-0 record, the last one a 120-119 championship game victory over a New York Knicks team that came into the contest 6-2. It was actually the Rockets’ second victory over the Knicks, as they beat that team to start off the camp’s final day, 106-101, in a competitive game. Even though the Rockets were no stranger to the attrition themselves, they did a good job of taking quality shots, hitting their free throws in seven of nine games, and making timely 3-pointers, particularly by 6-foot-5 2025 (rising senior) point guard Brayden Burries of Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) and 6-foot-8 2025 wing Shon Abaev of Calvary Christian Academy (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.).

    The Rockets played the first contest versus the Knicks without Burries, who was arguably the top guard in attendance with his strong frame, powerful drives, timely passing, clutch shot-making and presence. Rockets coach Terrance Mann of the L.A. Clippers had others step up in his absence, as five players scored in double figures with two more on the 10-man roster going for nine points. Mike Williams, a 6-foot-1 2025 guard from Jackson Academy (Miss.) and the son of former NBA guard and Jackson State coach Mo Williams, particularly stepped up with 16 points, including 2-of-5 3-pointers and 6-of-6 free throws, to go along with six rebounds and four assists. Williams’ rebounding from the guard position, his instincts on defense and change of pace on offense was a huge lift for Mann all week at camp.

    Seven-foot-1 2025 center Malachi Moreno of Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.) matched up with all-star selection, 7-foot 2025 Eric Reibe of Bullis School (Washington, D.C.), and came up with a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds. The left-handed Reibe was the most effective player on the court with 25 points, including 3-of-6 3-pointers, and added six rebounds and two assists. Reibe has a terrific feel and plays a style similar to former Kansas great Raef LaFrentz but with more shooting range and more ground covering. Six-foot-8, 250-pound 2025 Zymicah Wilkins of Christ School (Arden, N.C.) had a great impact in both games versus the Rockets with his power game, motor and relentlessness in crunch time. Wilkins finished the first contest with 17 points.

    Burries returned for the eighth game, one in which Houston jumped out to a 29-10 lead over the Indian Pacers and never looked back in a 106-96 victory. He finished with 17 points, five rebounds and five assists. Moreno led seven in double figures with 19 points and eight rebounds. The center made all five of his free throws, but the rest of the Rockets were 8-of-18 in that second to last game.

    After shooting so well from the charity stripe in its first seven games, that performance was an omen for the final game, as weary free throw legs and the never-say-die attitude of the Knicks kept them in the championship contest in the second half after trialing by as many as 19 points early. The Rockets were without Elijah Williams, a 6-foot-6 2026 (rising junior) wing out of Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) and the son of Detroit Pistons head coach Monty Williams, for the final two games and without Mike Williams in the championship rematch, but gutted out the one-point victory after building a 64-50 halftime lead by coming up with a defensive stop after Burries missed a free throw (worth two points) with under five seconds remaining in the game.

    Reibe hurt the Rockets, in the first contest, but was neutralized more in the rematch, finishing with 14 points and five rebounds while not attempting a shot from 3-point range. Moreno matched him with 11 points and 10 rebounds, as he finished the camp with three triple doubles while missing another by just one rebound. Moreno is a team-oriented player with a great pace and understanding of the game and once he gets into his offensive move and makes his decisions on the block quicker, he’s going to be an excellent college player. While Reibe was kept in check, the Rockets simply had no answer for Wilkins in the rematch, as he kept his team in it with relentless offensive rebounding, tough shot making on the move and even hit a key 3-pointer while the Knicks were making their second half run. He finished with 29 points and 14 rebounds and impressed college coaches and the NBPA Top 100 selection committee with his inspired play.

    Burries finished the title game with 24 points, including 4-of-6 3-pointers, despite missing six of 10 free throws. As a team, the fatigued Rockets made 14-of-32 free throws, but dug deep to make 10-of-20 3-pointers. The leading scorer for the victors was 6-foot-1 2025 point guard Acaden Lewis of Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.), who made 4-of-7 3-pointers and finished the title game with 25 points, five rebounds and eight assists. Lewis impressed college coaches with his crafty offensive package, ability to finish in either direction and dominate in the half court, particularly in pick-n-roll sets. The Rockets don’t go unbeaten without Lewis’ efforts, particularly his 26-point effort in a 117-112 win over a L.A. Lakers team that might have been the camp’s second most talented one. He made 4-of-9 3-pointers in that contest and was dominant enough to over the final two days to be selected to the camp’s 10-man all-star team.

    It’s hard to envision the Rockets going unbeaten without the contributions of 6-foot-9 power 2025 forward Sebastian Williams-Adams of St. John’s (Houston, Texas) as well. In the win over the L.A. Lakers, he had an incredible 11 offensive rebounds in a 18-point, 12-rebound performance and sealed the win a pass interception and close-out dunk. Twice he came up with a defensive play, steal and dunk to seal a win for his team and joined Burries and Lewis as Rockets players on the camp all-star team. Williams-Adams literally didn’t take a bad shot all week and had 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting in the championship game win. Williams-Adams is also a complete defender and for the week shot 61-of-94 (.648) from the field in nine camp games.

