Jordan Awards: La Porte Invitational

LA PORTE, Ind. – When asked about the motivation behind his dominant weekend at the La Porte Invitational, Orangeville Academy point guard Elijah Duval said rather matter-of-factly that “it doesn’t matter who’s ranked where, when you step onto that court you have to prove everything.”

That mentality served Duval well this weekend and was the basis behind stellar performances over the last three days.

Here are the players who took home hardware in La Porte after three days on the hardwood.

MORE LaPorte Invite Day 1 | Day 2 top performers

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The junior point guard has it all and he unleashed the entire repertoire on opponents all weekend. Whether he was playing in front of Kentucky head coach John Calipari or with no coaches on the sidelines, Acuff kept the same energy going at everyone all the time. His relentless nature on the floor raised the level of play for his teammates over the course of the game, making his impact immeasurable. Acuff averaged 24.5 points, six rebounds and six assists a game for the weekend.

The Michigan signee masterfully ran the offense all weekend, keeping his teammates motivated by getting them the ball in situations where they could produce and picking his spots when the time came. Anderson’s best game was a 15-point, nine-assist and seven rebound outing against Elijah Duval. Anderson’s Warriors got the win because of his ability to control the pace and direct the traffic in both the halfcourt and in transition.

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The Syracuse signee used his size (6-foot-9) to shoot over the top of smaller wings and his superior quickness to maneuver around slower, less mobile bigs. Freeman’s ability to keep the defense off balance with his shooting ability is the key to his offensive attack. He pumped in 27 points and six rebounds in a loss to Wasatch Academy.

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Mobley is a high-volume scorer, but when Wasatch lost two starters in a tight game against No. 11 La Lumiere, Mobley stepped up and pumped in 30 points to get the Tigers over the hump. His ability to get into the lane and get to the free-throw line made all the difference. The Ohio State signee went 12 of 13 from the free throw line in the win. He was the one guy on the floor that no defender could keep in front of them.

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At 6-foot-9, Ahrens’ ability to dominate the paint then step out and efficiently knock down the three-ball made him a headache of a defensive assignment all weekend in La Porte. Ahrens plays with a chip on his shoulder on both ends of the floor and his feistiness seems to help him play his best basketball. He posted 20 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks in a win over Legacy. Ahrens isn’t currently ranked in the Rivals150 for 2025, but that could change soon.

Whenever Edgecombe is on the floor this award is going to be his to lose and he’s yet to relinquish it this season. Edgecombe’s energy on both ends of the floor makes him a necessary have for all three of the colleges – Baylor, Duke and Kentucky – on his final list. His ability to dominate on the offensive end and have the same impact disrupting the opposing team’s top perimeter players absolutely contributes to the outcome of the game. The top uncommitted prospect in the Rivals150 will upgrade the shooting guard position wherever he ends up.

The Michigan signee showed why Juwan Howard and the Wolverines are so excited to have him in Ann Arbor next season. At 6-foot-8, his ability to play and defend all five positions made him invaluable and immensely effective all over the floor. Rooths best game was in a win over CIA where he posted 19 points, including 8 of 10 from the field, and six rebounds.

Duval was a monster on the offensive end, using his change of speed and shifty controlled movements to barrel into the paint and finish through contact. The three-star senior missed the all-important summer circuit with an injury which is likely why he’s been underrated, but it’s clear he’s a man on a mission to make up for lost time. Duval averaged 27 points, 5.5 assists and four rebounds a game this weekend.