Pete Hollis Showcase: Day 1 Top Performers

Greenville, South Carolina – The annual Pete Hollis Showcase is taking place this weekend at Parker Gymnasium on the campus of Greenville (SC) Legacy Early College. Ten teams gathered for the event, to play ten games over three days, from Feb. 29-Mar. 2.

No. 1-ranked Montverde (FL) Montverde Academy highlighted the field, featuring nine players ranked among the top 100 prospects in their respective classes. Led by 2024 On3 150, No. 1 overall Cooper Flagg, a Duke commitment. In all, six of the teams playing are ranked nationally along with 30 of the players, four of whom have been named McDonld’s All-Americans.

This event is brought to you by the Nike EYBL Scholastic League as games will be featured on ESPN+. On3’s Jamie Shaw was in the stands for night one, along with a handful of coaches from Tennessee, Clemson, Furman, and Samford. Let’s discuss the standouts from day 1 of the Pete Hollis Showcase.

Pete Hollis Showcase Event Information

On3 MVP: 4-star C Derik Queen, Montverde Academy (Maryland)

Derik Queen’s combination of strength, footwork, and touch makes him a difficult matchup at the high school level. He has consistently been able to score on the block throughout each of the last two seasons at Montverde (FL) Montverde Academy. He has strong hands and an array of go-to moves and counters on the block. Queen ended a long-awaited recruiting battle recently by choosing Maryland over a final group that also included Indiana, Houston, and Kansas. He does a great job of getting leverage and using angles to make up for his lack of traditional burst. He finished this one with 19 points, seven rebounds, and five blocks in the 25-point opening night win.

2. 5-star G Darius Acuff, IMG Academy (2025)

Darius Acuff can score, he has consistently done that, at a high clip, from April’s EYBL session in Atlanta to now. He has a crafty handle with great balance, which gets him open-looks at multiple levels of the half-court. Acuff also throws properly weighted passes when the scoring option is not there. He had multiple looks in the half-court off of a live dribble. While touching the paint often, Acuff did not finish well at the rim today, missing contested finishes or getting it stripped out of bounds. But he was able to create offense for his team. Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy won their game 67-53, and Acuff led all scorers with 17 points while adding 9 assists, going 3-of-6 from three.

3. 4-star C Daniel Jacobsen, Brewster Academy (Purdue) 

Listed at 7-foot-2, Daniel Jacobsen continues to get better each time he steps on the floor. He has always had great size with good length and mobility. However, his thin frame prevented him from being able to do much at the rim. Still on the younger side of the 2024 class, Jacobsen is finding consistent production around the basket. Offensively, he has been known as a stretch-type-big, able to knock down threes off the catch. He has added some effective stuff on the block, especially comfortable getting over his left shoulder. Defensively, he holds his ground well at the rim, walling up and using his length to affect shots that he does not block. His game is still on an upward trajectory. There are a lot of natural tools he has that project at the highest levels of basketball. Jacobsen committed to Purdue in July. He finished this one with 13 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks. 

4. 4-star PF Donnie Freeman, IMG Academy (Syracuse)

Donnie Freeman has been on an upward trajectory for the past 14 or so months. And that has continued, as he keeps showcasing new aspects of his game. Freeman has a smooth jump shot with a high release. He is able to get to his balance points off two dribbles or coming off movement. He shot comfortably in the mid-range as well as spot shooting from three. Freeman also showed some footwork and counters in the mid-range. Getting to spots and creating space to get his high-releasing shot off. The Syracuse signee is a lengthy player, he has a projectable frame, already adding good weight. He moves very well laterally with natural timing. On3 made him a five-star in the latest 2024 On3 150 update, it will be interesting to see where he ends up in the next, and final ranking. He finished this one with 14 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and two blocks, going 2-of-4 from three. 