    Jerry Easter II, a 6-foot-4 2025 shooting guard from La Lumiere who was our top rated performer at the recent Pangos All-American Camp, had 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists for the Rockets in the title game. Easter also contributed key defense and steady ball-handling and didn’t force it much when the shots weren’t dropping. Six-foot-8 2026 forward Sebastian Wilkins also provided quality defense and good finishing around the rim for Mann’s team, 6-foot-10 2025 power forward Trent Steinour of Lake Norman (N.C.) showed potential as a rim-runner and flashes of pop around the rim, while 6-foot-9 2026 center Moustapha Diop of the Walker School (Powder Springs, Ga.) is oozing with potential as a shot blocker and long term impact college player with a bit more seasoning.

    “It was a great opportunity to be able to coach these guys that are eventually going to be playing against me in a couple years,” said Mann. “It was dope to see the high level of competition, and I was amazed by their skill and intelligence. These kids are special and the game is getting better and better.”

    The camp had talent at all positions, but was dominated by its interior play, as teams made it a point to get its pivots involved in its offensive sets. There was some terrific individual battles, as 46 campers were listed as being 6-foot-8 and taller. When it was completed, 6-foot-10 2025 Chris Cenac of Newman (New Orleans, La.) was named NBPA Top 100 Camp Most Valuable Player. Cenac’s combination of fluidity, versatility, size and length made him stand out from a group of highly-regarded campers.

    Cenac led the camp in rebounds (11.4) and finished third in blocks (1.6). All-star selection Meleek Thomas of Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.), the recent Pangos All-American Camp MOP, was third in scoring (22.6) and first in assists (7.3). After winning two state title in Pennsylvania, Thomas recently accounted he’ll be spending his senior campaign with Overtime Elite.

    The scoring leaders in front of Thomas were 6-foot-5 wing Tounde Yessoufou of St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) at 23.1 and 6-foot-4 2025 wing Kiyon Anthony of Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) at 28.5. Anthony is the son of future NBA Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony.

    NBPA Top 100 Camp Top 5 Stock Risers

    Phillip Davis Fogle, AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) 6-8 SF 2025
    Acaden Lewis, Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) 6-1 PG 2025
    Deron Rippey Jr., Blair Academy (Blairstown, N.J.) 6-1 PG 2026
    Zymicah Wilkins, Christ School (Arden, N.C.) 6-8 PF 2025
    Mike Williams, Jackson Academy (Jackson, Miss.) 6-1 CG 2025

    NBPA Top 100 Top 5 Rising Juniors

    Tajh Ariza, Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.) 6-8 SF 2026
    Aliou Dioum, Accelerated Schools (Denver, Col.) 6-10 C 2026
    Caleb Holt, Buckhorn (New Market, Ala.) 6-4 PG 2026
    Jordan Smith, Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) 6-3 SG 2026
    Qayden Samuels, Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.) 6-6 SF 2026

    2024 NBPA Top 100 Camp All-Star Team

    MVP: Chris Cenac, Newman (New Orleans, La.) 6-10 PF 2025
    Darius Adams, La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) 6-4 SG 2025
    Kiyon Anthony, Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) 6-4 SG 2025
    Brayden Burries, Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) 6-5 PG 2025
    Oswin Erhunmwunse, Putnam Science Academy (Putnam, Conn.) 6-10 C 2025
    Acaden Lewis, Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) 6-1 PG 2025
    Eric Reibe, Bullis School (Washington, D.C.) 7-0 C 2025
    Qayden Samuels, Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.) 6-6 SF 2026
    Meleek Thomas, Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.) 6-4 SG 2025*
    Sebastian Williams-Adams, St. John’s (Houston, Texas) 6-9 PF 2025
    Tounde Yessoufou, St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 6-5 SG 2025

    *Meleek Thomas recently announced he will play at Overtime Elite in Atlanta for his senior season.

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  3. High School Sports

    Kiyan Anthony Shines at NBPA Top 100 Camp, Captivating NBA Scouts and Melo!

    Kiyan Anthony IMPRESSED NBA Scouts & Melo At NBPA Top100 Camp

    Kiyan Anthony IMPRESSED NBA Scouts & Melo At NBPA Top100 Camp

    Kiyan Anthony is certainly catching attention at the NBPA Top100 Camp, showcasing his skills with a standout performance. In one remarkable outing, he scored an impressive 34 points, leaving a lasting impression on both onlookers and NBA scouts, as well as his father.

    As we look forward to more from Kiyan, it’s clear that he is making his mark in the basketball community.

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