BY ZACH SMART
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Montverde Academy (FL)’s Class of 2026 guard Kayden Allen showed an adeptness for creating space, picking his spots effectively and sticking from mid-range out to the 3-point line Friday night.
Allen’s 16 points catalyzed a balanced, deep Montverde team en route a 78-52 bludgeoning of Oak Hill Academy (VA) during the prestigious Hoophall Classic at Springfield College.
With Montverde alum and current UConn forward Liam McNeeley–a projected first round 2025 NBA draft pick–seated courtside, Kevin Boyle’s team shot a blistering 30-for-51 from the field and knocked down 7-for-16 from 3-point range.
UConn star Liam McNeeley showed out to support 5
Kayden Allen and his alma mater, @MVABasketball, at the HoopHall Classic.
Allen is one of HS basketball’s must see hoopers, and holds offers from just about every high-major program.
Silky smooth game at 6’6″ and a true 3-level… pic.twitter.com/5Rw01NfDUy
— GREENLIGHT MEDIA (@greenlightbball) January 18, 2025
Montverde showed readiness out of the gate, connecting on 10 of its first 15 shots. They won the battle in the trenches, out rebounding their familiar foe by a 33-25 margin. Montverde turned in 20 assists to Oak Hill’s seven.
Florida-commit CJ Ingram, the son of former UF and NFL tight end Cornelius Ingram, scored14 points to go with four assists for Montverde.
Creighton-commit Hudson Greer stuck three consecutive 3-pointers during his first eight minutes of the game. The witty and vertically explosive 6-foot-6 Greer wound up with 14 points and five boards in 22 minutes.
Oak Hill was paced by 17 points from Donovan Williams. Williams, who shot 6-for-12 from the floor and stuck 4-for-5 from beyond the arc, buried a trio of treys in the third quarter as Oak Hill looked to slice away at a double-digit halftime deficit that leaked into the third quarter. A 6-foot-3 guard, Williams added seven rebounds and three assists.
Oak Hill’s Howard Williams, a 6-foot-7 wing with a recent offer from Illinois, chimed in 17 points.
The positional size and two-way uniqueness of the thick 6-foot-6 Allen, a five-star with an array of high major offers, was noteworthy. He was able spark the transition attack and deliver on smooth reads with either hand.
Allen also directed offense alongside Villanova-commit Dante Allen (eight points, four assists, three steals), operating as the primary ball handler and distributing for his teammates while playing off the ball. Allen’s defensive aptitude is really the facet of his game he values most.
“My game starts on defense,” Allen said. “I know in college I want to be where they emphasize defense. I describe my role as basically the guy who plays freely and plays disciplined at the same time. I think it is known that I’m a ‘get to my spots and score’ type of guy. I like to go hard on defense first, that really gets my offense started because it gets me more into the game.”
A manipulative one on one scorer with a proclivity for step-back and turnaround jumpers, Allen’s game is balanced by a wide ranging offensive tool-set. He’s shown considerable burst and a consistency in sticking shots on the move.
Mississippi State offered Allen on Jan 12th. The Georgia native holds offers from Arizona State, Florida State, Michigan, and a barrage of others.
“Right now I’m hearing from Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Auburn, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Louisville, and Cincinnati,” Allen said. “All are schools where I have to go and play ‘D.’ I’m working on it now. Starting on the defensive side. I want to be where I can be a major guy on defense, so now scouts can’t say that’s one of my flaws. I already know my offense is like that.”
Allen does not have any visits lined up, as he’s focused on the day to day grind of the 2024-25 campaign. He describes himself as “wide open” on the recruiting market.
At just 16 years old, a rare breed in today’s older NCAA game with emphasis on proven, veteran transfer experience and grad transfers, Allen knows time is working in his favor.
“I’ve got plenty of time,” Allen said.
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