The 2019-20 Eagles squad was balanced, deep and unselfish as seven
players averaged 8.3 or more points per game and no player averaged more
than 22 minutes played per contest. Many consider the 25-0 national championship squad to be one of the
greatest high school basketball teams of all-time, if not the greatest.
Montverde Academy consistently dominated opponents last season,
winning by an average of 39 points. They seven wins
over Top 25 opponents — defeating No. 5 DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), No.
10 Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.), No. 12 Scotlandville (Baton
Rouge, La.), No. 19 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) three times and No. 20
Duncanville (Texas).
• Point guard
Cade Cunningham currently sits atop the big board, averaging 18.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists for 14-6 Oklahoma State. The 6-foot-8 Cunningham was the 2019 MaxPreps National Basketball Player of the Year after dropping 13.9 points and adding 6.4 assists and 4.2 rebounds as a Montverde senior.
•
Moses Moody is No. 8 on the big board with the 6-6 guard averaging 16.2 points and 5.6 rebounds for No. 24 Arkansas. Moody was a MaxPreps All-American selection last year, averaging 10.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game for the Eagles.
•
Scottie Barnes sits at No. 11 among 2021 NBA Draft prospects. The 6-9 win averages 10.2 points, 4.3 assists and 3.7 rebounds off the bench for No. 16 Florida State. Barnes was a first-team MaxPreps All-American last season, pouring in 11.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists per night.
• North Carolina 6-11 center
Day'Ron Sharpe ranks No. 25 on CBSSports big board, averaging 9.8 points and 7.8 rebounds off the bench for the 13-7 Tar Heels. Sharpe earned fifth-team MaxPreps All-American honors as a senior, shooting 67 percent from the field while averaging 12.1 points and adding 7.3 rebounds.
Projected top pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Cade Cunningham throws a behind the back pass.
File Photo: Greg Payan
The next-level success of the 2019 squad also provides a roadmap for the next wave of Eagles currently sitting atop the MaxPreps Top 25 rankings.
Michigan signee
Caleb Houstan is regarded as the No. 8 player in the Class of 2021, according to 247Sports composite rankings. The 6-8 wing may be the best shooter in the senior class, with size and length that likely will translate into a high draft pick after a potential one-and-done season in the Big Ten.
Baylor signee
Langston Love has had a tremendous senior year for the Eagles. Regarded as the No. 34 prospect in the senior class, Love has shown an exceptional ability to beat defenders off the dribble and finish around the rim with a strong frame at the guard position.
Dariq Whitehead is another highly-regarded prospect off last year's squad, ranked No. 9 in the Class of 2022. Whitehead is an explosive athlete continuing to develop his outside game. The five-star wing is another player with a chance to become a lottery selection when his time arrives.
Also worth mentioning, Creighton commit
Ryan Nembhard has been a catalyst for the top-ranked Eagles this season. The 6-1 guard has blossomed and shown an ability to take over and hit big shots during crunch-time. Although undersized, a strong Bluejays career could bolster Nemhard's professional aspirations down the road.
How many first round NBA draft picks will the 2019-20 Montverde Academy Eagles have? Time will tell, but the conservative answer would be anything less than five first round draft picks would be a surprise.
