The Cassidy Awards: Hoophall Classic
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The 2024 Hoophall Classic is in the books. This year’s event featured nearly 30 games played over four days at Springfield College, the birthplace of the sport. Rivals national analyst Rob Cassidy was on hand for most of the event and dishes out some awards based on the performances he witnessed.
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More: Oregon, Baylor visits top of mind for four-star junior Jerry Easter
2024 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2025 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team
2026 Rankings: Top 65
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BEST IN SHOW: Cooper Flagg
Flagg never seems to have a truly poor showing, and his remarkable consistency was once again on display at the Hoophall Classic, where he shined brightly in a high-profile matchup with Prolific Prep and No 1 junior. A.J. Dybantsa on Sunday. The contest saw Flagg go for 15 points and 10 rebounds in a victory.
Two days prior to that effort, Flagg helped his squad to cruise to a win over Oak Hill with an eye-popping 25-point, nine-rebound, seven-assists game that also featured five blocks. There’s no better defender in high school basketball and certainly no prospect that impacts winning in as many ways as the Duke-bound Flagg, who continues to impress on the sport’s biggest stages.
Recruitment: Flagg is signed with Duke.
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THE ELECTRICIAN: Thaad Pettiford
Pettiford is as spirited a prospect as there is in the country and when he is going well, he is absolutely electric on the floor, clapping, screaming and radiating positive energy. Friday saw Pettifrod explode for 33 points on a remarkably efficient 12-for-17 shooting. He brought the crowd to its feet with four 3-pointers and some nifty assists, including a flashy alley-oop lob.
Pettiford has decent length and the athleticism that allows him to play bigger than 6-foot-1 on the defensive end. Pettiford is an absolute thrill ride of a score-first guard that will take the next step as he becomes a better facilitator.
Recruitment: Pettiford is signed with Auburn.
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FLOOR GENERAL: Jeremiah Green
Green turned in one of the best point guard performances of the entire, four-day event on Friday, when he posted 19 points and 11 assists against La Lumiere School. The performance highlighted Green’s ability to impact games as both a scorer as well as a facilitator and featured a number of passes that took elite court vision to make.
Ideally, Green will become a more comfortable three-point shooter, but his development as both a slasher and passer is extremely encouraging.
Recruitment: Green has shown early interest in programs such as Houston, Texas A&M, Auburn and Oklahoma. He says he would prefer to stay close to his North Texas home if all things are equal but is open to going anywhere in search of the “right fit.”
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HARDWARE HOARDER: Jerry Easter
Easter one not one, but two game MVP awards at the Hoophall Classic. The class of 2025 guard had a two-game run that saw him rack up 35 points and a combined 15-for-13 shooting as well as 13 rebounds. Easter is playing with an added confidence this year and seems to have rededicated himself on the defensive end, where he showed some serious versatility, guarding booth point guards and smaller forwards.
Easter is ranked in the top-25 for a reason, and he reminded everyone of that over the weekend. The year ahead will ideally see the junior take steps forward as a shot-creator and passer.
Recruitment: Easter is set to visit Oregon over his school’s spring break. Baylor, Michigan State, Ohio State and a number of other programs are also involved to differing extents.
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STOCK UP: Jase Richardson
A strong case could be made that Richardson turned in the most impressive performance of the game in a Saturday tilt with Long Island Lutheran, a contest that featured more than 10 high-major college prospects. Richardson’s 20-point, nine-assist, six-rebound effort helped lead his team to victory over a nationally-ranked opponent and was one of the most well-rounded individual games of the event.
The lefty has always been seen as a high-upside prospect but that potential has now given way to production. He should slide up some from his current, No. 39 ranking in the coming update.
Recruitment: Richardson is signed with Michigan State.
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SCORING SPREE: Jalil Bethea
Bethea has been in consideration for a top-five spot in the Rivals150 and what he did at Hoophall certainly helped his case. The established three-level scorer did what he does best at the event, posting a 40-point performance that also included eight rebounds. The effort saw the future Miami Hurricane score the ball in a number of different ways, but the fact that he went 8-for-15 from 3-point range was most noteworthy.
The Hurricane signee still needs to work on avoiding the occasional bad shot, but the 47 percent he shot from the floor on Friday is solid to say the least, especially when you consider the work he did from beyond the arc.
Recruitment: Bethea is signed with Miami.
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ON A TEAR: Kayden Mingo
Mingo has been ranked inside the Rivals150 for a while now, and our early ranking of the Long Island Lutheran senior looks pretty good in retrospect, as the four-star prospect is in the throes of a stock-rising junior season. He was back at it again on Saturday in a game against a loaded Miami (Fla.) Christopher Columbus High School team led by the touted Boozer twins and Michigan State signee Jase Richardson.
The game saw Mingo score a game-high 19 points on 8-for-13 shooting and display an ability to guard multiple positions in the process.
Recruitment: Wake Forest, Penn State, Virginia Tech and Cal are most involved with Mingo for the time being, but he seems likely to pick up additional offers in the coming months.
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CRAFTY: Christian Anderson
Known as a 3-point sniper, Anderson looked to be more than that at the Hoophall Classic. The 5-foot-11 point guard knocked down just three 3-pointers in two games but showed off a reliable floater and the ability to create shots in the mid-range.
Anderson scored 40 points on a combined 14-for-26 scoring in two games at the event. And while concerns about his ability to defend longer guards remain, Anderson backed up his four-star ranking at Hoophall.
Recruitment: Anderson is signed with Michigan.
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UNDERRECRUITED: Braylan Ritvo
Ritvo won’t blow anyone away with athleticism, but the 6-foot-8 forward has good size, a high basketball IQ and the ability to not only rebound at a high level but to fill it up from deep. He went 7-for-10 from three-point range against a Don Bosco team stocked with college prospects.
He also did an admirable job defending five-star guard Dylan Harper for stretches. Ritvo has spent his senior season proving he can stand out in high-level games against college-bound opponents and could clearly help any number of mid-major teams. It’s baffling that he has just one scholarship offer.
Recruitment: Ritvo lists an offer from Quinnipiac but has fielded recent interest from a number of mid-major programs.
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RANKINGS CRASHER: Ace Buckner
Bucker is in the midst of a hyper-impressive senior season that is sure to help him break into the Rivals150. On Saturday, Bucker showed off the full scope of his game, racking up 19 points and six assists while showcasing his athleticism, strong facilitation skills and catch-and-shoot ability from beyond the arc.
Bucker’s athleticism allows him to play bigger than his 6-foot-1 frame on the defensive end, where he’s switchable in a lot of situations and an active nuisance in passing lanes. Bucker should see his name when the rankings update this spring.
Recruitment: Bucker is signed with Clemson.
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EMERGING: Brannon Martinsen
Martinsen oozes potential and seems to get a little better with every viewing. The 6-foot-7 forward is both skilled and fluid. The California-based sophomore can guard nearly anyone on the floor and is showing a developing stroke from deep.
On Friday, Martison scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. And while the effort came against an overmatched opponent his skill set and potential were impossible to miss. Martinsen will break into the class of 2026 rankings this spring.
Recruitment: Martinsen’s mother attended Kentucky, but the Wildcats have not yet made contact with the California-based sophomore. Martinsen holds offers from schools such as Illinois, Iowa, USC, Cal and Creighton. He says he hopes to land SEC opportunities in the future.