HENDERSON, Nev. – The inaugural Sportradar Showdown is under way in the Las Vegas suburbs and the event features a loaded field of shoe circuit teams. Rivals national analyst Rob Cassidy was on hand for the first day of action, and shares some takeaways below.
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FLORY BINDUNGA’S RECRUITMENT IS ENTERING ITS HOME STRETCH
There aren’t many prospects in the country that routinely impact games as drastically as five-star Center Flory Bidunga, who posted a somewhat typical (for him) 21-point, 8-rebound, four-block performance that saw him make a difference in every facet of the game from whistle to whistle.
His consistency of production is the reason why his recruitment has become so crowded, but it seems as though his process has now reached its autumn. Following his Indiana Elite team’s win on Friday afternoon, Binduga said he doesn't intend to take any additional campus visits. Instead, he’ll reflect for a period of time and announce a decision.
“I don’t have an announcement date and I don’t want to be in a rush, so I’m still going to take my time,” Bidunga said. “No more visits, though, I’m done.”
Binduga is considering programs such as Duke, Cincinnati and Kansas among others. And while he has not announced an official list of finalists, he has formed a loose set of criteria when it comes to choosing his college home.
“I want to get to the next level, so which school can help me improve myself is a big piece,” Bidunga said. “Which school sets me up best for that is a big thing. Then the coaching staff, too and the school. All that stuff matters.”
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VJ EDGECOMBE SHOWCASES HIS FULL BAG ON THURSDAY NIGHT
V.J. Edgecombe moves up the Rivals150 in every rankings update, but his rise never seems to be enough, and that seems to be the case yet again. The No. 23 prospect in the 2024 class has outperformed that rankings all spring and seems primed for another jump in the next refresh.
While he’s been good all grassroots season long, Edgecombe made a particularly loud statement on Thursday, as the hyper-athletic wing went for 24 points , six rebounds, six blocks, four assists and five steals. Edgecombe seemed to affect nearly every possession while he was on the floor and was by far the most impactful defender in the game in addition to his offensive explosion.
The 6-foot-5 wing looks every bit the top-10 prospect these days and is considering programs such as Duke, Ohio State, Mississippi State and Villanova among others. He will begin the process of setting visit dates shortly and plans to tour multiple campuses this fall.
“Really every school that has offered wants me to visit,” Edgecombe said. “To be honest, I want to check out every school. It’s all pretty equal. I might not schedule anything until after the summer. I don’t have much time right now.”
Edgecombe has not announced formal visit destinations as of now but Duke, Mississippi State and Ohio State seem like decent bets to be among the schools that get the four-star prospect on campus down the road.
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NOTRE DAME COMMIT’S SCORING EXPLOSION GRABS HEADLINES
The 33 points Cole Certa scored in a Friday morning contest leads the tournament so far and acted as an exclamation point on what has been an impressive run of recent play for the Fighting Irish commit.
The sharp-shooting Certa knocked down 11 3-pointers in his first two games at the Sportradar Showdown, which comes on the heels of a massive performance at the Under Armour Association Finals. The Illinois Wolves guard seems to have unlimited range, as he routinely knocks down deep 3-pointers, oftentimes from NBA distance. His shooting gets most of the ink, but Certa also comes equipped with solid court vision, which he’s showcased during his recent run of high-level success. The future Notre Dame guard is a good vet to bust into the rankings during the next update.
