HS Wants To Play Against LaVar Ball's Son So Badly, It's Willing To Pay To Do It
After a year of playing in the wilds of Europe and in front of sparse crowds in his father’s Junior Basketball Association, LaMelo Ball is back playing high school basketball.
Unfortunately, some of his new school’s opponents refuse to play against him. One school, however, has offered to pay to bring Ball’s team to town for a game.
Ball, the youngest son of JBA founder LaVar Ball and brother of the Lakers’ Lonzo Ball, announced his return to high school in a tweet last week.
“I’ve decided to return to high school and complete my senior year. I thank my dad for the JBA Experience and playing overseas. I’ve been accepted to attend Spire Prep Academy in Geneva, Ohio where i look forward to earning my high school diploma and winning with my new team,” the 17-year-old tweeted.
Ball was a freshman phenom at Chino Hills High School in California, where he averaged 16.4 points per game on an undefeated team that won the state championship.
As a sophomore, Ball averaged nearly 30 points a game for Chino Hills, including one game where he scored 92 points. He was one of the top high school prospects in the country.
However, his father pulled him out of high school after his brother, LiAngelo Ball, was arrested in China on Nov. 6 of last year for shoplifting while the UCLA basketball team — which LiAngelo was a member of — was in China for an exhibition. The charges were dropped, but LaVar Ball pulled LiAngelo out of UCLA and LaMelo out of high school to play ball professionally, first in Lithuania and then for his fledgling JBA.
LaMelo Ball missed his entire junior year, but now he has returned to school to graduate and play out his senior year at the SPIRE Institute, a private prep school in Geneva, Ohio.
LaMelo Ball and @SPIRE_Institute Head Basketball Coach Jermaine Jackson following Ball’s introductory press conference.
Favorite quote from Jackson when asked about going undefeated: “We don’t call ’em losses, that L to me is learning experiences”.@AngleofPursuit @ESPN970WFUN pic.twitter.com/JViD3xPYh6
— TheAngleOfPursuit (@AngleofPursuit) November 9, 2018
His enrollment immediately propelled SPIRE into MaxPrep’s ranking of the top 50 teams in high school basketball.
In his first game Saturday, Ball had 21 points and 10 assists in a 96-84 win over the Hill School from Pottstown, Pennsylvania, reported MaxPreps.
He’s baaaaaaack. LaMelo Ball went for 20 points, 13 assists and 5 rebounds in his first game back in high school. @SLAM_HS @MELOD1P @SPIRE_Institute (via @FrankieVision) pic.twitter.com/dkm1kyqjQT
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 10, 2018
However, two powerhouses — La Lumiere School in La Porte, Indiana, and Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia — have canceled their games with SPIRE because of Ball.
“With the recent news that someone who has played professionally intends to play for SPIRE Academy, we are not comfortable moving forward with our game slated for next Tuesday against SPIRE,” school officials from La Lumiere said in a statement.
Official Statement From #LaLu on Cancelling Matchup Against Spire Insitute: pic.twitter.com/3vOreRHjC9
— Jake (@jakeweingarten) November 10, 2018
Oak Hill, the third-ranked team in the country, also canceled, with coach Steve Smith telling The Washington Post that regulations in Virginia could impact his players’ eligibility if his team played SPIRE because Ball played professionally.
“I just told them, ‘We can’t jeopardize our school and our association and our affiliation with conferences,'” Smith said. “They understood. I said we can play them if (Ball) doesn’t play, but they weren’t willing to do that.”
St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, New Jersey, also canceled its game with SPIRE, MaxPreps reported.
However, there is one school that wants to face Ball so badly it’s willing to pay for SPIRE’s visit.
Hillcrest Prep in Phoenix, where the Suns’ Deandre Ayton played high school ball, tweeted an invitation to SPIRE.
Let’s make It happen https://t.co/BDrVmPZmLT
— Hillcrest Prep (@Hillcrest_Hoops) November 11, 2018
“Let’s get this set up, we will cover your flights and stay,” Hillcrest Prep officials tweeted Saturday, calling it a showcase of Ball against Kyree Walker, a 5-star small forward in the Class of 2020. The junior is the 14th-ranked high school prospect in the nation, according to ESPN.
Kyree Walker vs Lamelo Ball. Let’s get this set up, we will cover your flights and stay @SPIRE_Institute @SpireBasketball @kyreewalker1 https://t.co/MklfvEnjDs
— Hillcrest Prep (@Hillcrest_Hoops) November 11, 2018
As of yet, no game between Hillcrest and SPIRE has been scheduled. Because neither SPIRE or Hillcrest are sanctioned by a governing body, there would be no issue with Ball’s professional background.
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