Future Duke basketball star puts up jaw-dropping numbers at HoopHall

A future Duke basketball star posted absurd numbers at the HoopHall Classic. 

There is a reason why Dereck Lively II is the No. 1 player in the Class of 2022, and somewhere future Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer is smiling ear-to-ear.

Lively was one of the first top players to take the court at the HoopHall Classic in Springfield, Massachusetts this weekend. And on Friday night, the future Blue Devil did not disappoint.

The Westtown School (Pa.) battled Vertical Academy (N.C.) in a matchup that pinned Lively against Mikey Williams, a five-star guard in the Class of 2023 who is anticipated to go with the professional route over college basketball.

Dereck Lively was dominant for Westtown as the 7-foot-2 center posted 22 points, 20 rebounds, four assists, and six blocks.

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The 22 points was tied for a game-high with Williams as Westtown’s furious fourth-quarter comeback just fell short, 67-65.

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Lively was 10-of-14 from the floor, 1-of-2 from 3-point range, and made his only free throw attempt as he was named as the game’s Most Outstanding Player while Williams was named the Most Valuable Player.

Dereck Lively scored 16 points last weekend in front of Jon Scheyer, Nolan Smith, and Amile Jefferson in the Empire Invitational against his future Duke teammate, Kyle Filipowski.

Dereck Lively has message for Duke basketball fans

After his epic showing in his first game of the 2022 HoopHall Classic, Dereck Lively had a message for the Blue Devil faithful:

“Stay ready. I’m hungry. When we get there, the whole class, we are carrying a storm. We’re trying to take down the whole NCAA.”

Lively conveyed the message to national recruiting expert Joe Tipton of On3Sports.

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Dereck Lively could not replicate his performance from Friday on Sunday as Westtown faced Gill St. Bernard’s (N.J.) in its final game of the weekend.

Lively only scored five points on 2-of-8 shooting in the 70-60 loss but added nine rebounds, three assists, and four blocks to his stat line.

Dereck Lively II will join Dariq Whitehead, Kyle Filipowski, Mark Mitchell, Jaden Schutt, and Christian Reeves in Durham next year as the No. 1 recruiting class in the country.