The Throne Natl. Championship: Previewing out-of-state matchups

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Throne National Championship returns to the American Dream Mall over the course of three days with eight boys teams from across the country competing for a national title. The headline matchup is arguably the 8:00 quarterfinal between New Jersey state champions Bergen Catholic and Plainfield, but three additional matchups will provide a ton of talent for fans, college coaches, and NBA scouts to see.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">4:40 - #1 Calvary Christian (FL) vs. #8 Frisco Heritage (TX)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The top seed in the boys bracket, Calvary Christian makes the trip from Florida after a dominant 87-51 win over nationally-ranked The Villages Charter in last week's FHSAA Class 3A state title game. It was the Eagles' second straight state title, while also competing under the Fear of God Athletics moniker as part of the Overtime Elite League. Despite losing senior Florida State commit Collin Paul to a preseason knee injury, Calvary has rolled right on behind the explosive guard play of five-star junior Cayden Daughtry. Daughtry is one of the most productive guards in the country, but is supported in the backcourt by unsigned senior and Chinese national team member Jacob Zhu along with versatile junior forward Aiden Bolden. Senior forward K'Nard Callendar drew intrigue at last month's prestigious Basketball Without Borders camp with unsigned senior Sam Hallas also tracking as a D1 forward and Kenneth Francis coming off a recent commitment to Brown.<br><br>Frisco Heritage comes in with an upset on its mind on the strength of a 34-2 record and a UIL Class 5A-I state title. While not as deep as Calvary Christian, the Coyotes pack a ton of firepower into their backcourt in the form of the senior tandem of Bryson Howard and Cameron Lomax. A powerful lefty who can play both on and off the ball, Howard is a five-star heading to Duke next year who will be among the main attractions for NBA scouts in East Rutherford. Classmate Cameron Lomax runs the show as the primary ballhandler, having committed to SMU and also ranked among the national top-150.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">6:20 - #4 Wheeler (GA) vs. #5 Long Island Lutheran (NY)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wheeler comes in as one of the most consistent public school programs in the country over the past decade-plus, currently boasting a 27-6 record and a recent second-straight GHSA Class 6A state championship. The Wildcats come in with a powerful senior class led by a trio of high-major commits. Colben Landrew (UConn) is one of the toughest and most versatile guards in the country, with a powerful frame but a sweet shooting stroke and the playmaking feel of a point guard. Ole Miss commit Jaron Saulsberry and Clemson-bound Amare James add athletic firepower on the wings. Running the show is southpaw Kevin Savage III, a dynamic two-way floor general ranked among the top 50 juniors nationally. Also keep an eye out for unsigned senior Lamarrion Lewis who's emerged as a potential D1 prospect in the backcourt.<br><br>LuHi didn't quite have the season it hoped for, missing out on Chipotle Nationals while having been without five-star senior guard Dylan Mingo for most of the year due to injury. Whether Mingo plays will be a key storyline to track, with the North Carolina pledge giving the Crusaders a real chance to make a surprise run at defending their championship from a year ago. Senior guard Kayden Allen has led the way in Mingo's stead, with the recent Cincinnati decommit being one of the most consistent perimeter scorers in the senior class. Junior forward Moussa Kamissoko is the highest-ranked prospect on the roster as a blossoming two-way Swiss-army knife while classmate Jamaal McKnight runs the show at the lead guard spot coming off a stock-rising campaign on the national stage. Senior big man Omar Essam also stands out as one of the more skilled unsigned bigs in the region.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">9:40 - #2 Sunnyslope (AZ) vs. #7 Columbus (FL)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sunnyslope comes in from the west coast with a top-10 national ranking on the heels of a HoopHall West championship and a recent Arizona Open Division state title victory over Duke-bound Cameron Williams and St. Mary's. The Vikings are led by a powerful three-headed monster of high-major prospects. Junior big man Darius Wabbington is the headliner, considered among the top post prospects in the country with a diverse inside-out skillset as a versatile offensive hub. Senior Rider Portela shows he's far more than just the coach's son, with the Colorado-bound wing guard being among the more tough-nosed perimeter prospects in the senior class. Rounding out the trio is junior guard Delton Prescott who's been among the more consistently productive backcourt scorers in his class dating back to the middle school circuit.<br><br>Columbus comes in as the defending national champions on the heels of a legendary four-year run by the Boozer twins. The Explorers have taken a slight step back this year but still sport a talent-rich lineup led by Miami commit and McDonald's All-American Caleb Gaskins, one of the more versatile wing forwards in the country. Seniors Cello Jackson (Memphis) and Felipe Quinones (Florida Atlantic) form a dynamic thunder-and-lightning style backcourt tandem. Columbus also has one of the more intriguing young forward duos in the country in Canadian sophomore Jordan Fisher and freshman Cayden Gaskins, Caleb's younger brother and one of the more advanced 2029 forwards nationally. Also keep an eye out for junior rim-runner Akol Nyok, a talented 7-footer who's flashed high-major talent amid struggles with injury.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->