Hoophall Classic: Takeaways from the opening day

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Friday at the annual Hoophall Classic was an appetizer of sorts and only featured a handful of games, but that’s not to say the day was lacking in star power or storylines.

Rivals national analyst Rob Cassidy was on hand in the birthplace of basketball and shares his takeaways below.

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2024 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position

2025 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team

2026 Rankings: Top 65

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At this point, there’s nothing to say about the top-ranked Cooper Flagg that hasn’t been said a thousand times. The remarkably complete, 25-point, nine-rebound, seven-assist performance he turned in against Oak Hill on Friday felt somehow standard.

The fact included highlight-worthy dunks, improbable rebounds, a handful of smooth 3-pointers and countless impressive plays in the defensive end shocked nobody that had seen him play in the past. It’s simply how things are expected to shake out every time the Maine native takes the floor.

When discussing Flagg at this point, the sensational often feels ordinary. And that – not his versatility or hyper-rare skill set – may be the most impressive thing about the senior wing. Off nights aren’t just rare for Flagg, they seem to be essentially non-existent. The Montverde Academy star consistently impacts winning like no other player in high school basketball and does it literally every time he puts on a jersey.

“Guys like him, Cade [Cunningham] and Scottie [Barnes] are all going to end up being NBA All-Stars together,” said Montverde Academy head coach Kevin Boyle. “They all have that talent level. With Cooper? Could he be a first-team All-Pro in the NBA? Yes, he could be.”

It seems that on his worst days, the Duke signee is still one of the two most impactful players on the floor, which is an almost unthinkable level of consistency for any high school prospect. So while No. 2 prospect Airious Bailey has certainly closed the gap in the rankings, it’s Flagg’s ability to avoid fading into the periphery for anything more than a short stretch in any given game that may be what ultimately holds the talented Bailey off. Flagg’s versatility and wide-ranging skill set is appreciated. His consistency of production, however, may be what sets him apart.

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Most of the focus this week will obviously be centered on the action on the floor at Springfield College, a major recruiting storyline will meet its end on Sunday evening as well. Five-star wing VJ Edgecombe, the No. 5 prospect in the 2024 Rivals150, says he will announce his college commitment on Sunday evening at halftime of the event’s 7:30 ET game.

Officially, Edgecombe is considering Kentucky, Duke and Baylor. Most of the buzz around the gym on Friday, however, suggested the pick will be either Duke or Baylor, casting aside a push by John Calipari’s Wildcats. The Blue Devils have seemed like the slight frontrunner for weeks now, but people in the know continue to suggest that the Bears have a puncher's chance at pulling a mild upset as we head toward decision day. Edgecombe was previously also considering the NBA’s G-League but has cooled on that idea in recent months.

Should Duke be the pick, it would give head coach Jon Scheyer his seventh signee of the 2024 class, a top-ranked group that would feature four five-star prospects. Should Edgecombe land in Waco, he’d become the highest-ranked Baylor commit of the Rivals Era.

A New York-based guard with a few offers to his name, three-star point guard Markell Alston showed off a well-rounded skill set that included a handful of pull-up jumpers from the mid-range on Friday. Alston shot a tidy 11-for-13 from the floor, including 2-for-2 from three-point range, on his way to 24-point, five-assist performance. The 6-foot-2 point guard at Christ The King High School has solid court vision and spent Friday making wise decisions with the ball in his hands.

Alston, who took home game MVP honors, is building some momentum as he heads toward the summer circuit but says things as they relate to his recruitment are pretty quiet for the time being. Alston is in most frequent contact with Seton Hall, which has already offered, and Virginia, which is yet to make things official.

“I don’t know much about Virginia yet, but I know some about Seton Hall,” Alston said on Friday. “Seton Hall tells me that if I come there, I’m going to have to play hard.”

Hall has already taken an unofficial visit to Seton Hall and hopes to return down the road.

Class-of-2027 prospect Josiah Adamson is already becoming a well-known prospect in Boston-area basketball circles, but not many outside of the region are familiar with his game … yet.

On Friday, it was clear that, despite not having his best game from a statistical standpoint, the Boston Catholic Memorial star is a rim-attacking combo guard with the tools to become a national prospect down the road.

An explosive, athletic and confident ball handler that has a knack for getting by defenders and finishing through contact at the rim, Adamson plays with a motor and level of aggression well beyond his years. He didn’t shoot the ball particularly well from range in the contest but still checked a number of other boxes that suggest he could be the object of serious high-major desire as he matures and becomes more efficient.

“I’d say I’m a strong slasher and finisher,” Adamson said. “I can hit the three but it wasn't really falling tonight. I see myself as a scorer and facilitator that can do everything.”

Adamson, who is yet to land his first scholarship offer, finished his team’s loss to California's Mater Dei High School with 24 points and seven rebounds on a less-than-ideal 8-for-21 shooting.