The Below 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 one 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 sector.
Standing at 6’7”, 185 kilos, Abaev was dealing with the ball almost each time he was on the court docket, commanding the offense as a point-forward, whereas particularly working nicely 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 troublesome fadeaway jumper on the baseline. A couple of possessions later, he separated off the dribble to attach on an open three earlier than getting a giant slam in open area in transition.
“I’ve been capable of 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 hold the vertical, hold 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 hold 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 selecting up the project defensively as nicely, resulting in the aggressive nature that stemmed round the entire sport.
After fouling Ament on a drive to the basket, Abaev obtained his get-back, recording a candy block on a fadeaway after holding his floor within the publish, 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 regarded to get his teammates concerned extra, commanding the offense nicely and speaking throughout.
He particularly related with ahead Marcus Jackson on a pair of alley-oop dunks, attracting a number of defenders in pick-and-roll conditions to unlock his teammate with a number of good passes.
In direction of the top of the sport, with either side starting to play extra hero ball, Abaev did have a number of pointless photographs, decreasing his total effectivity, nevertheless it was an “All-Star” kind sport to be truthful.
The sturdy efficiency towards some robust 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 purpose was to show that he may belong and stick as the most effective gamers within the nation. After Saturday’s efficiency, it’s protected 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 court docket, but in addition off the court docket as a pacesetter, as he was continually speaking in drills and pushing teammates with confidence.
“I used to be only a born chief. I all the time needed to steer folks once I was youthful my entire life,” Abaev stated. “So I simply really feel prefer it’s a task that I’d prefer to tackle as a participant. Even on the subsequent degree, you already know, that’s the toughest position to tackle as a result of if you win, it goes to the workforce and also you lose, it goes on you. So I’m keen to take full duty 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 deal with his senior season with official visits arising.
The High-40 prospect has a listing of officers set, as he’ll be headed to Maryland, Cincinnati, Dayton, Syracuse, Auburn, and USC.
Now, it’s time to search out the proper match for his future, along with his distinctive point-forward abilities standing out at the highschool degree.
