Cayden Daughtry wasted little time making a statement to open the 2026-27 Overtime Elite basketball season.
The Calvary Christian Academy (Florida) standout erupted for an OTE opening-night record 46 points Thursday, leading Fear of God to a 94-87 victory over Rod Wave Elite in Atlanta in a matchup featuring three of the nation's top Class of 2027 prospects.
Daughtry added six rebounds and six assists, outscoring the combined total of Southeastern Prep stars Beckham Black and CJ Rosser, who finished with 42 points between them.
— Overtime (@overtime) October 23, 2026
The performance offered an early reminder of why Daughtry belongs in the conversation among the nation's premier high school basketball players.
Cayden Daughtry Sets Overtime Elite Opening-Night Scoring Record
Daughtry entered the season coming off an impressive 2025-26 campaign in which he averaged 29.1 points and 5.2 assists across 17 OTE regular-season games.
His latest performance was even more explosive.
The Calvary Christian guard shot 14-for-27 from the field, including four 3-pointers, while playing 35 minutes.
He accounted for nearly half of Fear of God's 94 points and led the team with six assists.
The matchup carried additional significance because of the talent on the opposing roster.
Black and Rosser occupy the top two positions in 247Sports' Class of 2027 individual rankings cited in the original report, while Daughtry is ranked third.
Rather than simply holding his own against two highly regarded prospects, Daughtry delivered the game's most dominant individual scoring performance.
CJ Rosser and Beckham Black Combine for 42 Points
Rod Wave Elite had plenty of star power of its own.
Rosser, a 6-foot-10 forward, led the team with 24 points, eight rebounds, five steals, three assists and two blocks.
He shot 8-for-18 from the field, made three 3-pointers and committed no turnovers in 35 minutes.
Black contributed 18 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, although he struggled with his shooting, finishing 6-for-20 from the floor.
His nine assists accounted for half of Rod Wave Elite's team total.
Aiden Groce also delivered a strong performance, scoring 23 points while connecting on four of five attempts from beyond the arc.
Together, Rosser, Black and Groce accounted for 65 of Rod Wave Elite's 87 points.
But their combined production wasn't enough to overcome Daughtry and Fear of God.
Fear of God Rallies Behind 37-Point Fourth Quarter
Rod Wave Elite controlled the opening period, taking a 21-14 lead after the first quarter.
Fear of God responded with a 21-12 advantage in the second quarter to move ahead 35-33 at halftime.
The teams remained separated by just one point entering the final period.
That's when Fear of God took control.
A 37-point fourth-quarter explosion carried the team to the seven-point victory.
Daughtry received significant help from two Calvary Christian Academy teammates.
K'Nard Callendar recorded 22 points, 16 rebounds and two blocks, giving Fear of God a dominant presence around the basket.
James Nowells contributed 12 points and eight rebounds.
The trio combined for 80 of Fear of God's 94 points.
Fear of God also held a 51-45 rebounding advantage, helping offset its 16 turnovers compared with 12 for Rod Wave Elite.
Florida High School Basketball Season Approaches
Daughtry's record-setting performance comes as Florida high school basketball teams prepare for the start of their 2026-27 seasons.
Official FHSAA practices and tryouts are scheduled to begin Monday, Oct. 26, with the regular season opening Nov. 16.
The Overtime Elite season runs through Feb. 6, 2027, with the league championship scheduled for March.
Daughtry and his Calvary Christian teammates have already demonstrated their ability to compete against elite national talent.
And if Thursday's opening-night performance is any indication, Daughtry could be headed for another remarkable scoring season.
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