We answer questions about the top storylines heading into the Spalding Hoophall Classic (Jan. 11-15). This is traditionally the biggest showcase event of the season and the last impression on a national scale for those looking to become McDonald's All-Americans. Next week's FAB 50 National Rankings will be published after MLK Monday on Tuesday, Jan. 16.
1. Can Paul VI or McEachern Pull Off The "Springfield Double"?
Not if FAB 50 No. 25 Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) or 46 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) has anything to say about it. The No. 3 ranked Panthers are the favorites to capture the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions title on Saturday Dec. 13 in Springfield, Mo., and would actually meet No. 27 McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) in the semifinals on Friday with Bosco and Edmond North pairing off on the other side of the eight-team bracket. McEachern is the only club that actually had a tough opening-round game on Thursday, downing highly-regarded Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.), 73-62 behind a 29-point performance from Rutgers-bound Ace Bailey. Edmond North is still unbeaten but, St. John Bosco is a bit more battle-tested. St. John Bosco and McEachern would be a pick'em game should Bailey have a monster game and help his team upset Paul VI in the semifinals. Since McEachern will have to be firing on all cylinders to beat No. 10 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) on Monday morning after a travel day on Sunday, we like Paul VI's chances a bit more to pull off the Springfield Double even though its MLK Monday game vs. No. 8 Columbus (Miami, Fla.) will be a doozy. We just feel if Paul VI win the Bass Pro TOC, the Panthers will play well Monday. For McEachern, it would be one hell of a statement to pull it off.
2. Which Game Could Impact The FAB 50 Most?
Yes, we do feel Paul VI will take down Columbus should the Panthers win the Bass Pro TOC, but don't count out the Explorers from having a big weekend. They face No. 2 Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) on Saturday and returning Mr. Basketball USA Cameron Boozer is due for a big game. Sure, Columbus got blown out by No. 1 Montverde Academy earlier in the season, but the Explorers can play with LuHi. Boozer hasn't played bad at all this season, but some fans and veteran onlookers want him to dominate more in the big games. The bar is set so high for him, probably as much as any high school junior since LeBron James over 20 years ago. On a big stage, don't be surprised if he steps up and Columbus gives LuHi all it can handle. If they pull off the upset that could shake up the rankings because Columbus has four other losses and LuHi is in the thick of the FAB 50 title hunt. Should Columbus lose, it won't want to lose two in a row vs. No. 3 Paul VI. Columbus can dominate on any given day, or play with the pack so keep an eye out for its two games.
3. Is This Montverde Academy's Toughest Stretch?
The Eagles will be favored in every game the rest of the way, but this is still not its toughest stretch of games. The toughest three game stretch will come at the end of the season during the High School Basketball Nationals, April 4-6. The pressure will be on for MVA to win the FAB 50 national title and more than likely it will face one or two highly-ranked teams it has already faced after a big break. Even for a team like MVA, beating a good team a second or third time is not easy. This weekend, Montverde will face No. 23 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), bubble club Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) and No. 9 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.). Oak Hill Academy has only lost to No. 2 LuHi and both the Warriors and Brewster Academy want to prove they are upper echelon EYBL Scholastic teams. The two teams' individual players have also been somewhat overlooked by other top players from its own league and will be eager for the big opportunity. As fas as Prolific Prep, The Crew has already proven it can play with and beat some of the nation's best teams. It has been banged up, however, in recent weeks and has played its last three games without its best all-around contributor, senior forward Derrion Reid. If he's not available versus MVA, that will be a big blow to Prolific Prep's chances. Others Prolific Prep players can step up, but Reid is invaluable to his team's success so far this season.
4. Who Will Make Lasting McDonald's Impressions?
Derrion Reid, bound for Alabama, was having once heck of a season before the injury. Regardless, he should be a shoo-in for the 2024 McDonald's All-American Game, which will take place April 2 in Houston. The teams will be announced on the ESPN's "NBA Today" broadcast on Tuesday, January 23. In a national senior class that is average by previous standards, there has been more buzz leading up to the announcement of the team about the borderline McDonald's selections than anytime in the past five years. There is definitely some gray area about the final 4-6 selections. That's why the Saturday game between Archbishop Wood (Philadelphia, Pa.) and Centennial (Corona, Calif.) will be so intriguing. Wood features Miami-bound shooting guard Jahlil Bethea and Arizona-bound forward Carter Bryant. Hoophall is the final big national showcase before the teams are announced and those two want to make great final impressions. Bryant is coming off a monster 39-point, 11-rebound performance in Centennial's 82-78 win over No. 19 Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.), so he'll go into the Wood game with some positive momentum. Another highly-regarded player who wants to show well in Springfield is undecided wing Bryson Tucker of FAB 50 No. 24 Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.). His team takes on Cardinal Ritter (St. Louis, Mo.) on Sunday morning.
Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of Ballislife.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores