Top Performers: Montverde Academy Invitational (Day 3)
The festivities wrapped up at the 15th annual Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament on Saturday.
The championship game, third place final and consolation title game were played along with a challenge round matchup to open the day.
Here are the top performers from Day 3.
Note: An all-tournament team will be released on Sunday.
Michael Devoe (Montverde)
Saving the best for last, Montverde senior guard Michael Devoe buried a 3 with 2.6 seconds left (video here). It held up as the game-winner in a back and forth battle with Findlay Prep. Devoe, a 6’4″ Georgia Tech commit was the best shooting weapon all night long for the Eagles. The tourney MVP was hoisted in the air by fans after the game and it was a fun scene as Montverde stayed undefeated.
R.J. Barrett (Montverde)
For much of the night, R.J. Barrett earned the defensive challenge of going up against 7’3″ Findlay Prep center Bol Bol. Barrett didn’t have his typical dominating performance as he struggled from the free throw line. However, the 6’6″ senior Duke commit did more than enough down the stretch to keep Montverde alive.
Bol Bol (Findlay Prep)
Showing up on the big stage is what Bol Bol does. He had 19 points in this game, a team-high and the senior big man even struck from 3-point land once. Bol hustled in transition time and time again, accounting for four powerful blocks and setting the tone everytime he got the ball in his hands on offense. He’s in for a successful year at Oregon next season before heading to the NBA.
Tre Mann (Villages)
Junior Villages guard Tre Mann was back to the grind on Saturday with a 37-point performance in an 81-72 loss to Abington. The 6’4″ athlete had a high flying first quarter dunk () along with three 3’s and some smart takes to the basket. Mann takes the game seriously and it showed again today. He makes intelligent plays and draws contact, evident by his 12 free throw attempts.
Neftali Alvarez (Miami Christian)
Benefiting from a fast paced game, Miami Christian senior Neftali Alvarez dropped 40 points including 13 in the fourth quarter alone. Alvarez is a speedy 6’2″ guard who can fly down the floor in transition and beat you with his attacks and shooting. He is an up-tempo player.
Zach Scott/Chase Johnston (Westminster)
Starting guards Zach Scott and Chase Johnston did work in the 105-94 victory over Miami Christian. Scott, a 6’3″ senior FGCU commit buckled down in the second half with a series of big plays. Johnston, a 6’3″ junior did the majority of his damage in the first half with 21 points at the break with his outside touch.
Marcelo Perez (Miami Christian)
Perez, a 6’5″ senior paced Alvarez very well in the meeting with Westminster with 26 points. He is a lengthy player who buys into the system. Perez is a gritty player who told me after the game that he holds offers from Hofstra and Barry currently. I suspect that list to increase as the season goes on.
Immanuel Allen (Shadow Mountain)
Senior forward Immanuel Allen picked a good time to have his best game of the week in a 60-55 win over Madison Prep in the third place game. The 6’5″ forward scored 20 points and quite frankly set the tone the entire second half for the Matadors. He used his brute strength to get good position under the basket.
Eric Dixon (Abington)
You should always be a fan of strong and talented big men who can attack down low with ease. That is what Eric Dixon is. The 6’7″ junior is a load inside and he showed up with a 30-point outing. He went inside time and time again for Abington and it was clutch.
Sam Griffin/Dudley Blackwell (Westminster)
The duo of Sam Griffin and Dudley Blackwell combined for 44 points as they joined Johnston and Scott in the 20-point club on the day. Griffin, a 6’2″ junior guard had 22 points while Blackwell, a 6’7″ guard/forward had 20 points. Griffin played smart basketball controlling the tempo and hitting his open looks. Blackwell found openings with his length and athleticism.
Robert Heath (Abington)
For the Galloping Ghosts, Robert Heath is the glue in terms of scoring and consistency. The 6’3″ senior has been solid all week and he flashed again with a 24-point game against Abington. He had an 8-point fourth quarter that helped Abington put the game away late.
Kobe Julien (Madison Prep)
It was a productive three-day showing for senior UL-Lafayette commit Kobe Julien. The 6’6″ forward had 14 points for his Louisiana group, leading the charge. He was taken out of the game at times by the swarming Shadow Mountain defense, but overall it was a good game for him. Julien is a really sound player.