The 2025 Bojangles Bash: Montverde, Dynamic Prep & Rivals150 prospects highlight a loaded field

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Bojangles Bash will be held this Friday and Saturday at Columbia (SC) Ridge View High. The 13th Annual event will feature 11 teams from six different states over the two days.

Alumni of the event include Jonathan Kuminga, Keldon Johnson, Dennis Smith, Cole Anthony, Noah Clowney, and Cam Thomas. Thomas currently holds the event’s scoring record with a 42-point outburst in 2019.

Here are some storylines and players to watch for at the 2025 Bojangles Bash.

The Players

Looking through the field of players, Marcus Spears, Jr., and Josh Leonard are the two highest-ranking players among the stacked field of talent.

Spears, a 6-foot-8 forward at Irving (TX) Dynamic Prep, is the son of ESPN analyst and former NFL defensive lineman Marcus Spears. His mom, Aiysha Spears (nee Smith), was drafted No. 7 overall in the 2003 WNBA Draft. He is currently ranked No. 12 in the 2027 Rivals150. He currently carries offers from the likes of Tennessee, LSU, Texas, Indiana, Houston, Kentucky, Baylor, Louisville, Alabama, and a host of others.

Josh Leonard, the 6-foot-7 forward at Florence (SC) Wilson High, is currently ranked No. 9 overall in the 2027 Rivals150. Through four games this season, Leonard is averaging 28.5 points and 12.0 rebounds. Earlier this season, his 45-point outing in the Charlotte Hoops Challenge set an even record. Leonard currently has offers from the likes of Tennessee, Clemson, South Carolina, Ohio State, Ole Miss, NC State, and others.

Other 4-stars Playing in the Bojangles Bash

F Lincoln Cosby, Montverde (FL) Academy
SG Austin Goosby, Irving (TX) Dynamic Prep – Texas
F Joe Philon, Montverde (FL) Academy
SG Dakari Spear, Irving (TX) Dynamic Prep – Texas Tech
PF Cody Peck, Davidson (NC) Day School
PF Will Stevens, Davidson (NC) Day School – Clemson
G Oneal Delancy, Montverde (FL) Academy
SG Jayden Hodge, Montverde (FL) Academy – Northwestern
SF Kevin Thomas, Montverde (FL) Academy – LSU
PF Derek Daniels, Montverde (FL) Academy
C Xavier Hall, Davidson (NC) Day School
SF CJ Moore, Columbia (SC) Ridge View

EYBL Scholastic Featured Game

As a part of this year’s Bojangles Bash, Nike’s EYBL Scholastic League will play a featured game on Friday night. Boston (MA) CATS Academy will face off with Montverde (FL) Academy on Friday night at 8:30 PM.

Boston (MA) CATS Academy is new to the league, and they have not played yet played an EYBL Scholastic League game this season. They are led by 6-foot-10 three-star Nicolas Mitrovic, a thin but skilled power forward prospect. Jaxson Terry is a 6-foot-5 wing who is committed to Loyola-Maryland. Junior point guard Valdis Valters transferred in during the off-season. The 6-foot-2 Valters averaged 14.4 points and 4.0 rebounds for Latvia in this summer’s FIBA U18 Eurobasket.

Montverde (FL) Academy has started league play 0-2. They are led by Northeastern commitment Jayden Hodge, averaging 16.5 points on 76.2 percent shooting. Kent State commitment Dhani Miller is averaging 16.0 points in league play, and unsigned four-star senior Joe Philon is averaging 10.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists.

Boston (MA) CATS Academy will also play on Saturday at 3:00 PM against Greenville (SC) High. Montverde (FL) Academy will play on Saturday at 7:30 PM against the home Columbia (SC) Ridge View High.

Jermaine O’Neal returns to Columbia

Former NBA All-Star and Columbia, South Carolina native Jermaine O’Neal brings his Dynamic Prep team back to the Bojangles Bash to compete. O’Neal famously went prep-to-pro, getting taken No. 17 overall in the 1996 NBA Draft out of Columbia (SC) Eau Claire High.

Now the director and the head coach of the Irving (TX) Dynamic Prep team. They will be playing two games at this year’s Bojangles Bash: Friday against Columbia (SC) Ridge View High and Saturday against Florence (SC) Wilson High.

O’Neal’s team is led by a few Division 1 prospects, most notably the previously mentioned Marcus Spears, Jr. Spears carries offers from the likes of Tennessee, LSU, Texas, Indiana, Houston, Kentucky, Baylor, Louisville, Alabama, and a host of others. The industry four-star is a lengthy and explosive forward, one to certainly keep the cameras running when he is on the floor.

Dynamic Prep is currently Rivals’ No. 1 overall high school team in the Massey Ratings. They have far more than just the one prospect. Recent transfer Austin Goosby is Rivals’ No. 51 overall player in the 2026 rankings. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard is committed to Texas. Dakari Spear, the 6-foot-4 shooting guard, committed to Texas Tech earlier in the cycle. He is Rivals’ No. 84-ranked player in the 2026 cycle.

Three-star forward Seven Spurlock, a 6-foot-4 senior, is committed to Arizona State. 6-foot-9 David Baliraine is a Rivals150 big man in the 2027 class with offers from the likes of Houston, Oklahoma State, Cal, and Arizona State.

Dynamic Prep plays fast and an in-your-face, aggressive style on both ends of the floor. They will press and try to get out in transition and finish at the rim. They come into the Bojangles Bash 5-0 on the season.