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How Acaden Lewis, Kentucky targets performed at 2025 Hoophall Classic

Zack Geogheganby:Zack Geoghegan•about 10 hours•

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Photo of Mark Pope (left) and Kentucky target Acaden Lewis via UK Athletics
Photo of Mark Pope (left) and Acaden Lewis via UK Athletics

The 2025 Hoophall Classic has officially wrapped up after the final game was played on Monday afternoon up in Springfield, MA. A handful of notable 2025 high school recruits were in action, including one future Kentucky Wildcat and a couple of the coaching staff’s top targets.

We’re here to figure out how they performed. Dive in below to see what UK signee Acaden Lewis, along with available targets Caleb Wilson and Nate Ament, did on the hardwood this past weekend.

4-star PG Acaden Lewis | No. 34 overall (signee)

The lone Kentucky signee in this event was named the game’s MVP as Acaden Lewis led Sidwell Friends (DC) to a 58-52 win over Owyhee (ID) on Sunday morning. His future college coach, Mark Pope, even stopped by for the 8:30 a.m. EST tipoff (just hours removed from Saturday’s loss at home to Alabama). Lewis finished with 15 points, six rebounds, and five assists with zero turnovers in 28 minutes. He shot 5-12 from the floor, 2-6 from deep, and 3-4 from the free-throw line,

“That was cool,” Lewis told League Ready about Pope coming to watch him play. “I’m about to go say what’s up to him now. I think was super cool that he came out, he showed love. I know he’s a busy dude. They just lost yesterday so he could have easily been in a bad mood or say I can’t make it, but that’s the reason I’m committed to Pope and his staff. They’re great people at the end of the day. Not even on a basketball level, just as people. They’re great humans.”

5-star PF Caleb Wilson | No. 5 overall (target)

It’s decision week for Caleb Wilson, who is down to a trio of finalists: Kentucky, North Carolina, and Ohio State. Unfortunately for the Big Blue Nation, this recruitment appears to be trending in the wrong direction. With a commitment date set for Thursday, the Tar Heels have all the momentum. UK is still considered a top contender, but barring a last-minute change of heart, they’ll finish second.

If that ends up being the case, UNC is getting itself quite the talent in the Georgia native. Wilson and Holy Innocents Episcopal (GA) came up short, 61-57, against St. Joseph’s (CA) on Saturday, but the 6-foot-9 forward shined. He finished with a team-high 21 points to go along with 15 rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and two steals in 32 minutes. Wilson did turn the ball over seven times and shot just 8-21 from the field (with a 4-7 mark from the line). However, he looked every bit the part of a five-star recruit on a big stage.

5-star SF Nate Ament | No. 4 overall (target)

If Kentucky ends up missing out on Wilson, the staff is expected to ramp up the interest with five-star small forward Nate Ament. He would be a pretty solid consolation prize too. Ament was named Sunday’s Hoophall MVP by On3’s Jamie Shaw.

In a massive win for Highland (VA) over nationally ranked Prolific Prep (CA), Ament went for 22 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one block with just a single turnover in 32 minutes of action. The 6-foot-9 wing shot 5-11 from the floor, 2-2 from deep, and a perfect 10-10 from the charity stripe.

Ament spoke with Shaw after his performance to talk about his recruitment. Ament is down to 11 schools: Alabama, Arkansas, BYU, Duke, Georgetown, Kansas State, Kentucky, Louisville, Notre Dame, Tennessee, and Texas. He’s already visited Tennessee, Notre Dame, Texas, and Louisville with upcoming trips to Duke and Kansas State. Ament says that he’s trying to schedule Kentucky and Arkansas visits with a commitment coming in February or March.

“Mark Pope, I mean, what a guy,” Ament told Shaw. “He calls and FaceTimes me all the time, texts me. I mean, they will not stop letting me hear their voice all the time.”

How Kentucky’s top 2026 targets performed at HoopHall

  • SF Tyran Stokes (No. 1): 9 pts, 6 asts, 5 rebs, 1 stl, 5 TOs | 4-12 FG, 1-4 3PT, 0-2 FT
  • SG Caleb Holt (No. 3): 6 pts, 9 rebs, 1 ast, 2 stls, 7 TOs | 2-13 FG, 0-5 3PT, 2-3 FT
  • SF Christian Collins (No. 4): 12 pts, 11 rebs, 2 asts, 2 stls | 4-14 FG, 0-3 3PT, 4-4 FT
  • PF Miikka Muurinen (No. 5): 1 pt, 2 reb | 0-4 FG, 0-2 3PT, 1-2 FT
  • SF Jordan Smith Jr. (No. 6): 19 pts, 6 rebs, 5 asts, 3 stls, 1 blk, 3 TOs | 7-14 FG, 1-2 3PT, 4-5 FT

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2025-01-20