SPRINGFIELD, Ma. – The teams from La Lumiere School (La Porte, IN), Montverde Academy (FL), McEachern (Powder Springs, GA) and The Ranney School (Tinton Falls, NJ) turned in impressive performances on Monday’s final day of the Spalding HoopHall Classic in Springfield College’s Blake Arena.
La Lumiere (66-50/Hyattsville, MD, DeMatha) and McEachern (66-55/Temecula, CA, Rancho Christian) knocked off 1- and 2-loss opponents to remain unbeaten.
Montverde (which has only to La Lumiere – twice) handed Chatsworth, CA, Sierra Canyon only its second loss of the season, 77-58.
Sierra Canyon’s only other defeat? It was to Montverde (57-49) in an Iolani Classic game i (57-49) in Hawaii on Dec. 22.
And, behind the best “two-way” performance by a player over the past three days (courtesy Scottie Lewis), The Ranney School dominated the second half while handing Federal Way (WA) only its second loss this season, 73-63.
In the other two games played Monday, Phoenix Shadow Mountain proved to be the only (of four) western-based club to come away with a victory Monday while knocking off Fairfax (VA) Paul VI, 45-40.
And near-by Springfield Central cruised past East Hartford (CT), 70-46.
As for the “which unbeaten is better, La Lumiere or McEachern?” debate, that could be decided during the GEIKO post-season national tourney in New York (April 4-6).
That would be a match-up I’d lock into my DirecTV DVR for multiple viewings . . .
Lewis, who signed with the University of Florida in November, struggled somewhat on offense – hitting just two of six shots from the field, both dunks after steals, and committing four turnovers – as The Ranney School trailed at intermission by two points.
But heated up over the final 16 minutes to finish with 26 points, eight rebounds, four assists and six steals.
Both of his third-quarter threes came over the outstretched hand of Federal Way’s 6-9 Jaden McDaniels, who is among the very best of the unsigned players in the Class of 2019.
And Lewis just the opportunity to display once more why he’s as good a perimeter defender as there is in high school, shadowing McDaniels into a 4 of 7 shooting performance.
McDaniels (who grabbed eight rebounds with a couple of assists) scored 10 points before fouling out with 1:50 remaining.
In another terrific individual effort on Sunday, Sharife Cooper of McEachern, arguably the No. 1 point guard in the Class of 2020, dictated the pace – and, in reality, outcome – in his team’s game with the Mobley Brothers-led Rancho Christian with 27 points and four assists.
Six-foot-eleven junior Evan Mobley did his best to keep his team (which trailed by as many as 18 points in the first half) with 16 points, 15 rebounds and four blocked shots.
His senior sibling, Isaiah Mobley, didn’t score in the first half while finishing with six points, 10 rebounds and four assists.
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