High school: McDonald's All-American 2018 recap

The nation's top high school talent was on display this week, with the McDonald's All-Americans in action last night.

Basketball at the high school level gets more and more impressive each year. The 2018 McDonald's All-American selections still have (literally) huge shoes to fill, as they follow in the path of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Skylar Diggins, DeMar DeRozan, Brittney Griner, Vince Carter; the list is ridiculous.

Below is the full list of 2018 participants:

One of the first things that stands out on the list would be the four Duke commits on the boy's side. Three of them (Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett, and Cameron Reddish) are predicted by ESPN to go 1-2-3 in the 2019 NBA draft. We see you, Blue Devils. Kansas had three commits itself, with Kentucky, North Carolina, Oregon, and Vanderbilt all having two commits from this squad.

Last night's games in Philips Arena (home of the Atlanta Hawks) were predictably fun on the girl's and guy's side of things. Though they get a couple practices in, the teams are typically a little disjointed to start. They begin to find their groove as the game goes on, which is what happened in these games. Once they are in the flow, they are some of the nation's finest after all.

Nassir Little (UNC commit) showed out in this one, winning MVP. Unfortunately, Zion Williamson appeared to tweak his leg a bit, so we hope that he comes away unscathed. Overall, there were plenty of high-flying dunks to make up for some suspect shooting much of the night.

The girls seemed to have an easier time finding rhythm, as ball movement and shot-making were more prominent than in the boy's game. Both were competitive, yet playful; ideal for this All-Star style of game. Christyn Williams took home MVP honors. Guess where she has committed to playing college ball. Yes of course: UConn.

The announcers of the boys game seemed to think that this was a little too remniscient of previous NBA All-Star games, with too much dunking and not enough competition. Opinion: there was so much dunking because these are athletic, long, young men that were wanting to show out against each other. These guys have been competing all year, that is how they got here. Let them bounce!

Speaking of bounce, you have to check out the dunk contest below. It includes a nice shake-up, which you just have to see to believe.

Not every one of these players will go on to achieve greatness, but you can count on several from this group busting out and making splashes on basketball's largest stages.

For more high school basketball as well as college and the pros, keep it locked to The Basketball Movement.

Missouri high school champions

High school basketball has officially wrapped up in Missouri.

With the close of the class 4 and 5 championships over the weekend, 2018 high school basketball is in the books. Some local teams made a splash, while a few champions are from the complete other side of the state.

Below is a very quick overview, highlighting some area finishes and all of the respective state champs. Let's dive into the results, starting with class 1.

Class 1:

Boys: Walnut Grove was able to march all the way to the state championship after beating the undefeated North Andrew. They fell to second in the state, losing to Eminence.

Girls: Wheatland defeated Mountain Grove to advance to the final four, where they lost to Mound City with Craig. Mound City with Craig won the state championship while Wheatland won third.

Class 2:

Boys: Van-Far high school (about 60 mile NE of Columbia) took the class 2 championship by defeating Hayti. Hayti defeated the Purdy boys, who took 4th in state.

Girls: Neelyville defeated Skyline and then Mid-Buchanan (whose boys team took third) to claim the state title.

Class 3:

Boys: Mountain Grove defeated Springfield Catholic to advance to the final four, where they wound up finishing third. Hogan-Prep Academy won the championship.

Girls: A local champ! Strafford defeated Licking to earn a trip to the state championships. They defeated Whitfield before dominating California 77-36 to earn their state championship. Congrats, ladies!

Class 4:

Boys: Logan-Rogersville lost out on their final four dreams dropping their game to Grandview, who would go on to win the championship.

Girls: Carl Junction had to settle for second, losing out to Incarnate Word Academy in the championship game.

Class 5:

Boys: Parkview could not quite squeeze into the final four, losing out to Rock Bridge, who went on to take third. Webster Groves defeated Chaminade for the class 5 state title.

Girls: Kickapoo had the looks of a champion, defeating Nixa, Camdenton, and then St. Joseph's academy en route to the state championship. They were defeted there by Kirkwood, while St. Jo's took third.

