BYU Commit AJ Dybantsa Drops 35 Points in MAIT Opener
SALT LAKE CITY – BYU basketball signee AJ Dybantsa is competing in the Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament this weekend.
This three-day event, held in Montverde, Florida, features some of the top high school teams across the country in an eight-team tournament.
One of the participating teams is Dybantsa’s Utah Prep squad.
Dybantsa Scores 35 Points, Grabs 15 Rebounds in MAIT Opener
On Thursday, Dybantsa and Utah Prep faced off against Sagemont Prep from Weston, Florida, on the first day of the MAIT.
Utah Prep secured an 82-79 win over Sagemont.
Dybantsa, the top-ranked recruit in the 2025 class, posted 35 points on 13-of-21 shooting in 32 minutes. The 6-foot-9 forward made 7-of-8 from beyond the arc and hit 80% of his 10 free throws.
In addition to his scoring, Dybantsa recorded 15 rebounds, five assists, and three steals in 32 minutes of play.
Dybantsa’s 15 boards were five more than Sagemont’s total team rebounds of 20.
The top scorer for Sagemont was four-star Miami commit Matthew Able, who poured in 39 points to keep his team competitive.
Alongside Dybantsa, Utah Prep’s key contributors were 2026 four-star Anthony Felesi and Washington signee JJ Mandaquit, both of whom scored 15 points.
BYU signee Xavion Staton saw nine minutes off the bench for Utah Prep, collecting five rebounds and recording one blocked shot.
Utah Prep will return to action on Friday in the semifinals of the Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament, facing CIA Bella Vista from Scottsdale, Arizona.
CIA Bella Vista triumphed over Riviera Prep on Thursday, 72-43. The Bears are led by recent Georgia Tech commit Mouhamed Sylla and uncommitted 2025 four-star Jaion Pitt.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
