Former Irmo star Devontae Shuler returning to Midlands with Oak Hill for Chick-fil-A Classic
It will be a homecoming this weekend for Devontae Shuler.
The former Irmo standout will be back in the Midlands with his Oak Hill squad for the 14th annual Chick-fil-A Classic, which begins on Friday at Richland Northeast High. Oak Hill’s first game is on Saturday against Arlington Day (Fla.).
“It feels good knowing that I get to go back home and play in front of my city,” Shuler said. “There is nothing like home. I just want to go out their and play and also win the whole tournament. We are going to put on a show out there.”
Shuler was one of the top prospects in South Carolina for the Class of 2017 before he decided to transfer from Irmo in August. He’s ranked No. 29 nationally by ESPN and 69th by Rivals.
The 6-foot-2 guard has offers from South Carolina, Clemson, Wake Forest, North Carolina State and Southern Cal among others.
Shuler’s averaging 6.3 points a game this season and has scored in double figures three times, most recently against Virginia High on Dec. 10. He won’t be the only member of his family in the tournament, as his brother Dontrel, who plays at Lexington, will be in the Carolinas Challenge portion of the event.
Oak Hill’s 13-1 on the season and is coming off a win the Friendship Classic in Tennessee last week. The Warriors’ lone loss came against 22 Feet Academy.
Oak Hill, ranked No. 10, is one of four teams in the Classic ranked in this week’s MaxPreps Top 25 poll. Roman Catholic (Pa.) is No. 8 with Greenforst Academy (Ga.) at No. 11 and Huntington Prep (WV) No. 12. Greenforest won the American Division title last year.
One of the marquee matchups of the tournament will be in the final game Friday, when Hammond faces Mullins. Hammond features North Carolina signee Seventh Woods, while Mullins has Jalek Felton, a UNC commitment and the top ranked prospect in the state for the Class of 2017.
It will be second time Woods and Felton have faced each other. Mullins defeated Hammond 66-32 at the 2012 Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach. Felton, an eighth grader at the time, had 19 points, while Woods had 11.
“It’ll be a tough matchup, our second time going at it so I’m pretty sure we both will be pretty amped up,” said Woods, the top ranked prospect in the state for Class of 2016. “And with UNC under both of our belts the matchup is going be even more intense.”
Others Midlands teams in the tournament include Spring Valley, Lower Richland, Keenan, Blythewood and host Richland Northeast. Spring Valley faces RNE on Friday, while Blythewood and Keenan square off in the final game Saturday. The tournament will wrap up Tuesday with the American and National Division championships.
Cardinal Newman, Heathwood Hall, Gray Collegiate and Lexington will compete in the Carolina Challenge part of the event.
Chick-fil-A Classic
When: Friday-Tuesday (No games Sunday)
Where: Richland Northeast High
Friday’s games:
Rocky River vs. Cardinal Newman, 6:30 p.m.
Spring Valley vs. Richland Northeast, 7 p.m.
Midland Valley vs. Heathwood Hall, 8 p.m.
Mullins vs. Hammond, 8:30 p.m.
Five players to watch:
Devontae Shuler (pictured)
6-2, Jr., Oak Hill
#29 ESPN; #69 Rivals, Class of 2017
Jalek Felton
6-4, Jr., Mullins
#16 Rivals; #21 ESPN; Committed to UNC
Seventh Woods
6-1, Sr., Hammond
#35 Rivals; #36 247Sports; Signed with UNC
‘Ikey’ Obiagu
7-0, Jr., Greenforest (Ga.) Christian
#10 ESPN; #24 Rivals; #15 Future 150
Miles Bridges
6-7, Sr., Huntington (W. Va.) St. Joseph’s Prep
#8 ESPN; #11 Rivals; #14 247Sports; Signed with Michigan State
WHAT: 14th annual Chick-fil-A Classic
WHEN: Friday-Saturday, Monday-Tuesday
WHERE: Richland Northeast High School
TICKETS: General Admission $10, Children admission (12-under) $5 with paying accompanying adult; Student admission (ages 13 – 18) $8; Reserved floor level seating for main gym (when available) $20
ON THE WEB: Games will be streamed on www.chick-filaclassic.com and click on game schedule then watch live.
SCHEDULE
x-Held at auxiliary gym
Friday
Game 1: x-Rocky River vs. Cardinal Newman, 6:30 p.m.
Game 2: Spring Valley vs. Richland Northeast, 7 p.m.
Game 3: x-Midland Valley vs. Heathwood Hall, 8 p.m.
Game 4: Mullins vs. Hammond, 8:30 p.m.
Saturday
Game 5: Oldsmar Christian (Fla.) vs. Roman Catholic (Pa.), 1 p.m.
Game 6: Greenforest Academy (Ga.) vs. Providence Day (NC), 2:30 p.m.
Game 7: Pace Academy (Ga.) vs. Lower Richland, 4 p.m.
Game 8: x-University School (Tenn.) vs. Midland Valley, 5 p.m.
Game 9: Huntington Prep (WV) vs. Greensboro Day (NC), 5:40 p.m.
Game 10: x-Lexington vs. Rocky River (NC), 6:30 p.m.
Game 11: Arlington Day (Fla.) vs. Oak Hill (Va.), 7:30 p.m.
Game 12: x-Heathwood Hall vs. Indian Land, 8 p.m.
Game 13: Blythewood vs. Keenan, 8:40 p.m.
Monday
Game 14: x-Game 7 loser vs. Game 4 loser, 1:50 p.m.
Game 15: Southwest Christian (Ga.) vs. Gray Collegiate, 2:20 p.m.
Game 16: x-Game 6 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 3:20 p.m.
Game 17: Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 winner, 3:50 p.m.
Game 18: x-Game 5 loser vs. Game 9 loser, 4:55 p.m.
Game 19: Game 5 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 5:25 p.m.
Game 20: x-Game 11 loser vs. Game 13 loser, 6:25 p.m.
Game 21: Game 13 winner vs. Game 11 winner, 7 p.m.
Game 22: x-Indian Land vs. Cardinal Newman, 8 p.m.
Game 23: Game 4 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 8:30 p.m.
Tuesday
Game 24: x-American Division, 7th-place game, 12:30 p.m.
Game 25: National Division, 7th-place game, 12:30 p.m.
Game 26: x-American Division consolation championship, 2 p.m.
Game 27: National Division consolation championship, 2 p.m.
Game 28: National Division 3rd-place game, 3:40 p.m.
Game 29: American Division 3rd-place game, 5:10 p.m.
Game 30: National Division championship, 6:45 p.m.
Game 31: American Division championship, 8:30 p.m.
This story was originally published December 17, 2015 at 6:46 PM with the headline "Former Irmo star Devontae Shuler returning to Midlands with Oak Hill for Chick-fil-A Classic."