No. 1 recruit Chet Holmgren, top 2022 prospect Emoni Bates square off in exhibition game

Neither Chet Holmgren nor Emoni Bates will hear his name called during the 2020 NBA draft next week. 

The two high school hoopers and five-star prospects solidified their statuses as phenoms Thursday night anyway. 

Holmgren, the consensus top-ranked recruit in the 2021 class, and Bates, who holds the No. 1 ranking for 2022, battled each other during an exhibition on ESPN between Ypsi Prep Academy (Bates) and Team Sizzle (Holmgren). 

Team Sizzle emerged victorious, 78-71, led by Holmgren's 31-point effort on 13-of-18 shooting. The 7-foot-1 Holmgren, who can handle the ball like a guard, grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked six shots.

Bates outscored Holmgren with 36 points in the loss. The Michigan native committed to Michigan State over the summer and became the first sophomore to win national Gatorade Player of the Year honors last summer. It was Bates' debut with Ypsi Prep after spending the first two years of high school at Yspilanti Lincoln. 

The most climactic part of the exhibition occurred in the fourth quarter when Holmgren brought up the ball and Bates began defending him near half court, where Holmgren crossed over to his left, blew past Bates through the lane and threw down a two-handed dunk. 

Holmgren told the ESPN broadcast crew before the game he is planning on playing college basketball next year, although the option to head straight to the NBA G League — like heralded 2020 prospects Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga did — is there. His final seven schools are: Gonzaga, Georgetown, Memphis, Michigan, Minnesota (where his dad, Mike, played), Ohio State, and North Carolina.

Follow Chris Bumbaca on Twitter @BOOMbaca.