5 things I learned from the 5 for the Fight National Hoopfest
Pleasant Grove, Utah – The 5 for the Fight National Hoopfest showcased a mixture of top-25 national teams and state champion contenders from Utah. There were countless ranked players, with Montverde (FL) Academy featuring five-stars Cooper Flagg, Sean Stewart (Duke), and Kwame Evans (Oregon).
While many of the twelve games over a two-day period were close, there were a couple of blowouts. Travis Haddock was an excellent host.
Utah is a beautiful state; while cold, there was no bad weather during the event. It was a great way to usher in Thanksgiving break. There were a lot of questions answered. On3’s Jamie Shaw was courtside for both days. Here are five things learned from the 5 for the Fight National Hoopfest.
Jeremiah Johnson was the breakout player of the event
Watching Mount Pleasant (UT) Wasatch Academy, you circle guys like 2025 five-star Isiah Harwell, 2023 four-star RJ Jones and South Carolina signee Collin Murray Boyles. However, after both games of the 5 for the Fight National Hoopfest, it was junior Jeremiah Johnson that everyone walked away talking about.
The 6-foot-4 Johnson is originally from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He missed a good amount of time with injury and is now back on the court and playing at 100 percent. The first takeaway from Johnson’s game is his smooth shooting. He has a great stroke with range and confidence.
The guard also has a high basketball IQ. He does not force the issue with the ball in his hands and moves it around if it is the right play. Johnson is also a high-level on-the-ball defender. Currently unranked, watch for Johnson to move into the 2024 On3 150 in our next update.
There is no dominant team in high school this year
Montverde (FL) Academy came into the event ranked No. 1 by most services. They lost to Chandler (AZ) AZ Compass on the first night. AZ Compass then turns around to squeak out a close game to a depleted Bel Aire (KS) Sunrise Christian team.
AZ Compass put only one player in double figures in the Sunrise Christian win while shooting 22.2 percent from three and dishing out 10 assists to 11 turnovers.
At the end of the day, winning the game is the name of the story. AZ Compass escaped the 5 for the Fight National Hoopfest, going 2-0, and are almost ensured the national No. 1 ranking. As the season progresses, we will see how many teams touch that No. 1 spot.
Mikel Brown is good
Mikel Brown is good, and that is something we already knew; he is the No. 11 player in the 2025 On3 50. However, the Bel Aire (KS) Sunrise Christian point guard’s poise is well beyond his years. The ball was in Brown’s hands during any important moment in the game.
The interesting part of Brown’s game has nothing to do with any parts of his skill set; it will be with his size. The four-star is 6-foot-0 and around 145 pounds. Still, despite that size, he played mistake-free basketball against the now top-ranked team in the country.
Brown will need to continue growing, but he makes plays for his teammates, he takes care of the ball, and he makes shots. He was a very bright spot this week.
There are some interesting scholarship-level bigs in Utah
Talk to every college coach in America at any level, and they always want bigs. Now, who they end up recruiting, and taking, does not always match who or what they say they need, but the conversation is had every year.
Utah will be an interesting recruiting ground for scholarship-level schools in this 2023 cycle. 6-foot-11 Bron Roberts from Pleasant Grove (UT) High is a fluidly athletic big with shooting touch and some rim protection. He will need to add weight, but he does some things that translate.
A look up the road to American Fork (UT) High, and you see the strong-framed Aaron Dunne. The 6-foot-9 post finished his Wednesday game with 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. He was 2-for-4 from three. The first game of Thursday featured 6-foot-9 Brayden Whitehead of South Jordan (UT) Bingham High and 6-foot-10 center Lyman Simmons of Salt Lake City (UT) Real Salt Lake. Whitehead finished with 19 points and 6 rebounds on 8-for-9 from the field, and Simmons had 18 points and 8 rebounds on 6-for-10 from the field.
In speaking with them after their games, none of these guys have much going on. However, for scholarship-level programs looking for bigs, here are some names.
Max Toombs breaks tournament scoring record
This event has had some heavy hitters, from Shai Gilgeous Alexander to Tyrese Maxey to Joel Embiid, and Anthony Edwards. However, 6-foot-0 guard Max Toombs from Draper (UT) Corner Canyon finished his Wednesday game with 44 points, more than any of them.
The unsigned senior was 14-for-26 from the field and 8-for-14 from three against NIBC member Cumberland (MD) Bishop Walsh.