ONE FOR THE THUMB: Montverde Academy (FL) Eagles win fifth GEICO Nationals ring, zooming atop Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings; No. 13 Carmel (IN) wins Class 4A state title

FORT MYERS, Fla. — In one of the biggest understatements of the year, No. 1 Montverde (Fla.) Academy have reached the high school boys’ basketball mountaintop for the fifth time in nine years.

Winning the GEICO High School Nationals title, by defeating three teams from the Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings, nudges the Eagles to the top spot. Having watched every second of all 12 games at the GEICO Nationals for four days last week from sunny, hip southwestern Florida, it’s safe to say coach Kevin Boyle’s team is the best. The final Blue Star Media rankings won’t be released until later this spring but it’s to believe someone will supplant Montverde. Teams from California, Oregon and Washington will conduct seasons this spring without national games.

Like any championship team in a high-pressure tournament, the Eagles (24-1) had a scare in the semifinals in a 51-49 nail-biter over No. 5 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.). Montverde watched as TyTy Washington went for the win from three-point range as time expired and saw the shot carom wide.

Phew! That’s the magic pixie dust sprinkled on the championship run the Eagles needed. In two years, Montverde is 49-1 against one of the toughest schedules. Kudos to the Boys in Purple-and-Gold.

In Indianapolis, there was a miracle shot in the NCAA Men’s national semifinals but across town, No. 13 Carmel (Ind.) Greyhounds won a second straight Indiana Class 4A state championship in overtime against conference rivals Lawrence North (Indianapolis).

In Kentucky, regionally-ranked Highlands (Fort Thomas), a dark horse, emerged to capture the Sweet Sixteen State Tournament at Rupp Arena in Lexington. Annexing the Kentucky title is special because it’s a single-class event. Everyone plays with one overall champion. The Bluebirds (30-4), known as a football power, pocked the program’s first-ever boys’ basketball championship.

This weekend the championship weekend shifts to Michigan State’s Breslin Center in East Lansing, where four division state titles will be decided Saturday. Ditto for Minnesota at the  Target Center in Minneapolis Saturday for four more finals. That’s it for state tournaments this year unless things change in the three states from the Far West Region. California won’t be conducting a state tournament.

The Elite 25 boys’ rankings are back on April 13. After that we’ll play it by ear because the action slows down. We’re contemplating the next steps for the Elite 25.

Until then keep safe, mask up, practice social distancing, wash your hands regularly, get vaccinated when you get the call and support your local businesses.

Hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys’ Basketball Rankings, April 6, 2021

1. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (24-1)* !

Previous rank: 2.

Low-down: Won the GEICO High School Nationals championship for the fifth time in nine years after knocking off No. 3 Sunrise Christian Academy, 62-52, in the final in Fort Myers, Fla. The Eagles beat three Elite 25 team en route to the championship. Creighton-bound PG Ryan Nembhard had 12 points and 3 assists in the title game was named Most Valuable Player. Junior C Jalen Duren and Caleb Houstan (Michigan recruit) were also named to the all-tournament team. Season complete.

2. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (11-0)

Previous: 1.

Low-down: Season complete.

3. Sunrise Christian Academy, Bel Aire, Kan. (21-4)

Previous: 3.

Low-down: Advanced to the GEICO Nationals final, losing to top-ranked Montverde (Fla.) Academy, 62-52. The Buffaloes went 1-3 vs. Montverde this season. PG Kennedy Chandler, a Tennessee recruit, was named to the all-tournament team. Season complete.

4. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (21-3)

Previous: 4.

Low-down: Split two games at the GEICO Nationals. Season complete.

5. AZ Compass Prep, Chandler, Ariz. (29-2)*

Previous: 5.

Low-down: The Dragons went 1-1 at the GEICO Nationals and nearly landed in the championship game by TyTy Washington’s potential game-winning 3-pointer against top-ranked Montverde (Fla.) Academy clanged off the rim at the buzzer. Both losses were to Montverde. Washington, one of the nation’s top uncommitted seniors, was named the GEICO all-tournament team. Great debut season for the Dragons on the national scene. Season complete.

6. Minnehaha Academy, Minneapolis (18-1)

Previous: 8.

Low-down: Hercy Miller and Chet Holmgren 21 points apiece and the Redhawks dusted Byron, 75-63, in the Minnesota Class AAA state quarterfinals. Up next is De La Salle (Minneapolis) in the AAA semifinals Thursday afternoon at the Target Center in Minneapolis. The final is Saturday.

7. Duncanville, Texas (29-1)*

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Won the Class 6A state championship. Season complete,

8. Milton, Alpharetta, Ga. (28-3)*

Previous: 6.

Low-down: The Georgia Class AAAAAAA lost to No. 4 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), 66-55, in the quarterfinals. Sophomore Canaan Carlyle led the Eagles with 22 points. Season complete.

