SCOTTSDALE, Az. –During his freshman and sophomore seasons at Chino Hills High in Southern California,Melo Ball was accustomed to playing in front of crowds so large that, figuratively, they had to be shoe-horned into the gymnasiums and arenas.
After spending what would have been his junior year in high school playing professionally in Europe, Ball has returned to “high school” – albeit a “prep school”, Spire Institute in Ohio – and the packed gyms have joined him.
Friday night, infront of an estimated 3,000 in Chaparral High’s gym (which, according to theschool’s head coach, was built to seat 2,800), Ball and his gifted teammatestoppled another prep school team, Bella Vista of Phoenix, 85-69, during thefeatured game of the second day of the HoopHall West.
Playing with several “high-major” college prospects, notably guard Rocket Watts (who signed with Michigan State last month) and 6-foot-9 junior Isaiah Jackson, and against at least one of the same – 6-6 Terry Armstrong, a University of Arizona signee – the 6-foot-5ish Ball was the most impressive player on the floor in a multitude of ways.
The brother of Lakers’ second-year starting guard Lonzo Ball scored 35 points as a 13-year-old in July of 2015 against an Atlanta Celtics club team that had a couple of McDonald’s All-Americans on its roster; averaged 15 points per game as a 14-year-old freshman on the Lonzo Ball-led Chino Hills team that was 35-0 and “national champion” during the 2015-16 season; and scored 92 points as a sophomore in 2017.
Although he scored 18 points (on eight of 20 shots from the floor, including a couple of 3s; there was just maybe one “what the heck is he thinking?”-type of shots that were so frequent two years ago), it was the other ways he contributed that were of particular note.
Ball – who never went out of the game until the final minute – added 10 assists, nine rebounds and five steals while committing just one turnover.
Like his oldest brother, Ball was a willing and “early” passer Friday night, finding teammates and with nary an excessive dribble, delivering crisp, on-target and catchable passes that lead directly into quality shots.
He also showed off much-improved vertical explosiveness from two years ago, soaring for a couple of dunks but, more impressively, a couple of left-handed controlled tap-ins that showed off remarkable dexterity and “feel”.
As was the case during his two seasons at Chino Hills – and while playing for his dad’s “Big Baller” club program on the spring and summer grassroots circuit – Ball was stuck in a zone defense Friday night, with Spire pressing full court and falling into a half-court zone.
But, despite never going full on “man-to-man” Friday, Ball did show off the same kind of anticipation and ability to jump passing lanes that Lonzo had at Chino Hills and UCLA and still has with the Lakers.
One game doesn’t not an in-depth “evaluation” make but there was enough on display Friday night to come away with the impression that Ball rates on the same tier with Class of 2019 point guards Nico Mannion (who was so impressive Thursday night in Pinnacles blowout over superb junior Jalen Green and San Joaquin Memorial) and Cole Anthony (of Oak Hill Academy).
But while Mannion (University of Arizona) and Anthony (likely either North Carolina or Oregon) will play as freshmen on the highest level of college hoops a year from now, it something beyond very unlikely that the NCAA will clear Ball for play because of a variety of “amateur” issues.
So, unless he (and his family) elect for him to play, say, at the NAIA or Community College level of hoops next season, Ball may consider playing in the NBA’s “Development League” a year from now before declaring, inevitably, for the 2020 draft.
And then it will be up to the league’s franchise “decision makers” – general managers, scouting directors and the like – to decide how Ball stands in comparison to Mannion and Anthony.
In the other four games played on Friday, Spokane (WA) Gonzaga Prep handled Modesto (CA) Christian, 79-63; Temecula (CA) Rancho Christian had no struggles with Chicago powerhouse Simeon, 78-59; Denton (TX) Guyer bopped Las Vegas Bishop Gorman around, 80-62; and, in the finale that following the Spire-Bella Vista clash, Phoenix Shadow Mountain rolled over cross-town foe Saint Mary’s, 86-60.
Gonzaga Prep (which faces Bishop Gorman at 4 o’clock Saturday) got 14 points, seven rebounds and assists from Gonzaga University-pound forward Anton Watson and another 23 points from junior forward Liam Lloyd (son of Gonzaga assistant Coach Tommy Lloyd).
Rancho Christian’s Isaiah and Evan Mobley combined for 34 points, 23 rebounds and 15 blocked shots to dominate Simeon at both ends of the floor.
The Mobley Brothers and their teammates will be challenged by Nico Mannion and Pinnacle at 7 o’clock Saturday.
Denton Guyer handled Bishop Gorman with surprising forcefulness, as University of Oklahoma point guard De’Vion Harmon scored 10 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter and forward Jalen Wilson (bound for the University of Michigan) added 18 points and eight rebounds.
College-bound guards Javon Blacksher (Grand Canyon) and Jaelen House (Arizona State) scored 19 points apiece for Shadow Mountain.
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