The Underneath Armour Subsequent Elite 24 showcase wrapped up on Saturday with a aggressive sport between 24 of the highest males’s highschool and worldwide basketball gamers, and no person got here out sturdy than 2025 Florida four-star recruit Shon Abaev.
Abaev, who attends Calvary Christian Academy, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was seen as a top-40 recruit within the Class of 2025 coming into the weekend, and solidified that standing with a 22-point, 10-assist, and seven-rebound efficiency, whereas capturing 8-for-19 from the sphere.
Standing at 6’7”, 185 kilos, Abaev was dealing with the ball almost each time he was on the courtroom, commanding the offense as a point-forward, whereas particularly working properly out of the choose and roll, utilizing his leverage to create shot alternatives off the dribble or producing seems for his teammates.
Abaev got here out actually sturdy, beginning the sport with a tricky fadeaway jumper on the baseline. Just a few possessions later, he separated off the dribble to attach on an open three earlier than getting an enormous slam in open area in transition.
“I’ve been in a position to shoot since I used to be youthful,” Abaev shared in the course of the weekend. “I used to be a shooter. I had a really feel for the ball since a younger age, so I simply felt like I needed to preserve the vertical, preserve getting higher as a result of that’s one thing that I had since little. I used to be all the time a very good shooter, so I simply needed to carry on engaged on and preserve getting higher.”
The four-star was battling early with 2025 five-star Nate Ament on the ahead place, attacking him on the offensive finish, whereas choosing up the task defensively as properly, resulting in the aggressive nature that stemmed round the entire sport.
After fouling Ament on a drive to the basket, Abaev acquired his get-back, recording a candy block on a fadeaway after holding his floor within the put up, regardless of the five-star having two inches on him.
Abaev’s sturdy begin wasn’t carried out but, because the ahead hit a floater and one other three off the dribble in response to an Ament three, resulting in an especially productive first half.
Within the second half, whereas the shot cooled a bit, the Florida native appeared to get his teammates concerned extra, commanding the offense properly and speaking throughout.
He particularly linked with ahead Marcus Jackson on a pair of alley-oop dunks, attracting a number of defenders in pick-and-roll conditions to unencumber his teammate with a couple of good passes.
In the direction of the top of the sport, with either side starting to play extra hero ball, Abaev did have a couple of pointless photographs, decreasing his total effectivity, but it surely was an “All-Star” sort sport to be truthful.
The sturdy efficiency towards some powerful competitors and the close to triple-double for Abaev received him MVP honors, capping off a strong weekend for the four-star ahead.
Coming into the weekend, the ahead revealed to SB Nation that his aim was to show that he may belong and stick as top-of-the-line gamers within the nation. After Saturday’s efficiency, it’s secure to say that was the case.
Watching from afar over the three days, one factor that impressed me was not solely Abaev’s command on the courtroom, but additionally off the courtroom as a pacesetter, as he was consistently speaking in drills and pushing teammates with confidence.
“I used to be only a born chief. I all the time wished to guide folks once I was youthful my complete life,” Abaev mentioned. “So I simply really feel prefer it’s a task that I’d prefer to tackle as a participant. Even on the subsequent degree, , that’s the toughest position to tackle as a result of whenever you win, it goes to the group and also you lose, it goes on you. So I’m keen to take full accountability with that. So I’m grateful to have the ability to be a pacesetter and push everyone else round to do higher.”
With the UA Subsequent Elite 24 formally over, it’s time for Abaev to concentrate on his senior season with official visits arising.
The Prime-40 prospect has an inventory of officers set, as he’ll be headed to Maryland, Cincinnati, Dayton, Syracuse, Auburn, and USC.
Now, it’s time to seek out the precise match for his future, along with his distinctive point-forward expertise standing out at the highschool degree.
