By JACOB POLACHECK
Class of 2023 top-five sophomore Omaha Biliew will transfer to Montverde (FL) Academy, he announced Friday via social media.
“We put a lot of thought into this,” his trainer Tyler Sass told ZAGSBLOG Friday. “He wants to be the best so we choose to put him in a spot where he has to do that everyday. He’s around other guys of his caliber there which forces everyone to play at a high level.”
The 6-foot-8, 200-pound power forward from Waukee (IA) Senior High School, joins a Montverde roster that features 2022 five-star forward Dariq Whitehead, Kentucky commit Skyy Clark, four-star forwards Justice Williams and Malik Renau, among others.
The decision comes a little over an hour before ZAGSBLOG reported that Montverde will be without five-star center Jalen Duren this season as he is expected to reclassify and enroll in college this fall.
“I wanted him to play alongside an athletic high level guard who makes great reads and Skyy is all of that,” Sass said. “We have been watching the returning players in AAU tournaments all spring and O is can’t wait to get down there to play with them.”
Biliew chose Montverde over Sunrise Christian (KS) Academy, Prolific (CA) Prep and Brewster (NH) Academy.
Biliew, who is ranked by 247Sports.com as the No. 2 power forward and No. 5 overall prospect in the class of 2023, will be playing under head coach Kevin Boyle at Montverde.
Boyle has coached six top-3 NBA Draft picks since 2011 and is expected to add to that number with Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham in the 2021 Draft.
“The pieces that are already there will challenge O and make him reach his goals,” Sass said. “Coach Boyle and Rae [Miller’s] pedigree speaks for itself and they will hold him to the highest standard.”
During his sophomore season at Waukee, Biliew helped the Warriors claim its first state title alongside four-star Drake signee Tucker DeVries and three-star Iowa signee Payton Sandfort.
As a sophomore, Biliew averaged 10.9 points on 64.3 percent shooting, while adding 7.8 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game. He also shot an impressive 38.1 percent from three-point range.
Biliew’s recruitment has picked up of late, taking unofficial visits to Nebraska (June 6) and Iowa (June 7) earlier this week.
He is planning to take an unofficial visit to Kansas on Saturday (June 12) before tripping to Iowa State for an unofficial on Wednesday (June 16).
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