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By ZACH SMART
Kayden Mingo, a point guard in the Class of 2025, has swiftly become the linchpin of reigning NY Federation champion Long Island Lutheran and its blossoming national product.
This 6-foot-5 local kid, renowned for his tough, gritty guard play, has become synonymous with the program’s know-how, unselfishness, poise and swagger.
LUHI is buoyed by layered depth, as they come in waves and waves. The program possesses in the vicinity of 11 Division-1 players across the current roster.
Given his exceptional ability to finish around the rim and his bolt-quick breaks into the open court, Mingo exemplifies unbridled energy that impacts both offense and defense.
Mingo’s game is a blend of agility and precision, marked by an increasingly reliable outside shot, now a refined element of his skill set. This was on full display at the prestigious City of Palms Classic.
Mingo scored 17 points, including a pivotal series of winning plays during the fourth quarter.
And so his efforts were instrumental in propelling Long Island Lutheran to a thrilling 58-55 victory over Rutgers-commit Dylan Harper and Don Bosco Prep team at Florida Southwestern State College.
In the heat of the fourth quarter, Mingo’s flair for the end game was evident.
He nailed a critical pull-up jumper from the free-throw line, pushing LUHI’s lead to 42-35 with just under seven minutes left.
Moments later, Mingo carefully crafted his spots, navigated through the defense to score a floater off the backboard, extending LUHI’s lead.
Mingo’s defensive prowess was equally notable; he executed a seamless steal, motored up the court and floated up an aesthetic high lob pass to trailing VJ Edgecombe, for a soaringly extravagant dunk. LUHI now held a 54-48 advantage with 90 seconds on the clock.
With less than a minute to go, Mingo’s audacious drive into heavy traffic, drawing defenders towards him, allowed him to deliver a slick one-handed pass to Alier Maluk, who finished with a layup, solidifying a 56-50 lead.
These moments underscored Mingo’s capacity for making game-altering plays when the stakes are heightened.
His killer instinct and ability to deliver in crunch time have rapidly become hallmarks of his playing style.
He’s not just a three level scorer or a timely scorer or a defender; he’s a playmaker who can change the course of a game in mere seconds. Mingo’s vision, combined with his college-ready physicality and basketball IQ, has ramped up his recruiting profile.
With his unique positional versatility, he’s become a consistent rebounding presence as well. He averaged 7.3 rebounds playing for the PSA Cardinals on the prestigious EYBL circuit this past season, rebounding outside of the box and scratching and clawing for 50-50 balls.
College coaches, who arrived in Southwest Florida in droves last week, are certainly keeping tabs on his production rate.
“I’ve been hearing from St. Louis, Penn State, California, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, Texas Tech, ODU, and NC State,” said the seasoned Mingo.
While Penn State, St. Louis, Cal, Wake Forest and the previously mentioned Virginia Tech have all offered Mingo, the others appear to be waiting in the wings.
Though he doesn’t have any concrete plans etched in stone yet, Mingo said he plans on visiting Penn State and California.
His journey is far from over; still in the embryonic stages.
With each game, each play, each moment, Kayden Mingo is not just playing with an insatiable thirst for wins; he’s penning his own legacy.
It is one that promises to be as memorable as LUHI’s position to position power and theme of versatility, interchangeability, guys adapting to new roles and sacrificing personal, gaudy stats for team glory.