9. Camden, N.J. (13-0)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: Season complete.

10. Wasatch Academy, Mount Pleasant, Utah (18-7)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: Lost to No. 5 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.), 59-54, at the GEICO Nationals quarterfinals. Season complete.

11. Orlando (Fla.) Christian Prep (27-0)*

Previous: 11.

Low-down: Won FHSAA Class 2A state championship. Season complete.

12. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (21-9)

Previous: 13.

Low-down: The Warriors split two games at the GEICO Nationals. Season complete.

13. Carmel, Ind. (26-2)*

Previous: 20.

Low-down: Won Class 4A state championship, beating rivals then-No. 18 Lawrence North (Indianapolis), 51-46, in overtime. The was the second title in as many chances since the Indiana state tournament was canceled in 2020. Brian Waddell topped the Greyhounds with 20 points and Josh Whack added 11. Season complete.

14. St. Mary’s Prep, Orchard Lake, Mich. (14-0)

Previous: 15.

Low-down: The Eaglets won the Division 1, Region 2 title and shift focus to the Division 1 state quarterfinal matchup with Grand Blanc Tuesday. The winner gets Forest Hills (Grand Rapids) or East Lansing Thursday in the semifinals. The final is Saturday at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.

15. Pace Academy, Atlanta (30-2)*

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Lost to then-No. 13 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 8474, at the GEICO Nationals play-in game. Pace’s Florida State-bound Matt Cleveland fired in a game-high 30 points, making 12 of 18 shots (2 of 3 on 3-pointers) and clearing 8 rebounds in his final prep game. Junior Josh Reed scored 21 points. Season complete.

16. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (3-0)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: Season complete.

17. The Patrick School, Hillside, N.J. (14-1)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: Season complete.

18. Prolific Prep, Napa, Calif. (31-4)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: The Crew re-enters the Elite 25 rankings after splitting two games at the GEICO Nationals. Season complete.

19. DePaul Prep, Chicago (14-2)

Previous: 19.

Low-down: Season complete.

20. Simeon, Chicago (12-1)

Previous: 20.

Low-down: The Wolverines went unbeaten against Chicago Public League rivals. Season complete.

21. Reading, Pa. (26-2)*

Previous: 21.

Low-down: Won PIAA Class AAAAAA state championship. Season complete.

22. Archbishop Wood, Warminster, Pa. (20-1)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: Won the Philadelphia Catholic League and District XII titles but lost in Class AAAAAA final. Season complete.

23. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (15-1)

Previous: 23.

Low-down: Season complete.

24. Paul VI, Chantilly, Va. (7-4)

Previous: 24.

Low-down: Last week, G Trevor Keels verballed to Duke over Virginia and Villanova. Season complete.

25. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (2-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: Coach Gary McKnight’s club won twice last week in a pandemic-delayed spring season. Although the California Interscholastic Federation won’t conduct a state tournament, there will be sectionals and the Monarchs play in one of the nation’s best (CIF-Southern Section). The California situation remains fluid.

Dropped: No. 18 Lawrence North (Indianapolis) and No. 25. La Lumiere School (La Porte, Ind.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Archbishop Stepinac, White Plains, N.Y. (4-2)
2. St. Raymond, Bronx, N.Y. (0-0)
3. Roselle (N.J.) Catholic (12-3)
4. Stone Bridge, Ashburn, Va. (16-1)*
5. Bristol (Conn.) Central (15-0)

Geography: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.

Midwest

1. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (6-9)
2. Vashon, St. Louis (16-1)*
3. St. Vincent-St. Mary, Akron, Ohio (25-2)*
4. Whitney Young, Chicago (15-1)
5. Millard North, Omaha, Neb. (27-2)*

Geography: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Southland

1. Millbrook, Raleigh, N.C. (19-0)*
2. Beaumont (Texas) United (31-0)*
3. Highlands, Fort Thomas, Ky. (30-4)*
4. Westlake, Austin, Texas (30-2)
5. Richardson, Texas (26-2)

Geography: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

Far West

1. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (0-0)
2. St. Mary’s, Phoenix (20-1)*
3. Bishop O’Dowd, Oakland, Calif. (0-0)
4. Ribet Academy, Los Angeles (0-0)
5. Sunnyslope, Phoenix (21-1)*

Geography: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

! GEICO High School Nationals champion

* Won state championship or major postseason tournament title

Records are through Sunday

About: The Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Boys Basketball Rankings are released weekly from November until the conclusion of the high school season. Criteria considered are the quality of the team and its players, strength of schedule, tradition, and quality of the team’s league, conference, region or district. The rankings are compiled by Blue Star Media’s Christopher Lawlor, who consults with a national network of coaches, talent evaluators and prep sports writers. Follow him on Twitter at @clawlor.