Hood-Schifino played for three different programs in high school. He began his prep career at Northside Christian Academy in Charlotte, North Carolina. As a sophomore, Hood-Schifino played at Combine Academy in Lincolnton, North Carolina. Before his junior season, Hood-Schifino transferred to national powerhouse Montverde Academy in Florida, coached by Kevin Boyle. At Montverde, Hood-Schifino won back-to-back GEICO High School Basketball National titles (2021 and 2022).
Hood-Schifini was named an all-star and invited to play in the Jordan Brand Classic, where he scored 14 points and hit three three-point shots. In the off-season prior to college he also played for coach Norton Hurd IV and Team Thad, an AAU program founded by NBA player Thaddeus Young. He spent time working out in California with professionals, including the Los Angeles Clippers’ Paul George.
Hood-Schifino stated that his time at Montverde prepared him for college basketball, noting, "The everyday grind at Montverde, people don’t really know what’s, you know, put into it, like the practices. It's almost like a college practice; you're practicing three-plus hours every day, so it really prepared me for now. . . Now going through college, it’s almost like I’m at Montverde but at a college level."

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