NBA looks to eliminate the "one-and-done"

With NCAA teams under fire for rule violations related to amateurism and preferential treatment, the NBA seeks to pave a new path for elite players.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is currently looking into changes in the way the NBA interacts with top high school talent, according to a report by ESPN's Brian Windhorst. This is of course a large step, as the league is not currently allowed to do so, requiring players to be 19 or a year removed from high school before entering the league.

Nothing conclusive has come from the Commissioners office, though we will likely hear more in the coming months. These restructuring initiatives of course hinge on the recent scandals surrounding NCAA and youth basketball. 

Between the multitude of jobs around the league and the infrastructure provided by the G-League (formerly the D-League), paid positions or playing opportunities certainly abound. There are several options here besides just reducing the required age to 18 again.

“We’re spending a lot of time on [youth basketball]. I think there is a big opportunity, on a global basis, focus on elite players in terms of better training, better fitness, so that they ultimately can be successful at the highest level.”
— Adam Silver

The above is a quote from the Commissioner given over All-Star weekend, though talks have recently accelerated due to the FBI investigation of the NCAA.

The takeaways thus far are simply that the NBA, the top global basketball league, is taking close note of the happenings at every level of the sport. More will be coming on this, likely once the NCAA tourney has ended. Stay at The Basketball Movement for everything high school, NCAA, AND pro basketball for more.

See ESPN's full report here.

 

 

Highlight factory - High school edition

As high school basketball winds down, let's take this opportunity to look back at some highlights that stood out this year.

We are in a time in which video sharing is at an all-time high, and high school basketball clips are not an exception. High school footage used to be rare, but we now have the benefit of getting to see all of the top plays from around the country.

Through various outlets such as ESPN, SLAM, and MaxPreps, we have the benefit of insight into some of the nations top playmakers. There are a few that have really stood out in the highlight world.

It is no secret that Zion Williamson of Spartansburg, South Carolina is destined for basketball greatness. The 17 year old is 6'7" and 272 pounds. That is a lot of mass to get up in the air as high as he does. Check out some highlights of the now three-time state champ and Duke commit below:

Another highlight reel star that we have seen emerge is Mac McClung, point guard for Gate City, Virginia. He recently passed Allen Iverson for the most points in Virginia state history.

At 6'2", McClung is a three star collegiate prospect (Georgetown commit) that is certainly not on the level of Williamson. He has still managed to grab headlines with some head-turning plays. Check out a few below:

Of course there are dozen of high school players at this point who are capable of putting up highlight reel footage with their basketball prowess. This is just a taste of what is out there and we could not be more excited about the continued elevated play of the young players around the world.

For some videos of of Basketball Movement players going at it, b-ball knowledge bombs, and more, check out The Movement on Youtube.

For more high school content and vids, stay right here at The Basketball Movement - High School.

Max Preps top 25 high school teams

We are going to keep this simple. We have the updated Max Preps top 25 high school teams in the nation - take a look.

There are a couple of newcomers in Max Preps top high school rankings this time. Gonzaga Prep (Spokane Washington) and Plymouth Whitemarsh (Plymouth Meeting, Washington) break into the top 25.

Brandon Roy, formerly an All-Star guard for the Portland Trailblazers has been coaching his head of in Seattle, Washington with Garfield High. He suffered his first loss as a coach, previously having won 51 straight. They still sit at 18 on the list.

The top five teams remain unchanged and look like locks for the GEICO National tournament. Below is the full top 25 list straight from MaxPreps.com

1. (last week 1) Montverde Academy (Fla.), (32-0)

2. (2) Sunrise Christian Academy Elite (Bel Aire, Kan.), (21-2)

3. (3) Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), (36-1)

4. (4) University (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), (28-1)

5. (5) Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.), (26-0)

6. (7) Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.), (27-2)

7. (9) Shadow Mountain (Phoenix), (23-1)

8.  (10) McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.), (25-2)

9.  (11) Simeon (Chicago), (25-3)

10.  (12) Guyer (Denton, Texas), (34-1)

11. (13) Memphis East (Tenn.), (17-3)

12. (14) Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.), (27-4)

13. (15) Clarkston (Mich.), (14-1)