5. PG Miles Sadler, Canyon International (2026) 

Do not let the 5-foot-10 listed height fool you. Miles Sadler is a jet-quick lead guard with an array of counter dribbles and a great pace.. He is capable of getting to his spots in the half-court, which is enhanced because he is a threat with his comfort in scoring the ball at each level. Sadler has range beyond the arc and a nice floater. He got free for open looks in this one with his pull-up, which he elevated at full speed, on a dime. A very intriguing player with his ability to score and his floor vision. His speed is tough to slow in transition, and he has good balance and vision. Sadler kept his Canyon International team close. He finished with a game-high 21 points, adding eight assists and three steals.

6. 4-star PG Rob Wright, Montverde Academy (Baylor)

It can be subtle the many ways point guard Rob Wright affects the game, but his impact on winning has been very loud all season for No. 1 ranked Montverde (FL) Montverde Academy. Wright is a 6-foot-0 point guard. What makes him so valuable is that he does not turn the ball over, he brings the defense to him when he touches the paint, and he distributes passes to his open teammates. He has a crafty handle with great footwork and is equally adept at playing in a pick-and-roll as he is in the open floor. He has continued to make those around him better this season, proving to be one of those point guards who elevate the play of elite players. Montverde won their game by 25 and Wright finished with six points, 10 assists, and three steals.

7. 3-star PG Elijah Duval, Orangeville Prep (2024)

Elijah Duval’s development is obvious. The younger brother of Trevon Duval, the 6-foot-2 guard has a physical frame and is able to absorb contact as he attacks the paint. Where his game has developed the most is with his pace. He is not putting his head down and playing a million miles per hour. Duval made some nice reads with good passes in the half-court and was able to put relentless pressure on the rim. The jump shot still needs work as it can get flat off the bounce, but his production stood out in the loss against Bradenton (FL) IMG.Academy. He finished with a team-high 15 points and added six assists. 

Other Pete Hollis standouts

Five-Star Plus+ SF Cooper Flagg, Montverde Academy (Duke) had a nice game, showcasing why he is so highly regarded in recruiting circles. However, the game was not particularly close, so he was not asked to do too much. Flagg defended well, had a couple of nice weak-side blocks, and he finished a couple of lobs and transition plays high above the rim. Flagg finished with an efficient 15 points, seven rebounds, 2 blocks, and four steals.

5-star SF Liam McNeeley, Montverde Academy (Indiana) is a sharpshooter, and he continues to provide spacing to this team. Even with top 100 players all around him, McNeeley’s ability to knock down shots could be the most valuable asset for this team. When his defender leaves him, the shot is more times than not cashed out. He finished 5-of-7 from three en route to 21 points in the win.

4-star F Jaion Pitt, Canyon International (2025) simply produces when he steps on the floor. He has always had a reputation as a versatile defender, and he can slide his feet with a perimeter-based forward and switch down a lineup to guard forwards on the block. Offensively, he finished drives in straight lines and even spelled the point guard in short stints, getting his team into sets. 

4-star SF Dwayne Aristode, Brewster Academy (2025) has an excellent frame with great length. He was the best athlete on the floor, showcasing his explosion a couple of times at the rim. He also has a soft touch with repeatable form and releases off the catch. This is his first year in the United States, and his game is quickly coming around. He finished with 10 points and four assists in the win. 

3-star PG Elijah Crawford, Brewster Academy (Stanford) plays with a lot of confidence. He is a sturdy lead guard and he did a good job of running the team, setting up teammates, and finishing his own opportunities. Crawford has a team-high 18 points while adding eight rebounds and five assists. 

PF Johan Munch, Orangeville Prep (2024) this was my first live viewing and it was hard to not walk away impressed. Munch, made the move from Denmark to Canada this year. He had a successful summer with the Denmark U18 team. Much is a late-bloomer, recently growing from 6-foot-4 to 6-foot-9. He showcased guard skills here, pushing the break and spraying on-target passes. He finished with eight points, 15 rebounds, and five assists. Again, a late-bloomer, Munch could start to pick up viable interest.

PG Zion Paleo, Veritas Academy (2025) was a lone bright spot for his team today. Paleo displayed a crafty game that got him to his spots and a smooth jump shot that he knocked down at multiple levels. Paleo played an efficient floor game with some toughness and a little flare. The shot was consistent. He finished with a game-high 26 points, going 10-of-15 from the field.