Hoophall Classic: Cassidy's Day 2 takeaways

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Saturday at the Spalding Hoophall Classic featured a full slate of games that spanned roughly 15 hours and included a number of high profile prospects. Rivals national analyst Rob Cassidy was on hand for the day’s entirety and shares some news and notes from the event below.

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Cameron Boozer used a 26-point, seven-rebound performance to lead his team to a victory over nationally ranked Long Island Lutheran High School and earn game MVP honors. Still, the biggest impact he had on the contest may have come on the defensive end, where the top-ranked junior helped hold five-star senior VJ Edgecombe to 5-for-14 shooting and showed impressive lateral quickness by staying in front of the smaller and more athletic Edgecombe on the perimeter for stretches.

“It’s hard because he’s athletic and fast-twitch,” Boozer said of Edgecombe following the game. “He’s a hard guy to stay in front of for a full game. I think everyone likes playing against the best competition, though, that’s what it’s all about.”

Both Boozer and his twin brother Cayden Boozer say they have placed their crowded recruitments on the back burner until after the season. But Cameron spent some time reflecting on his offseason visit to Duke, which he said had a much different feel than the trips he’s taken to Durham in the past

“It was nice because it was more of a visit. Before when we went to Duke we would just go watch a game and hang out without Dad (Blue Devil legend Carlos Boozer) and stuff like that,” he said. “This time we talked about how they can develop me and get me ready for the next level.”

Duke is considered to be the leader for both Boozer brothers, but Miami and Kentucky are also seen as legitimate players at this juncture.

The No. 61 player in the 2025 class, Jeremiah Green backed up his ranking on Saturday. The four-star point guard thrived in his floor general role to the tune of a 19-point, 11-assist double-double that impacted the game in multiple ways. The 6-foot-3 Green has improved his stock this season and feels like a candidate to creep up the rankings in the next refresh.

But while Green is making a name for himself playing high school basketball for Kansas-based Sunrise Christian, the fact that he was born and raised in North Texas feels important … not only to his personal identity but also to his college recruitment.

“I mean, deep down in my heart I want to stay close to home and maybe in Texas,” Green said on Saturday. “That’s deep down in my heart, but I’ll go anywhere if I think it’s the best opportunity for me.”

Houston and Texas A&M are the Lone Star State-based programs most heavily involved with Green, and both the Aggies and Cougars feel like locks to be serious players until the end, having gotten the point guard on campus multiple times already.

“I’ve already been to Houston for a couple unofficials visits,” Green said. “They want me to be their point guard. They want me to play defense and help them win by doing that and getting my teammates involved. I’m going to take an official there.”

Auburn and Oklahoma are also among the schools to watch for Green, who says he intends to trim his list to eight schools in the next month or two.

Once expected to announce his commitment at this week’s Hoophall Classic, Derik Queen has pivoted back to wait-and-see-mode and now says he once again has no timetable when it comes to choosing a college. The five-star center has narrowed his options to include Kansas, Indiana, Maryland and Houston and will take additional time to mull those options in the coming weeks.

“I’m not going to be able to [announce] here,” Queen told a group of reporters following his game. “I’m still talking to coaches. I talk to most of them every day."

So what’s the holdup? The answer to that question remains elusive. And while Queen declined to go into many details on the subject, he insists the delay isn’t NIL-related.

“It’s not even about the money,” he said. “It’s about the fit. I’m looking at that.”

Kentucky signee Billy Richmond gets most of the ink for Camden (NJ) High school, and rightfully so. The future Wildcat poured in 26 points while showcasing above-the-rim athleticism as well as a reliable three-point stroke on Sunday. Uncommitted forward Alijah Curry packed intrigue of his own, however.

The uncommitted 6-foot-8 forward turned in an 18-point, five-rebound performance that came on a tidy seven shots. The long, lean senior showed some defensive versatility in the contest as well, guarding multiple positions and holding his own in the paint. Following the game, he shed some light on what has been a bit of a mysterious recruiting process, saying that he’s hoping to rebuild interest in his game after being forced to miss the first six games of his senior season.

“The college coaches are talking to my coaches about me right now, but I haven't been talking to many coaches,” Curry said, “I’d like to check out places like Clemson and Purdue and whoever else wants to talk to me. I’m open to all schools.”