Shabazz Muhammad went for 42 points Monday night…and lost.
The consensus No. 1 player in the Class of 2012, Muhammad made 14 of 29 shots but his Las Vegas Bishop Gorman team fell to Julius Randle and Prestonwood (Texas), 76-70, in the quarterfinals of the City of Palms Classic in Fort Meyers, Fla.
The 6-9 Randle, the top power forward prospect in the Class of 2013, went for 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting while his teammate Mickey Mitchell, a 6-6 2015 wing who has drawn comparisons to Scottie Pippen, added 16 points.
Kentucky coach John Calipari and his entire staff were among those on hand to watch both players, as well as Tilton center Nerlens Noel, who won his earlier game.
UConn assistants Kevin Ollie and Glen Miller, UCLA’s Phil Mathews, Georgetown’s Kenya Hunter, Michigan’s LaVall Jordan, Washington’s Paul Fortier and Ohio State were also on hand.
Muhammad has indicated he is favoring Kentucky, Duke, UCLA and UNLV. He will sign in the spring.
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Also at City of Palms, former Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick coach Kevin Boyle remains alive for a repeat after his Montverde (Fla.) Academy club downed St. Raymond’s of the The Bronx, 80-61.
Four Montverde players scored in double-figures, led by Mississippi-bound Anthony Perez’s 18 points.
Kasey Hill, the 2013 point guard for Montverde, told Harrison Sanford of FiveStarBasketball.com his top three consists of Kentucky, Louisville and Florida.
Temple signee Daniel Dingle had 26 for St. Ray’s.
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Grace Prep beat Mater Dei, 86-80, behind a combined 50 points from 2013 power forward Jordan Mickey (29) and 2012 Baylor-bound big man Isaiah Austin (21).
Grace Prep will play Montverde in one semifinal Tuesday night, while Prestonwood meets Ricardo Gathers and Reserve (La.) Riverside in the other.
FREE THROWS
Former Villanova commit Savon Goodman, a 6-foot-6 senior, had a game-high 26 points but Philly Constitution lost to Pompano Beach Eli, 79-62…Uncommitted senior forward Amile Jefferson had 19 and 10 as Philly Friends Central was hammered by Noel and Tilton, 80-50.