14. (18) La Lumiere (LaPorte, Ind.), (21-3)

15. (8) St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.), (25-2)

16. (22) Upson-Lee (Thomaston, Ga.), (27-0)

17. (19) Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia), (24-2)

18. (6) Garfield (Seattle), (24-1)

19. (20) Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.), (25-4)

20. (21) Wesleyan Christian Academy (High Point, N.C.), (26-5)

21. (24) Cretin-Derham Hall (St. Paul, Minn.), (20-1)

22. (25) South Bend Riley (South Bend, Ind.), (21-0)

23. (NR) Gonzaga Prep (Spokane, Wash.), (23-0)

24. (17) DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), (25-5)

25. (NR) Plymouth Whitemarsh (Plymouth Meeting, Pa.), (24-0)

Remember to keep an eye out for more high school basketball updates from The Basketball Movement.

Player movement - High school edition

There have been some signings recently, so let's take a look at where some of the top high school ballers in the nation are headed.

Examining the ESPN High School Top 100 list, the column that displays where the players have signed is starting to really fill in.

The list is of course a little subjective, as each player brings a different skill set and will fit with each team differently. Analytics still come into play and it is one of the most comprehensive lists available.

The thing that jumps out right away is the top three player's college selection.

Duke is still a premier destination for top high school talent

Next to each of the top three player's we now see a big blue "D" symbol for Duke. With the recent commitment of Spartanburg's Zion Williamson (number two on the list), Duke appears to have locked up the nation's top talent.

Playing for coach Mike Krzyzewski is a big draw for young players. Krzyzewski's national titles and Olympic coaching tenure means that he is as experienced as it gets and has worked with all-time great players.

Duke has also signed number twelve player, Tre Jones of Apple Valley High School. We cannot forget Kentucky of course, who has plucked the sixth, seventeenth, and twenty fifth ranked players. Kansas has three players in the top thirty as well.

Who has yet to sign?

There are only three players remaining in the top 25 that have yet to commit to a school.

Number five on ESPN, McDonalds All-American Romeo Langford of New Albany High school has yet to decide, though he has offers from Indiana, Kansas, and Vanderbilt.

Number seven, Anfernee Simons (great name) of IMG Academy has twelve offers, three of which are from his home state of Florida. He had committed at one point to Louisville, but the recent scandals steered him away.

Number sixteen, E.J. Montgomery of Wheeler High School currently has five offers but has also drawn attention from Duke and Kentucky, so he may hold out for a little while longer.

Check out the full list at ESPN and keep it locked to The Basketball Movement for continued updates.

TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS: JOSH ANDERSON TALKS ABOUT W. KENTUCKY’S BEST RECRUITING CLASS IN SCHOOL HISTORY

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Josh Anderson showcased why he is a major part of what is widely considered the best recruiting class in Western Kentucky history as his Madison Prep squad competed at the 2017 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions.

A 6’4, 175-pound 2017 wing player, Madison Prep Anderson is considered a four star recruit by most publications. He brings the ability to score and play above the rim.

He and7’0 2017 big man Mitchell Robinson form what very well could be the best recruiting class in school history. Robinson is a five star recruit who is already projected as an NBA lottery pick in the 2018 draft by NBADraft.net.

“I was really comfortable when I went to Western Kentucky,” he said. “I really enjoyed the coaches and the campus. The recruiting class they had was another huge reason. When I found out that Mitchell Robinson committed from Chalmette, La., that was pretty big.”

Anderson played throughout the offseason for Louisiana Elite and raised his profile immensely on the grassroots circuit. He has helped Madison Prep start the 2016-17 season 16-2.

“During the AAU season I was trying to get better on both sides of the ball. I really wanted to improve my on ball defense and getting my jumper up with Louisiana Elite.”

Anderson chose Western Kentucky over Arkansas, Baylor, Flordai, LSU, North Carolina State and numerous others.

His Madison Prep squad competed against Greenforest, Ga., for fifth-place on Saturday after losing to Findlay Prep in the first round on Thursday and posting a win over local team Republic on Friday.

“It’s big to play in a tournament like this because you get to go up against other big time programs and players,” Anderson said. “You get to see where you are at as a team and an individual.”

