Off Topics: High school Basketball - top two teams in the country (and in Florida) battle at 9PM tonight ESPN2

[ExplorerHomer2]

While my Explorers football may have stumbled a couple weeks back, our Explorer basketball crew is on a tear as favorites to win a national title. Led by the Boozer brothers (5* and high 4*), they now add Jase Richardson (4*) and his "little" brother Jaxon 3* from BG who isn't even in the starting lineup. Two sets of brothers with pro fathers. Crazy.

The rest of the squad are 3* players - starting lineup brings 4 returning starters from last year's back to back state champions. 

Tonight they are playing powerhouse Monteverde Academy, the #1 team year in and year out in Florida and nationally. This years squad is possibly their best ever led by #1 player in his class Cooper Flagg. Watching Cam Boozer and Flagg battle it out will be epic. 

on ESPN2 now: https://thetvapp.to/tv/espn2-live-stream/

[cribboy305]

3 hours ago, ExplorerHomer2 said:

While my Explorers football may have stumbled a couple weeks back, our Explorer basketball crew is on a tear as favorites to win a national title. Led by the Boozer brothers (5* and high 4*), they now add Jase Richardson (4*) and his "little" brother Jaxon 3* from BG who isn't even in the starting lineup. Two sets of brothers with pro fathers. Crazy.

The rest of the squad are 3* players - starting lineup brings 4 returning starters from last year's back to back state champions. 

Tonight they are playing powerhouse Monteverde Academy, the #1 team year in and year out in Florida and nationally. This years squad is possibly their best ever led by #1 player in his class Cooper Flagg. Watching Cam Boozer and Flagg battle it out will be epic. 

on ESPN2 now: https://thetvapp.to/tv/espn2-live-stream/

Dade has been slept on in basketball but we got hoopers fr

[Jullian]

…..this football season…….

[Perspective]

Just curious, how are they already playing basketball games?   FHSAA website says Oct. 30 is the first practice date.  Are these just AAU teams whose rosters likely will bear a striking resemblance to the rosters of the two high school teams once basketball season officially starts?  

As an aside, "teams" practicing and playing basketball games in October sure does make it difficult on those guys currently playing football who also want to play basketball.  I don't think Monteverde has football, so it probably doesn't matter to them.   But I suspect there may be a kid or two on the Columbus football roster that also wants to play hoops this year.   And that undoubtedly will be the case with other/smaller schools across the state. 

Not trying to put a damper on Columbus' team or its national title aspirations - just trying to keep everything in perspective. 

[ExplorerHomer2]

9 hours ago, Perspective said:

Just curious, how are they already playing basketball games?   FHSAA website says Oct. 30 is the first practice date.  Are these just AAU teams whose rosters likely will bear a striking resemblance to the rosters of the two high school teams once basketball season officially starts?  

As an aside, "teams" practicing and playing basketball games in October sure does make it difficult on those guys currently playing football who also want to play basketball.  I don't think Monteverde has football, so it probably doesn't matter to them.   But I suspect there may be a kid or two on the Columbus football roster that also wants to play hoops this year.   And that undoubtedly will be the case with other/smaller schools across the state. 

Not trying to put a damper on Columbus' team or its national title aspirations - just trying to keep everything in perspective. 

Yes, this is "club" ball or the NIBC (National Interscholastic Basketball Conference) which IMG plays in an completes for a separate national title. All the teams invited to this tournament are top notch basketball factories in the NIBC with high major players from around the nation - all IMG-level programs basically - just for hoops. And Montverde Academy in Florida is usually the king of them all. The tournament I linked you to basically features NIBC teams and elite high school "club" teams, but they can't play under the school name due to FHSAA regs. So it is not "Christopher Columbus High School" that played, but a club team called "Explorers".

MaxPreps actually has two separate rankings listed for basketball: High school and NIBC 

And your point about football season is well taken. But in reality, there is no one on our football team, or many other teams who will make tryouts for basketball this year or last - the team is insanely good and still quite young. I'll go out on a limb at say this might be the best high school squad in the country this year and possibly one of most talented kids in one high school in a while. That's a big statement, I know. 

Anyhow, sorry to take the topic out of football season. But we have Norland coming up this week and I am trying to stay in a good mood. We will be without our QB for a good three weeks. Wish us luck!