Mar 24, 2025, 11:49 AM ET
This time remaining 12 months, Montverde (Florida) Academy used to be sitting atop the ESPN SCNext Most sensible 25 highschool basketball scores after steamrolling the contest right through the common season (going 30-0) and incomes the No. 1 seed headed into the Chipotle Nationals.
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“We would gotten disillusioned the 12 months ahead of and our guys had been so motivated via that,” mentioned former Montverde trainer Kevin Boyle, who not too long ago took over as head trainer at SPIRE Academy in Ohio. “They’d preferrred center of attention at the activity to hand. Finishing the function used to be the one factor that mattered.”
The Eagles went on to assert the Chipotle Nationals {hardware}, profitable 3 video games via a mean margin of 15 issues, concluding a run that amplified the dialog that they had been the most productive workforce ever assembled.
“I believe it is transparent to any basketball man that the 2 largest highschool groups ever had been the 2024 and the 2020 Montverde groups,” Boyle mentioned. “When you took the ones guys remaining 12 months and took a few guys within the portal, you have got a valid probability to win a countrywide name.”
Is sensible for a squad that incorporated a beginning 5 that helped their respective groups succeed in the NCAA match (and for some, advance as smartly) this previous weekend, together with Cooper Flagg (Duke), Derik Queen (Maryland), Robert Wright III (Baylor), Asa Newell (Georgia) and Liam McNeeley (Connecticut).
Curtis Givens III, a freshman guard with the LSU Tigers, used to be additionally crucial piece to the puzzle, serving as a part-time starter for the Eagles remaining 12 months.
“We had by no means had that many guys depart immediately then flip round and feature this a lot good fortune in Yr 1,” Boyle mentioned. “5 of them will reasonable extra issues in faculty this 12 months than they did at Montverde remaining 12 months. So unselfish, so selfless, only a particular, particular team.”
Suppose Boyle’s name communicate is far-fetched? Here is a breakdown of the way the ones 5 novices have fared.
Cooper Flagg, Duke Blue Devils: The 6-foot-8 all-everything ahead exceeded expectancies this season, profitable ACC Participant of the Yr and Rookie of the Yr honors and incomes consensus first-team All-The us standing.
How dominant used to be Flagg? He ranked within the best 10 within the ACC in 5 statistical classes: issues (No. 3, 19.4 in keeping with sport), rebounds (No. 8, 7.6), assists (No. 8, 4.2), steals (No. 10, 1.5) and blocks (No. 8, 1.3). Flagg is projected because the No. 1 select within the 2025 NBA draft, in keeping with ESPN’s newest mock. On Sunday, he posted 18 issues, 9 rebounds and six assists to lend a hand the Blue Devils march directly to the Candy 16, rolling previous Baylor 89-66.
Derik Queen, Maryland Terrapins: The 6-foot-10 middle boasted the second-highest scoring reasonable all time amongst Maryland novices (16.3 PPG) and tests in at No. 1 in double-doubles (15) amongst novices this season. On Sunday, he scored 17 issues, together with the game-winning floater as time expired, and grabbed six rebounds to lend a hand the Terrapins advance to the Candy 16 with a 72-71 win over Colorado State. Queen is projected because the No. 10 select within the draft, in keeping with ESPN’s newest mock.
DERIK QUEEN FTW
OH MY GOODNESS 🤯#MarchMadness percent.twitter.com/06QRH6eK3R
— NCAA March Insanity (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 24, 2025
Robert Wright III, Baylor Bears: Wright beat out fifth-year senior Jeremy Roach for the place to begin guard spot right through the season, and for excellent reason why. The 6-foot-1 ground basic led the workforce in assists (4.3) and completed 3rd in scoring (11.5), incomes Large 12 All-Freshman and Large 12 honorable point out honors within the procedure. On Sunday, he posted 11 issues, 2 rebounds and three assists in an 89-66 second-round loss to Duke within the NCAA match.
Asa Newell, Georgia Bulldogs: The flexible 6-foot-10 ahead led the Bulldogs in scoring (15.4) and rebounds (6.9) en path to claiming SEC All-Freshman honors. Previous this week, he posted 20 issues and 8 rebounds in an 89-68 loss to the Gonzaga Bulldogs within the first around of the NCAA match. Newell is projected because the No. 20 select within the draft in ESPN’s newest mock.
Liam McNeeley, UConn Huskies: The 6-foot-7 wing completed 3rd at the workforce in scoring (14.2) and moment in rebounds (6.1) on his approach to snagging Large East Freshman of the Yr {hardware}. McNeeley posted a team-high 22 issues within the Huskies’ 77-75 loss to the Florida Gators in the second one around of the NCAA match on Sunday. ESPN’s newest mock tasks him because the No. 14 select within the draft.