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TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS: MEMPHIS EAST 2018 ALEX LOMAX HITS BIG SHOT

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Memphis East guard Alex Lomax’s game is all heart and on Friday, he showed out with one of the biggest shots in Tournament of Champions’ history, knocking down a long 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat national ranked Montverde in a semifinal game.

A 5’11, 190-pound 2018 guard, Lomax answered a bucket by five star 2019 Montverde guard RJ Barrett with a 3-pointer at the buzzer to end the game and give Memphis East a 59-56 win.

Lomax has a host of Division I offers and says he brings passion and energy to the court.

“I am a dog first, I don’t bow to anyone, I really don’t care if you’re a top player or even if you’re not a top player,” Lomax said. “I feel like it’s my life on the line and I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do to survive. That is what my coaching staff has taught me and how I was raised up.

“Offensively, I am going to make sure my teammates are happy because in basketball if you’re teammates are happy on offense, they’re going to be extra excited on defense. I always put others above myself and make plays. At the end of the game, I just try to put myself in the best situation. If I have to I to take the last shot I will, and if I have to pass it to the next person I will. I try to put others first and recognize the situation.”

Lomax said playing for former NBA legend Penny Hardaway at Memphis East has been a special experience as Memphis East has had an opportunity to travel the country and play in a host of high profile events.

“Memphis East high school is a regular, neighborhood high school,” Lomax said. “That’s not not what it is to coach Penny. To him, Memphis East is Memphis University, it’s a high school, but basically a college. He is showing us that inner city kids, we don’t have to go to prep school. We can stay right in the city and play basketball and have the right mindset and be prepared for college.

“He prepared us for the season and we can’t do anything but just thank him.”

Lomax competed for Team Penny has helped prepare him for the Tournament of Champions and a tough schedule. He competed on the 17U circuit as an underclassmen.

“Playing against top guards in the country like Trae Young and Quade Green, that just motivated me,” he said. “Playing against guys that are better than me motivated me to get better and get to where they are and get better than they are.

“If I can play with those guys, I can play with anybody.”

He currently holds offers from Memphis, Ole Miss, Florida, Seton Hall, LSU, UMass, Temple and California, and has drawn interest from Arkansas and Tulsa.

TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS: MEET RJ BARRETT, THE NATION’S NO. 1 PLAYER IN THE 2019 CLASS

SPRINGFIELD — The nation’s premier players in the Class of 2019 showed off an impressive arsenal of skills at the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions held at Missouri State in Springfield

RJ Barrett, a long, athletic 6’7 point guard that can rebound, pass, handle the ball and create plays, Barrett has already created a significant recruiting buzz drawing a host of high major offers.

A native of Mississauga, Ontario, Barrett spent the offseason competing for UPlay in the Nike 16U EYBL and says the experience helped make him a better player.

“I was trying to work on my shooting and a little bit of everything,” he said.

Barrett said competing in the Tournament of Champions in front of some of the largest crowds any high school event will draw was a good experience. Montverde knocked off local favorite Kickapoo in the first round and advanced to face Memphis East in a semifinal contest. Memphis East is among the nation’s top ranked high school programs and have already split a pair of games this season against Montverde.

“It was a good atmosphere especially with us playing a team from Missouri,” Barrett said. “Just great to play against such great competition in a great tournament against good teams.”

Barrett said he lets his dad and coaches handle his recruiting, but has offers from Baylor, Kansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, UCLA, USC and Missouri where the TofC is being played. On Thursday, Kentucky head coach John Calipari was in attendance to watch Barrett after watching Kentucky signee PJ Washington compete in the previous contest.

Barrett says he enjoys watching some of the NBAs best players and tries to implement elements of their game into his own.

“In the NBA I like to watch LeBron James and James Harden because they are both great leaders and can score the basketball so that’s who I try to get my game like.”

Montverde features a slew of high level players with several players already committed to high major college programs. Barrett says the team has high expectations for the remainder of the season.

“We have a lot of potential,” he said. “We are close on and off the court and most importantly we play a lot of great defense so that gives us a great chance to win a lot of games.”