LSU-bound standout does it all as homestanding Montverde Academy handles Bishop O'Dowd of California.
Ben Simmons was all the hype in No. 1 Montverde Academy's victory over No. 7 Bishop O'Dowd with a triple-double.
File photo by Andrew Bershaw
lived up to his No. 1 national ranking in the Class of 2015 with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, leading No. 1
Montverde Academy (Fla.) to a 78-64 home win over No. 7
Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, Calif.) Friday night.
In an ESPN2 televised game, O'Dowd's
Ivan Rabb, ranked the country's No. 2 player in some recruiting services, had 22 points and nine rebounds despite playing much of the night saddled with foul trouble.
Ivan Rabb, Bishop O'Dowd
File photo by Samuel Stringer
Rabb, a 6-foot-10 post, picked up his third foul with 6:09 left in the second quarter and the game tied at 22. He sat out the rest of the half and a steal and bucket by
Paris Austin put the Dragons (2-1) up 25-22.
But Montverde (7-0) went on an 8-0 run to take the led 37-30 by halftime and never trailed after that.
Simmons, a 6-9 forward with guard skills, led an 11-2 run to start the second half and O'Dowd trailed 48-32. But Rabb and
Austin Walker (14 points, six assists) led a 17-7 run to close to 55-49 late in the third. Rabb was called for a charge in a close call while driving against Simmons, and he lost much of his aggressiveness from there.
Ty Graves (12 points) hit one of his four 3-pointers to close the quarter for the winners.
O'Dowd, which got 10 points from freshman
Elijah Hardy, stayed within striking range, but Montverde freshman
E.J. Montgomery,
Marquez Letcher-Ellis,
Doral Moore and the LSU-bound Simmons led an 11-2 run to put the game away. Moore and Letcher-Ellis combined for 18 points.
