Nation’s Top Prep Talent Headlines Bob McKillop Invitational

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., February 14, 2024 (Newswire.com) - It’s no wonder tickets are scarce for the Bob McKillop Invitational, which takes place Feb. 16-17 at Hofstra University’s 4,000-seat home gym, “The Mack.” The event is presented by GOLD SN.

The headliners are Cooper Flagg, a transcendent talent ranked No. 1 on ESPN’s list of top seniors, and local favorite V.J. Edgecombe, rated No. 4. The 6-4 Edgecombe stars for Long Island Lutheran High (LuHi), which plays both Friday and Saturday.

Flagg is a 6-9 forward for Montverde Academy, which might have the greatest assemblage of talent in prep hoops history – four players ranked in the top 14, six in the top 51. The only recent comp is the 2019-20 Montverde team, which finished 25-0 with Cade Cunningham and Scottie Barnes.

Flagg is the Maine Man (his home state) bound for Duke. Montverde coach Kevin Boyle, a New Jersey native, called him “the most entertaining, recognizable and talented high school player since LeBron James,” in an interview with NJ Advance Media.

Flagg sizzled in Montverde’s first meeting with LuHi this season, finishing with 21 points and 14 rebounds in a 73-59 victory at the City of Palms Classic in Florida. The rematch, an EYBL Scholastic league game, comes Friday, Feb. 16, and tickets are sold out. Join the waiting list here: https://admitone.com/events/bob-mckillop-invitational-hempstead-9378067.

Both Flagg and Edgecombe also will take the court Saturday for additional EYBL Scholastic league games: Montverde vs. Legacy (6:30 p.m.) and LuHi vs. Brewster (8:30 p.m.). LuHi is New York’s top-ranked team.

Rashid Ghazi, EYBL Scholastic Commissioner, and Tony Dorado, Nike Basketball, say: “This is a unique event that will drive fans’ engagement and generate significant publicity for the schools. It’s tremendous to add Long Island as a premium stop on the EYBL Scholastic schedule and we appreciate the LuHi community hosting us.”

Celebrities and hoop junkies will flock to “The Mack” for the greatest two-day hoops event in Long Island history. Knicks play-by-play man (for ESPN Radio) Pat O’Keefe will handle all the announcing duties, saying: “I jumped at the opportunity to see this much NBA talent up close and personal.”

The home favorite will be Edgecombe, who turned down Duke and Kentucky to commit to Baylor. LuHi is ranked 6th nationally by ESPN, five spots behind undefeated Montverde.

“V.J. is a powerful, athletic guard who glides down the court and explodes to the rim,” says Paul Biancardi, the NBA draft analyst and recruiting director for ESPN 100. “He can score at a high clip at all four levels – the rim, the midrange, the 3-point line and the free throw line. And keep an eye on him as a playmaker.”

MATCHUPS & TIMES:

*Feb. 16 (Legacy vs. Brewster, 4 p.m.; Holy Trinity vs. Chaminade, 6 pm.; Montverde vs. LUHI, 8 p.m.) … Doors Open 3 p.m.

*Feb. 17 (Montverde vs. Legacy, 6:30 p.m.; LuHi vs. Brewster, 8:30 p.m.) … Doors 6 p.m.

LOCATION: David S. Mack Sports Complex (245 Hofstra University; Hempstead, NY 11549)

REMAINING TICKETS: https://admitone.com/events/bob-mckillop-invitational-hempstead-9378067

STREAMING: League Ready (@League_Ready on YouTube)

THE NAMESAKE: Queens, N.Y., native Bob McKillop has connections to multiple schools in the event. He played for Chaminade HS on Long Island and Hofstra, where he was team MVP in 1972. He coached at Holy Trinity and LuHi, where he won five state titles. He then thrived at the college level, coaching Stephen Curry at Davidson. He won 634 games from 1989-2022. He retired in June after a 27-7 season.

EYBL SCHOLASTIC: The 14-team national high school basketball conference includes eight teams currently ranked in the ESPN High School Basketball Top 25. Ranked league teams competing in the Bob McKillop Invitational are #1 Monteverde (Fla.), #6 Long Island Lutheran (N.Y.) and #12 Brewster Academy (N.H.). More information is available at www.nikeeyblscholastic.com.

Source: Gold SN