Air Capital Hoopfest Standouts
Wichita, KS — December kicked off with some of the nation's best basketball teams traveling to Kansas to play at the Air Capital Hoopfest. The event took place at Charles Koch Arena at Wichita State University.
Let's take a look at the standouts from the exciting event which included multiple NIBC regular season games.
Murray-Boyles' stats (Wasatch Academy): 15 PPG (77.7% FG), 12.5 RPG, 3 APG, and 2.5 BPG
The 3-star was outstanding in Kansas and has had a great start to the NIBC season overall. Murray-Boyles delivered an 18-point, 14-rebound double-double and had three blocks on Day 1 as Wasatch handed #1 AZ Compass their first loss. The South Carolina commit dominated the offensive glass and was elite in the post.
Holloway's stats (Oak Hill Academy): 17 PPG (41.7% FG), 5 RPG, 4.5 APG
The underrated guard impacted the game in multiple ways for Oak Hill in Kansas. Despite the team going 0-2, they still showed tons of fight and he helped orchestrate two huge comebacks. He helped Oak Hill go on a huge 25-3 run against Sunrise Christian and went on a 7-0 run by himself the next night in the final minutes of Oak Hill’s matchup with Wasatch. Holloway is a player that can switch the flow of the game instantly with his electric shooting, fantastic court vision, and tough defense.
Blocker's stats (Sunrise Christian Academy): 11.3 PPG (56% FG), 5.3 RPG, 4 APG, 2 SPG
Blocker is a high-energy guard that is a great finisher around the hoop. He’s quick and aggressive on each end, making him a very exciting player to watch. The 5-star made it difficult for defenders to stay in front of him at the event and he does much more than just score on the court. The Arkansas commit had a game-high 18 points on 9-12 shooting, along with four rebounds, six assists, and two steals in his team’s win over Oak Hill.
Washington's stats (AZ Compass Prep School): 12 PPG and 6 RPG in just 15.5 MPG
Washington is a player who works hard on each end of the floor. He has such natural energy and an elite scoring and playmaking ability which attribute to his great feel of the game. He scored 19 points and had nine rebounds in the AZ Compass-Wasatch game and showed off his tough shot-making and high IQ, drawing multiple fouls while shooting. Althought he is the 86th-ranked player, he is still underrated and is one of the best remaining 2023 recruits available.
Jones' stats (Wasatch Academy): 19 PPG (58.8% from three), 2.5 RPG, 4 APG
Jones hit some very timely threes and showed off his crafty passing in his team’s win over AZ Compass and he was unstoppable in the win over Oak Hill. He scored 25 points and shot 7-10 beyond the arc in the second game alone. His elite shooting can be crushing for the opponent and his pace and control on the court is great. Jones will be playing a couple hours away from where the event took place next year for Kansas State, being their highest ranked recruit in over 10 years.
RJ Jones had a HUGE performance tonight for Wasatch Academy scoring 25 points while shooting 7-10 from three to beat Oak Hill Academy.
— Griffin Greenberg (@griffgreenberg) December 3, 2022
The 4⭐️ Kansas State commit and Wasatch took down #1 AZ Compass and #21 Oak Hill this week in Kansas. @RJJones2023 @WATigersBB pic.twitter.com/2OLtwHNrr8
Buzelis' stats (Sunrise Christian Academy): 14.3 PPG (57.7% FG), 5.7 RPG, 2 APG
The G League Ignite commit was efficient for Sunrise Christian in their 3-0 week (2-0 on the week in NIBC games). The 6’10” 5-star displayed his smooth game, blowing by defenders with crafty moves and knocking down shots over defenders. His best performance came against Bishop Walsh where he scored 20 points on 6-7 shooting and had 6 rebounds.