SIX FLAGS: No. 1 Montverde (FL) Academy Eagles win sixth GEICO Nationals crown, hangs another banner; Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings down to final weekend

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The GEICO High School Nationals boys’ tournament delivered … again! And so did No. 1 Montverde (Fla.) Academy.

When the GEICO Nationals were created and first played at Georgetown Prep in North Bethesda, Maryland in 2008, it blazed a trail for a true or close to declaring a national high school boys basketball champion. Over the years, Findlay Prep (Las Vegas) dominated the early years. Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.) and IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) have won it once but Montverde has claimed the title an unprecedented six times (it might have been seven but the 2020 tournament was cancelled due to pandemic concerns).

Honestly, when the eight-team power tournament tipped last week here at the Suncoast Credit Union Arena on the campus of Florida SouthWest State University, it was the most potent field ever assembled. Five teams were members of the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference plus three others that play at the same level with national schedules and big-time players.

We thought at least four teams could win the event. When previous-No. 1 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) lost in the quarterfinals to eighth-seeded Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), the tournament was turned on its ear. In the first three games last Thursday, it was chalk or the higher seeds advanced to the semifinals.

The de facto championship game was clearly the semifinal matchup between Montverde and then-No. 3 IMG. It was the most intense, physical game played this season. IMG had won two regular season contests between the Florida archrivals and last Friday’s 62-57 decision to Montverde lived up to the billing. At any time, there were 10 future Division I players on the floor and several that will get drafted to the NBA.

Montverde (24-4) beat No. 2 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.), 60-49, in the final. It was an interesting game until the last three minutes before the Eagles flew away to another championship. Link is going to be a factor moving forward. It was the first year for the school located in southwest Missouri with ties to the MOKAN Elite club team that dominates the Nike EYBL summer circuit. The Lions are very bit legit and don’t be surprised when they land at No. 1 in next season’s Blue Star Media Elite 25 rankings. They spent over a month this season atop the Elite 25 and the best is yet to come.

However, Montverde is on course for a third consecutive Blue Star Media Elite 25 National Championship.

We’ve readjusted the Elite 25 after the results at GEICO Nationals. No. 25 Prolific Prep slides into the rankings.

And speaking of the NIBC, AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) and Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.) will be added to the loop for the 2022-23 scholastic year. Two others are being considered for membership.

That leads the Elite 25 to the final weekend of the season. If the GEICO Nationals are akin to the NCAA Men’s Final Four then the newly created State Champions Invitational, to be played Thursday through Saturday in Tampa, Florida, is the NIT. It’s a secondary event in comparison. It’s a quality event and will get better but right now it’s second.

The concept is great: an opportunity for champions from different states to compete against one another to crown an overall champion. National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) member teams must win their sanctioned state championship and be permitted to compete. Currently, champions from Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah, Washington and the District of Columbia are in play. By the way, no state champion ever won the GEICO Nationals and one team advanced to the semifinals.

The final piece would be adding states such as California, Texas, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Ohio or Pennsylvania to the mix. That will take heavy lifting if it goes down, it’s a heckuva competitive tournament.

Thursday’s SCI semifinals

The HSI tips off Thursday at Berkeley Prep in Tampa. Here’s the schedule (all times Eastern):

Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) vs. No. 9 Calvary Christian Academy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 4 p.m., on ESPNU

Norcross (Ga.) vs. Auburn (Wash.), 6 p.m., ESPNU.

The boys championship is Saturday at 12 p.m., on ESPN2. The girls final precedes it at 10 a.m. on ESPNU.

That’s it for the first week in April. Florida was a blast and the GEICO Nationals was as good as it gets.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ final rankings are April 11. That’s when the Blue Star Media Elite 25 National Champion is confirmed. Don’t expect anything crazy at No. 1. It’s likely over.

Stay safe and make sure your vaccines are up to date. Ramadan Mubarak to our Muslim readers.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys’ Basketball Rankings, April 5, 2022

1. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (24-4) #

Previous rank: 4.

The Low-down: Won the GEICO High School Nationals for the sixth time, defeating No. 2 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.), 60-49. Montverde had four players hit for double-figures Dillon Mitchell (17 points), Malik Reneau and Dariq Whitehead (14 apiece) and Kwame Evans Jr. (11). Dillon and Mitchell also had double-doubles with each collecting 12 rebounds. Whitehead, a Duke recruit and Gatorade National Player of the Year, dished out six assists. Also beat then-No. 3 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), 62-57, in the semifinals and then-No. 12 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.), 72-63, in the quarterfinals. Season complete.

2. Link Academy, Branson, Mo. (34-2)

Previous: 2.

The Low-down: Lost to then-No. 1 Montverde (Fla.) Academy, 60-49, in the championship game. Julian Phillips scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the loss. In the semifinals, the Lions stopped No. 25 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), 59-53, in the semifinals and No. 8 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 81-67, in the quarterfinals. Season complete.

3. Sunrise Christian Academy, Bel Aire, Kan. (25-2)

Previous: 1.

The Low-down: Lost to Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), 59-56, in the GEICO Nationals quarterfinals. Disappointing ending to a tremendous term. Season complete.

4. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (23-5)

Previous: 3.

The Low-down: Split two games at the GEICO Nationals, losing to then-No. 4 Montverde (Fla.) Academy, 62-57, in the semifinals but crushed then-No. 5 La Lumiere School (La Porte, Ind.), 76-51, in the quarterfinals. Season complete.

