Coach Kevin Boyle and Montverde Academy (Fla.) own the national No. 1 ranking in high school basketball. The Eagles, who play on ESPN2 Saturday night, boast the nation’s No. 2 point guard in the senior class in Kasey Hill and the No. 1 center in the 2013 class with Dakari Johnson. For good measure, Boyle has an ESPN 60 junior with shooting guard D’Angelo Russell and an another ESPN 100 senior with power forward Devin Williams.
Of the aforementioned contingent, only Russell will return next season. So naturally, Boyle is thinking reload.
This week, the coach learned he’ll be coaching a likely top 10 prospect in the Class of 2015 next year. Sophomore power forward Ben Simmons of Melbourne, Australia, will spend his final two seasons under Boyle at Montverde.
Simmons’ father, Dave, hails from Oklahoma City, Okla., and was a fantastic professional player in Australia. He liked the place so much he stayed. However, Dave Simmons told me last June that his son would play college basketball. In an email this week, the elder Simmons laid out why Ben will play high school ball in the United States.