Mount St. Joe Defeats No. 1 Montverde Academy: Takeaways

Last night at the 'Iolani Classic in Hawaii, the Mount St. Joe Gaels pulled off an upset over the nation's No. 1 ranked program in Montverde Academy. It was a semifinal bout that helped the Gaels advance to the final where they'll face off against Neumann-Goretti this evening, but what they did in their 56-55 victory is something that deserves their own article at the least. This Montverde group is a roster decorated with five-star prospects ranging from the 2023-2025 classes and were in a large part viewed as a juggernaut. After diving into the film, let's go through some takeaways:   Hansberry being Hansberry   We've seen Illinois commit and our No. 1 ranked prospect in the MD/DC rankings [player_tooltip player_id='957018' first='Amani' last='Hansberry'] go head-to-head against bigs who hold a height advantage, are more highly thought of in regards to rankings or may have an advantage with pure athleticism, but time and time again we see the Mount St. Joe standout have his way. He did so again last night leading his team with 19 points while showcasing his versatility in just about every aspect. Offensively he scored in face-up scenarios from the perimeter, hit multiple fadeaway jumpers from the middle of the paint quickly after receiving entry passes or moving without the ball along the baseline to free him up for looks around the rim. He pushed the tempo in a few occasions after hauling in rebounds that put pressure on the Montverde transition defense and delivered a few skip passes for open teammates that resulted in points. Ultimately, it was the motor, heart and passion that Hansberry played with to help counter the overwhelming frontline that Montverde features.   [player_tooltip player_id='957059' first='Austin' last='Abrams']...I told you.   If you've been reading my write-ups throughout the fall, you'd notice a theme of Abrams being a topic of conversation. It was more so directed towards him not holding a Division I offer until recently, which he quickly committed to following Stonehill pulling the trigger. The 6'3 sniper was key in keeping the Gaels above water early on when Montverde landed early punches. After falling do a double-digit deficit in the first quarter, Abrams connected on a couple of three's to help stop the bleeding and provide some momentum for his squad. Not only did his shots assist in the energy, it also helped space the floor that Montverde's length can quickly eat up. They had to monitor where Abrams was at all times and in the second half when he broke free from deep, he made them pay as he tallied 14 points in the victory.   Valentine and Farrell's impact beyond the box score   When you have to try and keep up with a team such as Montverde, it restricts you from utilizing too much of your bench rotation. With that being the case for head coach Pat Clatchey in this one, a lot of the production rode on his starting five. UMBC commit [player_tooltip player_id='1049863' first='Ace' last='Valentine']'s role cannot be understated and while he may have not lit up the scoring column in this one, he's the only guard that can handle the pressure that Montverde throws at you every possession. He had his moments where he turned it over, but again, a team with superior length and athleticism will do that to the best of the best. Valentine managed the game and the pace by orchestrating sets in the half court. If opportunities weren't there to push the tempo with an advantage, he simply didn't. Ball security was more important than trying to force a pass or shot up that could quickly result in points the other way. That's growing as a point guard and understanding the value of each possession. Valentine did get to his spots in the mid-range and knock down shots with good balance, but his presence was felt most with his ability to run the show.   [player_tooltip player_id='1280947' first='Tyonne' last='Farrell'] is the junkyard dog that could fit seamlessly on any team. He doesn't need the ball or to score to be able to impact the game, but he also knows how to put the ball in the basket when called upon. The 6'7 forward helps Hansberry provide leverage and physicality in the paint as they closed down one-shot possessions against the giants crashing from every which way. He pursues rebounds and 50/50s with purpose, moved his feet well against more agile wings/forwards and provided some back-breaking buckets after Montverde put together 25 seconds of good rotations. Farrell is the type of player any college coach will fall in love with. Maybe this game catches some eyes and helps spike his recruitment like it deserves.   A win for Baltimore   The powerhouse prep programs such as Montverde and IMG have utilized the Baltimore and DMV areas quite a bit to help bolster their roster over the years, so whenever a high school program from the area gets the chance to take them down, it's a major opportunity. This happened in February of 2020 when Baltimore Poly dethroned the No. 1 team at the time in IMG Academy and now the Gaels follow up less than two years later with another monumental moment for the city of Baltimore. It's another reminder that high school basketball talent here is rich and no matter how many of our top players leave to attend powerhouse prep programs, we still have enough prospects to prove why the best high school basketball can be found in MD/DC/VA.   Bravo, Baltimore.

Last night at the 'Iolani Classic in Hawaii, the Mount St. Joe Gaels pulled off an upset over the nation's No. 1 ranked program in Montverde Academy. It was a semifinal bout that helped the Gaels advance to the final where they'll face off against Neumann-Goretti this evening, but what they did in their 56-55 victory is something that deserves their own article at the least. This Montverde group is a roster decorated with five-star prospects ranging from the 2023-2025 classes and were in a large part viewed as a juggernaut. After diving into the film, let's go through some takeaways: