The Beneath Armour Subsequent Elite 24 showcase wrapped up on Saturday with a aggressive recreation between 24 of the highest males’s highschool and worldwide basketball gamers, and no one got here out robust 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 properly out of the decide and roll, utilizing his leverage to create shot alternatives off the dribble or producing seems to be for his teammates.
Abaev got here out actually robust, 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 house in transition.
“I’ve been in a position to shoot since I used to be youthful,” Abaev shared throughout 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 maintain the vertical, maintain getting higher as a result of that’s one thing that I had since little. I used to be at all times a extremely good shooter, so I simply needed to carry on engaged on and maintain 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 properly, resulting in the aggressive nature that stemmed round the entire recreation.
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 robust begin wasn’t executed 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 seemed to get his teammates concerned extra, commanding the offense properly 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 release his teammate with a couple of good passes.
In the direction of the tip of the sport, with each side starting to play extra hero ball, Abaev did have a couple of pointless photographs, reducing his total effectivity, but it surely was an “All-Star” kind recreation to be honest.
The robust efficiency in opposition to 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 might belong and stick as among the best 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 additionally off the court docket as a frontrunner, as he was continually speaking in drills and pushing teammates with confidence.
“I used to be only a born chief. I at all times wished to guide individuals once I was youthful my entire life,” Abaev mentioned. “So I simply really feel prefer it’s a task that I’d wish 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 staff and also you lose, it goes on you. So I’m prepared to take full accountability with that. So I’m grateful to have the ability to be a frontrunner and push all people 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 developing.
The Prime-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, together with his distinctive point-forward expertise standing out at the highschool degree.
