Despite strong showing in Maui Invitational, Auburn basketball loses another key blue-chip recruit
By Brooks Crew
The Auburn basketball team put the world on notice Wednesday with their commanding 90-76 win over Memphis in the Maui Invitational tournament championship. Somehow, this was not enough for a top recruit.
At the time Shon Abaev announced he was interested in playing for Bruce Pearl, he looked to be the solution to the Tigers’ dilemma in the upcoming years; in essence, the Tigers will lose all three of their big men following next season, including Johni Broome, who’s dominated all season.
Abaev evidently noticed the Tigers’ acquisition of Sebastian Williams-Adams, as he felt he should take his talents to Cincinnati; per Adam Finkelstein.
Abaev, accordingly, is a six-foot-eight, 195-pound forward who’s dominated in his time at Calvary Christian. The 247Sports composite five-star was described by 247Sports’ Director of Scouting as “one of the most polished one-on-one scorers in the national class. A big southpaw wing, with good positional size and an increasingly strong body, he's a volume scorer who is capable of creating his own shot at virtually any time, including against a set half-court defense. That size, plus his high release point, allows him to score over the top of contesting defenders with regularity and be a tough shot-maker off the dribble. He's capable of getting downhill, especially in the open floor, playing through contact more consistently, and getting to the free-throw line as a result. He also has an advanced assortments of runners and floaters when going through the lane and has continued to improve as a spot-up shooter.”
The Tigers will feel this loss, since as it stands, the Tigers have one big to replace three they’ll lose soon.
Coach Pearl is famously an expert at portal acquisitions, though, and the recruiting cycle isn’t over -- odds are he’ll find someone else.