Sons of Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James to clash Friday in Long Island Lutheran-Sierra Canyon matchup at UBS Arena
Long Island Lutheran's Kiyan Anthony (left) and Sierra Canyon's Bryce James are set to face off this weekend at UBS Arena. Credit: Dawn McCormick; Gregory Payan/AP
It's been 22 years since LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony played against each other when both former NBA lottery picks were in high school.
The legacy continues Friday night at UBS Arena when Long Island Lutheran's Kiyan Anthony, a senior ranked No. 36 on the ESPN 100, faces off against senior Bryce James (James' second-born child) of Sierra Canyon (California).
"I played the game directly before Carmelo played LeBron in the Primetime Shootout in 2002," said Tim Doyle, a former LuHi player and organizer of the event alongside brother Dan Doyle through their company, GOLD SN. "And now, to be promoting a game with their sons and bringing my son to New York to watch the game is pretty full circle."
LuHi (3-2), ranked No. 2 by ESPN, will face Sierra Canyon (7-1) at 8 p.m. Friday in the LuHi Holiday Invitational. The game will be streamed on ESPN+. LuHi and Sierra Canyon met once before, in 2020. The Crusaders, led by former two-time Newsday Player of the Year Andre Curbelo — who played at St. John's and is now a senior at Southern Mississippi — beat a Sierra Canyon team that featured Bronny James, LeBron's oldest son, 86-74.
This won't be the first time Kiyan Anthony, a Syracuse commit, has played against a member of the James family. When Anthony previously attended Christ the King High School in Queens, he faced off against Bronny James and Sierra Canyon in 2022. Anthony hit a three-pointer in the loss.
About that matchup between their fathers in 2002? Carmelo Anthony led Oak Hill Academy (Virginia) to a 72-66 win over St. Vincent-St. Mary (Ohio). Anthony scored 34 points; LeBron had 36.
According to Doyle, Friday marks the first time high school basketball will be played at UBS; Chaminade and Holy Trinity tip off at 6 p.m.
Chaminade coach Dan Feeney is looking forward to the experience.
"It's the first high school game to be played in that arena, so it's an honor to be a part of it," he said. "It's our first league game, and that's how we look at it. We're off to a 0-2 start and want to get our first win, so why not tomorrow?"