Strictly BBall Newsletter 15

MCDAAG snubs and Best Games of the Week

Who was snubbed as a McDonald’s All American?

by Griffin Greenberg on January 30

As we begin to wind down in the HS hoops season in some states, some prestigious all star games are right around the corner, including the McDonald’s All American Game. Take a look at our snubs from the game, as well as some exciting games from the past week, this week's underrated player profile, and our recruitment update!

THIS WEEK’S TOP STORIES

McDonald's All American Game and Snubs

by Griffin Greenberg 

The prestigious and annual McDonald’s All American Game features 24 of the best high school hoops players around the nation facing off in an All-Star style game. 

Let’s take a look at who made the team (their ESPN ranking is paired).

East Team:

No. 1 Cooper Flagg

No. 6 Jalil Bethea

No. 7 Isaiah Evans

No. 10 Derik Queen

No. 11 Liam McNeeley

No. 13 Drake Powell

No. 14 Jayden Quaintance

No. 15 Boogie Fland

No. 16 Ian Jackson

No. 17 Bryson Tucker

No. 27 Tahaad Pettiford

No. 38 John Bol

West Team:

No. 2 Ace Bailey

No. 3 Dylan Harper

No. 4 VJ Edgecombe

No. 5 Tre Johnson

No. 8 Derrion Reid

No. 9 Flory Bidunga

No. 19 Donnie Freeman

No. 20 Carter Bryant

No. 21 Aiden Sherrell

No. 24 Karter Knox

No. 26 Trent Perry

No. 29 Zoom Diallo

Unfortunately, there are never enough spots for all of the players who deserve to make it to do so. Let’s take a look at some players who may have been snubbed from this year’s contest.

SNUB: Asa Newell and Rob Wright III (Montverde Academy)

There has been a lot of controversy regarding Newell and Wright not making the cut. So why didn’t Newell, the No. 1 ranked PF, and Wright, the No. 4 ranked PG, not make it?

Well, there is a rule in place for the McDonald’s All American Game that doesn’t allow more than 3 McDonald’s All Americans from the same school. Since Cooper Flagg, Derik Queen and Liam McNeeley made the game, Newell and Wright were snubbed of it. Montverde’s HC Kevin Boyle spoke on it, expressing his disappointment for the rule that barred Newell and Wright from being in the game.

SNUB: Kon Knueppel (Wisconsin Lutheran)

Knueppel has averaged 26.7 PPG and 9.9 RPG so far this season, proving why his name also should’ve been called. The Duke commit is one of the best shooters in the nation and has led his team to a 16-0 record, making them the best team in the state of Wisconsin.

Knueppel had a huge summer with Phenom U, performed great at multiple camps, and skyrocketed in the rankings as a result. But unfortunately he fell short of the McDonald’s All American game.

SNUB: Jase Richardson (Columbus)

Richardson has had one of the most explosive seasons of anybody in high school basketball. He’s averaging 14.8 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.9 APG, and 2.1 SPG for the No. 2 team in the nation. Richardson and Columbus have been on fire as of late, going on a winning streak dating back to late December.

SNUB: Morez Johnson (Thornton)

Since transferring to Thornton from St. Rita, Morez Johnson has had a monster senior season averaging 18.5 PPG, 13.8 RPG, 2.4 SPG, and 3.2 BPG. The Illinois commit has been very efficient throughout the year and has led Thornton to a 20-3 record with just a few weeks left in the regular season.

SNUB: Labaron Philon (Link Academy)

Philon is yet another player that you can definitely make a case for to make the game. Philon has averaged 12.1 PPG (55% FG and 43% from three), 4.7 APG, and 2.2 SPG in six Nike EYBL Scholastic contests. Philon’s high energy and intensity on offense and one of the nation’s best defenses have shown how impactful he is for the No. 5 team in the nation.

SNUB: Patrick Ngongba (Paul VI)

Ngongba, the No. 3 ranked center, fell short of making the game due to being out because of a foot injury. It’s unclear when he’ll be back.

Strictly Joe’s Take

by Joe Doerrer

I believe the rule about only 3 players making it from one team is wrong and should be changed. Asa Newell and Rob Wright are absolutely deserving of being in this field and it is penalizing them greatly for choosing to play with other talented players. 

Making the McDonald’s game is a dream for every high level high school player in the country. This is such a big deal for these kids that I could actually see this rule hurting Montverde in recruiting because players don’t want to risk being the 4th option on their team.

Best Games of the Week

by Griffin Greenberg 

No. 1 Montverde Academy (FL) vs. No. 4 Prolific Prep (CA) Pt. 2

The championship of the Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament featured a rematch between two top-5 teams. These teams just faced each other earlier this month at Hoophall Classic, with Montverde coming out on top in the battle between two of the most sought out high school basketball recruits ever.

In this matchup, Prolific looked in control for a lot of the first half before Montverde would make a late run and cut it to a 4-point deficit at the half thanks to a last second Cooper Flagg triple. 

Montverde would get it going in the second half, scoring 44 points in the paint. They began to overwhelm Prolific while on defense, forcing 17 TOs and scoring 29 points off of them. In a tie game with a minute remaining, Rob Wright III delivered a crafty move to take the lead and drew a charge on Dybantsa the next play, Montverde took control in the ensuing possessions to seal it. 

Sierra Canyon (CA) vs. Notre Dame (CA)

The dynamic ND backcourt duo of Miller and Lino Mark pushed Notre Dame out to a comfortable lead. Notre Dame led by as much as 17 points in the 4th quarter, but Arkansas commit Isaiah Elohim and senior 4-star Justin Pippen would bring a ton of energy, leading Sierra Canyon to an incredible comeback. 

Elohim’s shot would start to fall in the 4th and it seemed the big momentum swinger was his putback dunk late. Pippen has been big all year long for the Trailblazers and was consistent throughout the game. 

Homewood-Flossmoor (IL) vs. Thornton (IL) Pt. 2

This matchup was a huge one in the state of Illinois as the two top teams faced off a second time. But what was the headline in this one? Gianni Cobb does it again.

In the first matchup between these two teams, Cobb delivered a game-winning buzzer beating floater over Illinois commit Morez Johnson on the road. And in this one he came through with a ridiculous off balance buzzer beating catch and shoot three for his 25th point, giving HF the win. 

Underrated Player Profile

by Griffin Greenberg 

2025 Angelino Mark - Notre Dame (CA)

Lino Mark of Notre Dame is finally starting to get the recognition he deserves, but deserves even more. Mark is a speedy floor general guard that can get to the hoop with his quick bursts of acceleration. His high-energy play paired with his crafty handle allows him to generate points, even out of dead plays.

Mark is a 3-star but that should change. He picked up offers from Texas A&M and San Diego last month.

Recruitment Recap

Commitments

Class of 2025 5-star AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, AZ) guard Jeremiah Fears has committed to Illinois.

Final schools

Class of 2025 5-star guard Jasper Johnson is down to 10 schools… Auburn, Alabama, Missouri, Baylor, North Carolina, West Virginia, Southern California, Kentucky, Kansas, and Louisville.