Potential UNC Basketball Prize Gets Revenge Versus Twin Duke Pledges

If UNC basketball lands AJ Dybantsa, the 2025-26 showdowns against archrival Duke would feature college hoops' top two newcomers.

UNC basketball recruiting target AJ Dybantsa / Jason Snow / The Enterprise / USA TODAY NETWORK

At The Border League showcase in Las Vegas on Sunday night, longtime UNC basketball recruiting target AJ Dybantsa battled the 2025 Duke basketball haul's decorated Boozer twins for the third time across the past three months. And in the end, it served as the revengeful charm for the No. 1 overall prospect on the 247Sports 2025 Composite.

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Last month, Dybantsa's 43 points weren't enough to avoid his Utah Prep squad's 95-72 defeat at the hands of what has been a dominant Columbus High School (Fla.) program ever since the new Boozer blood entered the prep ranks.

Cayden Boozer, a five-star point guard stacking up No. 21 overall among his peers, and Cameron Boozer, a five-star power forward who fell to No. 2 following Dybantsa's announced reclassification last October, combined for 72 points that day.

Two months earlier with Nightrydas Elite, the Boozer brothers, sons of 2001 Duke basketball champ and two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, outmatched Dybantsa's Oakland Soldiers, 71-62, in their title bout at the prestigious Peach Jam.

As for Round 3 of the three-month series between the cycle's two premier talents, Dybantsa flipped the script. Yes, what happened in Vegas helps to ensure the 6-foot-9, 210-pound Dybantsa stays No. 1 over the 6-foot-9, 235-pound Boozer:

Not only did AJ Dybantsa soar while recording 28 points, four rebounds, and two assists, culminating in clutch save performances down the stretch of Utah Prep's 69-68 revenge win over Columbus, but he also took it upon himself to contain Cameron Boozer. His defensive efforts were essential in building an early double-digit lead that extended well beyond halftime.

"Individually, I mean, I just had to take that challenge," the 17-year-old Dybantsa, who shot 10-for-20 from the field and splashed five threes, told ESPN on the court afterward. "Guarding Cam, it's a hard challenge. I mean, he was leaning on me the whole game — big body. So, I just had to go play defense.

"And as a team, we came together. We were spaced. And all the practice we put in, it worked."

Cameron Boozer tallied 20 points and 10 rebounds. Cayden Boozer added 17 points and nine assists.

They committed to Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils less than two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, eyeing a February decision, AJ Dybantsa is down to a top seven of UNC, Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, BYU, Kansas, and Kansas State. He checked out the UNC basketball program during his official visit with Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels in September.

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