On the AAU circuit during a live period this past weekend, Syracuse basketball recruiting target Curtis Givens III was easily one of the best performers across all of the shoe-sponsored circuits.
The 6-foot-3 Givens, a 2024 four-star point guard who was offered a scholarship by the Orange coaching staff this past February, suits up for one of the best AAU teams out there, the Overland Park, Kan.-based MoKan Elite in Nike’s EYBL league.
Givens also recently finished up his junior season for the powerhouse Montverde Academy in Montverde, Fla., which won the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (“NIBC”) regular-season crown in the 2022-23 season and received an invite to this year’s GEICO Nationals.
Saturday’s EYBL Session 1 Notables
— Max Feldman (@MaxFeldman6) April 23, 2023
26 AJ Dybantsa
25 Cam Boozer
25 Jalen Haralson
25 Jayden Quaintance
24 Austin Swartz
24 Nojus Indrusaitis
24 Drake Powell
24 Jarin Stevenson
24 Zion Sensley
24 Curtis Givens pic.twitter.com/Uu7m2wUeJf
Last weekend, college coaches could watch recruits during a live period in grassroots basketball from April 21 to April 23. The EYBL held its games during this session at the LakePoint Champions Center in Emerson, Ga., and Givens went on a tear.
Syracuse basketball 2024 four-star recruit Curtis Givens III was awesome in AAU games.
In a Friday game, MoKan Elite smoked the Dallas-based Drive Nation, 92-53. In 19 minutes, Givens had 10 points, 10 assists and no turnovers.
By the way, statistics for Givens and MoKan Elite were available on the EYBL Web site.
.@MokanBasketball point guard @lilcurtis_3 has been putting the country on notice here at @NikeEYB, continuing his dominant tear with a 28-point, 5-rebound, 4-assist outing today. #EYBL2023 pic.twitter.com/pbZN32AuUb
— NIBC (@NIBCOfficial) April 22, 2023
On Saturday, in MoKan Elite’s 71-62 setback to the Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Indy Heat, Givens played 27 minutes.
He had 28 points, five rebounds, four assists and one steal, while connecting on 8-of-12 from the field, 4-of-7 from deep and 8-of-12 from the free-throw line.
You see the reads 4⭐️ point guard Curtis Given (@lilcurtis_3) of @MokanBasketball is making. Capable of setting up teammates and running the offense or scoring at every level when necessary.https://t.co/e2fMvmryNU
— Jamie Shaw (@JamieShaw5) April 22, 2023
Also on Saturday, in MoKan Elite’s 81-76 victory over the Bronx, N.Y.-based PSA Cardinals, Givens played 29 minutes. He again had 28 points, along with four boards and two assists.
Givens hit on 9-of-18 from the field, 5-of-10 from beyond the arc and 5-of-5 from the charity stripe.
In PSA Cardinals’ loss, Syracuse basketball recruit Boogie Fland, a 2024 five-star point guard out of Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, N.Y., produced an impressive 31 points.
Stellar floor game for @MOKANBasketball point guard @lilcurtis_3, posting 10 points and 10 assists in a win over Drive Nation at the @NikeEYB.#EYBL pic.twitter.com/8I8L62OZhP
— NIBC (@NIBCOfficial) April 22, 2023
Givens, in the junior cycle, is rated a top-70 national prospect and a top-10 point guard, according to several recruiting services.
A native of Memphis, Tenn., Givens’ offer sheet, besides Syracuse basketball, includes teams such as Memphis, Ole Miss, LSU, Illinois, Tennessee, Florida, Maryland, Nebraska, Georgetown, St. John’s, Mississippi State, Missouri, Texas A&M, Wake Forest and Xavier.