A pair of future University of Kentucky men’s basketball teammates are set to face off at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Freedom Hall.
Reed Sheppard’s North Laurel High School team will face Imhotep Charter of Philadelphia’s Justin Edwards in the Play-By-Play Classic showcase game.
Sheppard, a 6-foot-3 senior guard, is the heavy favorite for Kentucky Mr. Basketball 2023 honors. He’s averaging 24.3 points and 6.3 rebounds for a Jaguars team starting 4-0.
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Edwards, a 6-7 senior winger, had 13 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and two blocks in Imhotep’s season-opening win over South Shore (NY) on Saturday. The Panthers are ranked No. 16 in the nation by ESPN.com.
Both Edwards and Sheppard signed with the UK last month. Edwards is the nation’s No. 2 ranked rookie in the Class of 2023, according to 247Sports.com. Sheppard is ranked No. 29 in the class.
The North Laurel-Imhotep game will be the fifth and final game in an event that will pit teams from Kentucky against outside competition. In addition to No. 4 North Laurel, the event features four other teams ranked in the top 25 in the state in the Courier Journal’s preseason coaches poll – No. 3 Trinity, No. 13 Woodford County, No. No. 15 North Oldham and No. 15. 18 DeSales.
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Here’s a look at Sunday’s other matches:
12:30 p.m. – DeSales vs. Moravian Prep (NC) – DeSales features junior Will Gibson (Liberty commit). Moravian is led by Isaac Ellis, a 5-foot-8 guard who is ranked among the top freshmen in the nation.
2:15 p.m. – Woodford County vs. Buchtel, Ohio – Woodford County is led by senior John McCrear (signed from Murray State) and top sophomore Jasper Johnson. Buchtel seniors Amire Robinson (Nevada) and Khoi Thurmon (Purdue-Fort Wayne) have signed with NCAA Division I schools.
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4 p.m. – North Oldham vs. Spire, Ohio — Defending eighth-region champion North Oldham has one of the best senior guards in the state in Dallas Roberts. Spire senior guard Daniel Pounds has signed with Old Dominion.
5:45 p.m. – Trinity vs. Huntington Prep (W.Va.) – Trinity is led by senior Cam McClain, junior Drae Vasser and rookie Jayden Johnson. Huntington Prep has a pair of three-star senior rookies Maki Johnson (6-3 guard) and Justin Johnson (6-8 guard).
Tickets are available for $21 on Ticketmaster.com.
Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; [email protected]; Twitter: @kyhighs.