While five-star guard Nico Mannion wrapped up his second straight ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ 6A title last week, fellow ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ commits Zeke Nnaji of Minnesota and Christian Koloko of California are both helping take their teams into the postseason of their respective states.
Koloko had 11 points to help star-studded Sierra Canyon High School beat Mater Dei 83-73 on Tuesday to reach California’s Open Division state title game Saturday against Shelton High School of Sacramento.
While Sierra Canyon features Koloko and the sons of former NBA standouts Scottie Pippen and Kenyon Martin, Shelton has Marcus Bagley, younger brother of the Kings’ Marvin Bagley, the onetime Tempe Corona Del Sol star who spent his final year of high school at Sierra Canyon in 2016-17.
In Minnesota meanwhile, Nnaji and Hopkins High School appear especially competitive heading into the postseason. The Royals (22-4) will face St. Louis Park in a section semifinal game on Friday.
Averaging 24.6 points and nine rebounds this season, Nnaji was named a finalist for Minnesota’s Mr. Basketball award this week. Among the other four finalists is five-star forward Matthew Hurt, who leads the state in scoring with a 36.7 scoring average for Rochester John Marshall.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ has offered a scholarship to Hurt, who is undecided but believed to be deciding between Duke and Kansas. Hurt is scheduled to play for the West team in the March 27 McDonald’s All-American Game along with Mannion and fellow UA signee Josh Green of IMG Academy.
Of the UA’s two other fall commits, Green helped IMG Academy of Florida build a 28-1 record en route to their expected appearance in the Geico Nationals in New York next month, while wing Terry Armstrong will play for Scottsdale Bella Vista in the Grind Session championships this weekend in Benton, Kentucky.
Armstrong has been averaging 24.3 points and six rebounds and two steals for Bella Vista, which will open play on Thursday. Bella Vista is 16-16 but has won six of its past eight games.