5. Duncanville, Texas (35-1)*

Previous: 6.

The Low-down: Won a third consecutive UIL Class 6A state championship. Season complete.

6. Corona (Calif.) Centennial (33-1)*

Previous: 7.

The Low-down: Won the CIF Open Division state championship. Season complete.

7. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (20-5)

Previous: 5.

The Low-down: Lost to then-No. 3 No. 3 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), 76-51, in the GEICO Nationals quarterfinals. Ryan Mabrey topped the Lakers with 15 points and Taj Manning, a Kansas State pledge, added 14 and 9 rebounds. Season complete.

8. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (33-8)

Previous: 8.

The Low-down: Lost to No. 2 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.), 81-67, at GEICO Nationals quarterfinals. The game also marked the end of a brilliant coaching career by Oak Hill’s Steve Smith. He compiled a jaw-dropping 1,231-99 record, sending countless players to the NBA and college and capturing nine national championships and one GEICO Nationals title. Smith should be headed one day to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. Season complete.

9. Calvary Christian Academy, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (24-2)*

Previous: 9.

The Low-down: Won FHSAA Class 4A state championship. The Eagles play Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) Thursday ats the State Champions Invitational semifinals in Tampa, Fla.

10. Roselle (N.J.) Catholic (29-2)**

Previous: 10.

The Low-down: Won the New Jersey State Tournament of Champions and Non-Public B titles. Season complete.

11. Camden, N.J. (31-3)*

Previous: 11.

The Low-down: Won Group 2 state championship. Season complete.

12. AZ Compass Prep, Chandler, Ariz. (25-5)

Previous: 12.

The Low-down: Lost to then-No. 4 Montverde (Fla.), 72-63, in the GEICO Nationals quarterfinals. Season complete.

13. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (26-5)

Previous: 13.

The Low-down: Advanced to the CIF Southern Region Open Division final. Season complete.

14. Glenbard West, Glen Ellyn, Ill. (37-1)*

Previous: 14.

The Low-down: Won the Class 4A state championship. Season complete.

15. St. Paul VI, Chantilly, Va. (31-5)**

Previous: 15.

The Low-down: Won the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference champions and Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division 1 championships. Season complete.

16. North Little Rock, Ark. (28-3)*

Previous: 16.

The Low-down: Won the second straight Class 6A state championship. Season complete.

17. St. Benedict’s, Newark, N.J. (25-1)*

Previous: 17.

The Low-down: Won the New Jersey Prep A state championship. Season complete.

18. Cardinal Hayes, Bronx, N.Y. (27-3)*

Previous: 18.

The Low-down: Won NYCHSAA Class AA Intersectional championship. Season complete.

19. Archbishop Stepinac, White Plains, N.Y. (26-4)

Previous: 19.

The Low-down: Won New York CHSAA Class AA Archdiocesan championship but lost in the CHSAA AA Intersectional final. Season complete.

20. Beaumont (Texas) United (36-3)*

Previous: 20.

The Low-down: Won second straight UIL Class 5A state championship. Season complete.

21. Columbus, Miami (29-2)*

Previous: 21.

The Low-down: Won the FHSAA Class 7A state championship. Season complete.

22. Imhotep Prep Charter, Philadelphia (28-4)*

Previous: 22.

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

23. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (30-1)

Previous: 23.

The Low-down: Advanced to Nevada Class 5A final. Season complete.

24. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (21-7)*

Previous: 24.

The Low-down: Won the Alhambra Catholic Invitational Conference championship for the 26^th time. Season complete.

25. Prolific Prep, Napa, Calif. (26-7)

Previous: Not ranked.

The Low-down: The Crew played shorthanded at GEICO Nationals but managed to reach the semifinals, where it lost to No. 2 Link Academy (Branson, MO.), 59-53. In the quarterfinals, sophomore forward Zion Sensley buried a 3-pointer with 4.6 seconds left during a 59-56 upset of previous No. 1 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.). USC-bound guard Tre White was named to the GEICO Nationals All-Tournament Team. Season complete.

Dropped out: No. 25 Richardson (Texas).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Mount Vernon, N.Y. (24-0)*
2. Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (23-4)**
3. Mount St. Joseph, Baltimore (32-7)**
4. Roman Catholic, Philadelphia (24-4)*
5. Sidwell Friends, Washington, D.C. (29-1)*

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

Midwest

1. Pickerington (Ohio) Central (26-2)*
2. Whitney Young, Chicago (26-10)*
3. Park Center, Brooklyn Center, Minn. (31-1)*
4. Vashon, S. Louis (27-4)*
5. Williamston, Mich. (27-0)*

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

Southland

1. Weddington, Matthews, N.C. (31-0)*
2. Christian Brothers, Memphis, Tenn. (28-0)*
3. George Rogers Clark, Winchester, Ky. (37-1)*
4. Norcross, Ga. (26-6)*
5. Carmel Christian, Matthews, N.C. (26-3)*

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

Far West

1. Damien, La Verne, Calif. (30-4)*
2. Perry, Gilbert, Ariz. (25-5)*
3. Liberty, Henderson, Nev. (22-4)*
4. Auburn, Wash. (27-2)*
5. Tualatin, Ore. (26-2)*

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

Records through Saturday’s games

 * Won state, national or recognized conference/league postseason tournament championship

 # Won GEICO High School Nationals championship

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. The final rankings will be released in April. Follow him on Twitter at @clawlor.