On December 3, 2024, Scottie Barnes dazzled fans with a career-high 35 points in the Toronto Raptors' 122-111 victory over the Indiana Pacers. While his performance drew headlines, it also served as a reminder of the foundation laid during his high school basketball career, a journey marked by growth and a relentless drive for excellence.
Barnes began his high school career at Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach, Florida. As a freshman, he led the team to a 19-8 record and a spot in the 5A regional semifinals. His impressive performance earned him All-Area Second Team and the MaxPreps Freshman All-American honors.
Following his incredibly successful spell at Newman, Barnes made a switch to NSU University School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. As a sophomore, Barnes helped lead the team to a 36-2 record and its first-ever Class 5A state title. His impact was undeniable, especially during the City of Palms Classic, where he was named the tournament most valuable player after a standout performance in the championship game.
In his junior season, Barnes guided NSU University School to a second consecutive state championship. Before that championship game, the team had just lost Vernon Carey Jr, one of the top-ranked players in the country at the time, to a right ankle sprain. But despite this setback, Barnes turned up, averaging 13.1 points, seven rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. By the time he left University School, he was ranked No. 27 nationally and third best in the state.
For his senior year, Barnes transferred to the prestigious Montverde Academy, where he joined a team loaded with many talented five-star prospects like himself. In fact, Montverde's roster, at the time, was regarded as one of the best in high school basketball history, and they lived up to that reputation. They finished the season with a 25-0 record and an average margin of victory of 39 points.
Barnes contributed significantly, averaging 11.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. He went on to win the MaxPreps and Sports Illustrated All-American First Team honors for his all-around performance that season. Banes ended up leaving high school basketball as the No. 1 ranked player in the state of Florida and in the country at large.
Scottie Barnes' new career milestone helps Raptors extend Pacers' road woes
Barnes delivered a stellar performance with a career-high 35 points, leading the Raptors to a 122-111 victory over the Pacers in the NBA Cup group stage match on Tuesday night. Barnes also contributed nine assists and six rebounds in the game.
This victory marks the fourth consecutive home win for Toronto and they did it in style, as they never trailed at any point in the match. In fact, in the third quarter, they had a commanding 24-point lead, which left Indiana with little to no hope of a comeback.
On the other side of the coin, this loss extends the Pacers' road losing streak to seven games. Despite a valiant effort led by Tyrese Haliburton, who put up an impressive 30-point performance, it wasn't enough to overcome Toronto's dominance. Toronto now sits at 6-4 at home this season, while Indiana fell to 0-4 in NBA Cup play, marking a disappointing turnaround from last year's success in the tournament.
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