All-Tournament Team: 2018 Montverde Academy Invitational
The 15th annual Montverde Academy Invitational was an enjoyable three days of action with eight teams, 12 games and one gigantic 3-pointer from Michael Devoe that helped Montverde win the title.
There were a lot of standout performances. so with that, here is a look at the all-tournament team that I compiled.
RJ Barrett (Montverde)
Averaging 24 PPG over the three-day slate, senior Duke commit R.J. Barrett was the definition of consistency for Montverde. The 6’7″ guard had a monster dunk () on the opening night on the way to 25 points, then he netted 25 points on Friday. Saturday’s finals win over Findlay Prep wasn’t easy for Barrett as he struggled from the free throw line and matched up against 7’2″ center Bol Bol. He still managed 23 points and a slew of crucial rebounds.
Michael Devoe (Montverde)
The MVP of the tournament, no one was more clutch than the senior Georgia Tech commit. He 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 on Saturday night. Devoe, a 6’4″ guard was the best shooting weapon all night long for the Eagles on his way to 26 points. He averaged a steady 18 PPG for the week.
Eric Dixon (Abington Senior)
A 6’7″ junior is a load inside and he used his overall toughness and strength to win battles all week long. The Pennsylvanian native averaged a tournament-best 29 PPG with games of 31, 30 and 26 points for the Galloping Ghosts. He has a nice arc on his jumper as well which would make him a dangerous threat at the next level.
Bol Bol (Findlay Prep)
It was an interesting week, to say the least for senior Oregon commit Bol Bol. The 7’2″ towering center came off the bench in Thursday’s opener against Abington Prep. He then got into foul trouble on Friday but on Saturday against Montverde, he showcased his jumper and all-around energy with 19 points. He averaged 17 PPG and had some highlight reel dunks and swats (video here).
Tre Mann (The Villages)
A pure athlete, Tre Mann had two 30-point outings on the week including a gritty 37-point performance against Abington Senior on Saturday. He had a high-flying dunk in that game () along with 12 free throw attempts as he took the ball inside time and time again. The 6’4″ junior averaged 27 PPG for the week.
Neftali Alvarez (Miami Christian)
Crafty as they come as a transitional leader and pure point guard, senior Neftali Alvarez led his side all week long. He dropped 40 points in Saturday’s loss to Westminster along with 21 and 20 points on the week. Averaging 27 PPG in the three-game slate, Alvarez continues to prove why he’s a legitimate Division I point guard.
Zach Scott (Westminster)
It was a fun week for Zach Scott, a senior FGCU commit. The 6’3″ guard averaged 26 points for the week for a scrappy Westminster group. He does his best work inside as an attacker and as a distributor. Scott had a game-winner on Friday night against Abington Senior (video here).
Robert Heath (Abington Senior)
Quietly confident, Abington senior guard Robert Heath averaged 24 PPG. He had an all-around game against Findlay Prep on the opening night with 28 points. The 6’3″ guard makes some eye-opening plays and he is a true leader for the Galloping Ghosts.
Kobe Julien (Madison Prep)
Senior UL-Lafayette commit Kobe Julien does more than enough with his pure athleticism to get the job done. The 6’6″ forward averaged 19 PPG with senior Georgetown commit Josh LeBlanc on the mend. Julien had a gritty 20 point outing in Friday night’s semifinal loss to Montverde.
Antonio Reeves (Shadow Mountain)
The Matadors have a ton of weapons under head coach Mike Bibby and they are a hard-working unit. Junior forward Antonio Reeves is a pleasure to watch and he did his best this week averaging 20 PPG. The 6’4″ sharpshooter had a team-best 28 points in Thursday’s opening win over Westminster.
Dudley Blackwell (Westminster)
As the week went on, Dudley Blackwell’s game progressed. The 6’7″ sophomore guard/forward averaged 17 PPG for the Lions. He is a talented shooter who plays on a team full of guards. He is forced to play a big man role due to his length and athleticism which bodes well for his group. He’s being groomed into a college point guard.
Kyler Edwards (Findlay Prep)
Averaging 15.6 PPG for the week, the Pilots got a lot out of the 6’4″ senior guard. Edwards carried the rock up the court for Findlay Prep often and he made some very athletic plays. He’s part of a deep and talented group. His best outing was on Friday night when he netted 19 points against Shadow Mountain.
Jeffery Hernandez (Miami Christian)
Much like his senior counterpart Alvarez, Jeffery Hernandez can score in bunches for the Victors. The 6’4″ senior forward averaged 18 PPG including 22 points in Friday night’s win over The Villages. Hernandez is a gifted shooter, who has the size and strength to make plays all over the floor.
Byron Smith (The Villages)
Averaging 14 PPG on the week, junior guard Byron Smith plays well off of Mann. Transferring from P.K. Yonge this year, Smith has been a key asset as a ballhandler and canny scorer. He had 19 points on the final day in a loss to Abington Senior.
Honorable mentions: Andrew Nembhard (Montverde), Filip Petrusev (Montverde), Chase Johnston (Westminster), Sam Griffin (Westminster), Jaelen House (Shadow Mountain), Mekhi Mitchell (Montverde) Reggie Chaney (Findlay Prep), Marcelo Perez (Miami Christian), Immanuel Allen (Shadow Mountain), Xavier Monroe (Abington Senior), Jahein Spencer (Madison Prep), Spencer Washington (Findlay Prep)
Photo credit: MVA Eagles