Top Performers: Montverde Academy Invitational (Day 1)
The opening day of the 15th annual Montverde Academy Invitational kicked off and it was a fun slate.
Four games were played and as the day went on, the crowds got bigger and the players stepped up.
Here are the top performers from Day No. 1 on Thursday.
R.J. Barrett (Montverde)
It was the R.J. Barrett show in front of a sold out Montverde crowd in the nightcap. The Duke senior commit recorded a game-high 25 points in a 90-38 victory over The Villages. The 6’7″ guard/forward did everything in his power to make the Buffalo feel uncomfortable. Barrett had some highlight reel slams and hard takes to the rack. Here’s his best dunk on the night ().
Kobe Julien (Madison Prep)
It was a quiet first half for senior UL-Lafayette commit Kobe Julien with four points. He broke out in a large way in the second half to finish with a 23 point performance in a 73-61 win over Miami Christian. At 6’6″, the Madison Prep forward has ideal size and his mixture of post moves and jumper ability make him a reliable layer.
Neftali Alvarez (Miami Christian)
Switching jerseys from No. 2 to No. 44 to open the third quarter certainly looked strange for Neftali Alvarez. However, there was blood on his No. 2 uniform. Nonetheless, the senior guard led his side with 21 points in front of a slew of college coaches including Dayton, a recent offer of his. Alvarez is a gifted floor stretcher at 6’2″ and he worked hard for all of his points and dishes.
Reggie Chaney (Findlay Prep)
Senior Arkansas commit Reggie Chaney is a physical specimen. He found himself in foul trouble in this game, but he fought through defenders for hard dunks and lay-ins. The 6’7″ forward had 21 points for the Pilots and he was by far the most consistent weapon for his group in the 91-83 win over Abington Senior.
Bol Bol (Findlay Prep)
The decision was made to let senior Oregon commit Bol Bol come off the bench. That didn’t stop the 7’3″ center have a really good game. He scored nine of his 13 points in the third quarter and quite frankly did a really good job at getting out on the break. Bol is packed with energy and has a seasoned jumper.
Robert Heath (Abington Senior)
Highly skilled and determined, senior Robert Heath led the Galloping Ghosts with 28 points. He did everything he could for the Pennsylvania squad. At 6’3″, Heath is in tip-top shape and his pure athleticism carries him a long way.
Eric Dixon/Xavier Monroe (Abington Senior)
Both juniors Eric Dixon and Xavier Monroe did their best to help Heath against a very good shooting Findlay Prep squad. Dixon had 26 points while Monroe scored 22. Dixon, a 6’7″ forward is a man trapped in a high school kid’s body with a surprisingly nice touch as a shooter. Monroe came on late in the fourth quarter and has a ton of skill at 6’6.”
Zach Scott (Westminster)
Playing in front of FGCU coaches, Zach Scott, a commit of the program put together a 26-point outing in a 99-72 loss to Shadow Mountain. The 6’3″ senior doesn’t mess around in the paint as he scores the majority of his points inside.
Andrew Nembhard (Montverde)
The offensive pace is set by senior Florida commit Andrew Nembhard. Along with Barrett, the Canadian duo reclassed from 2019 to 2018 this summer. Nembhard had 12 points in a do it all kind of performance. He hit shots from outside, dunked, drove inside, dished out assists and crashed the boards. At 6’4″, Nembhard has beyond impressive point guard vision. He’s an all-around talent.
Antonio Reeves (Shadow Mountain)
28 points were scored by Shadow Mountain junior forward Antonio Reeves. The 6’4″ is a sharpshooter who has a quiet confidence in his game. He made the most of his opportunities throughout the win over Westminster. He’s an important piece for the Matadors.
Jovan Blacksher/Jaelen House (Shadow Mountain)
Two other junior starters that performed well for the Matadors on Thursday were Jovan Blacksher and Jaelen House. Blacksher, a 6’1″ guard produced 24 points and for much of the game was the leading scorer. He finds his way into tight spots on the floor. House, a 6’2″ senior Arizona State commit does more of the same as an attacker.