THAT’S A WRAP: Montverde (FL) Academy Eagles go unbeaten, fly away with Blue Star Media Elite 25 Boys’ National Championship

BENSALEM, Pa. – It’s finally time to call it a day.

The Montverde (Fla.) Academy Eagles are the Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball National Champions. It appears to be anticlimactic considering the nation is essentially amidst lockdown as the COVID-19 novel coronavirus has taken held and canceled state tournaments and earlier this month the GEICO High School Nationals, the final chapter.

So the Eagles are National Champions having clobbered the competition while winning four in-season tournaments and accrued a 25-0 record. Congratulations to coach Kevin Boyle and the fellas for making perfection look this easy. Truly a memorable team!

The Eagles went wire to wire at the top spot never flinching.

There are still a couple of states that are holding out hope the state tournament can be staged but Pennsylvania isn’t one of them. It was announced earlier this month the PIAA was canceling the winter and spring sports. Pennsylvania schools would be closed for in-school classes for the duration of the academic year, said Gov. Tom Wolf. Tennessee is still holding out for a May championship weekend. We’ll keep you abreast if they play it.

North Carolina and West Virginia are weighing options if a state tournament can be completed.

So, another exciting year is in the books.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ rankings will return next November but the football rankings will drop in mid-August. That’s pending with health concerns dictating daily life and the kick off of the 2020 season.

Until next time, stay indoors. Stay strong. Say a prayer for the countless frontline response people in the hospitals and first responders nationwide—those are real life heroes!

We hope to see you at a game real soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys’ basketball final rankings, April 21, 2020

1. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (25-0) # !

Previous rank: 1.

Low-down: The Eagles won four in-state tournaments, including the City of Palms Classic before Christmas.

They are the Blue Star Media Elite 25 National Champions for the second time in three years. The GEICO Nationals were supposed to be a coronation of a national championship.

2. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (30-3)*

Previous: 2.

Low-down: Won Washington Catholic Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles.

3. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (37-3) #

Previous: 3.

Low-down: The Warriors captured prestigious in-season tournaments in Hawaii and Missouri.

4. Wasatch Academy, Mount Pleasant, Utah (27-2) #

Previous: 4.

Low-down: The Tigers earned an invitation to GEICO Nationals.

5. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (22-3)

Previous: 5.

Low-down:

The Crusaders were scheduled to represent New York’s independent schools in the Class AA State Federation tournament and were a heavy favorite but the event was canceled.

6. Dorman, Roebuck, S.C. (30-1)* #

Previous: 6.

Low-down:

Won fourth straight Class 5A state championship. The Cavaliers wee invited to the GEICO Nationals.

7. Sunrise Christian Academy, Bel Aire, Kan. (22-3) #

Previous: 7.

Low-down: The Buffaloes were invited to their second straight GEICO Nationals.

8. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (30-4)

Previous: 8.

Low-down: Advanced to the CIF Open Division championship game after winning the CIF-Southern Section and Southern California Region titles.

9. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (27-8)*

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Won Virginia Independent Division I state championship.

10. Prolific Prep, Napa, Calif. (31-3)* #

Previous: 10.

Low-down: Won Grind Session World Championship. The Crew’s earned first-ever trip to GEICO Nationals.

11. La Lumiere School, La Porte, Ind. (23-3) #

Previous: 11.

Low-down: Won the Bob Kirk Invitational in Maryland in February and were invited to GEICO Nationals.

12. Camden, N.J. (29-1)

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Advanced to the Group 2 semifinals after winning the South Jersey Section title. Eventually the Panthers were declared region co-champions.

13. Scotlandville, Baton Rouge, La. (35-3)*

Previous: 13.

Low-down: Won fourth straight LHSAA Division I championship.

14. Lancaster, Texas (36-1)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: Advanced to the Class 5A semifinals after winning the Region II championship.

15. Etiwanda, Calif. (30-4)

Previous: 15.

Low-down: Advanced to the Southern California Open Division final.

16. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (19-6) #

Previous: 16.

Low-down: The Ascenders were invited to the GEICO Nationals.

17. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (25-8)

Previous: 17

Low-down: Season complete. Junior guard Devin Askew, a Kentucky recruit, was named the Trinity League’s Most Valuable Player. The Monarchs won a league title and performed admirably in the postseason.

18. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (28-3)*

Previous: 18.

Low-down: Won Nevada Class 4A state championship. It was the Gaels’ ninth consecutive state championship.n

19. Curie, Chicago (30-2)

Previous: 19.

Low-down: Advanced to the Class 4A sectional final before the season was canceled. The Condors needed four wins to win the Class 4A title.

20. St. Benedict’s, Newark, N.J. (30-4)*

Previous: 20.

Low-down: Won New Jersey State Prep A championship.

21. Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (24-4)*

Previous: 23.

Low-down: The Philadelphia Catholic League champions advanced to the PIAA Class AAA quarterfinals before the tournament was called off two weeks ago.

22. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (38-4)*

Previous: 22.

Low-down: Won the Baltimore Catholic League tournament and regular season titles.

23. Eden Prairie, Minn. (28-0)

Previous: 24.

Low-down: Won the Class 4A, Section 2 championship.

24. Minnehaha Academy, Minneapolis, Minn. (25-3)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: Won the Class 3A, Section 4 title.

25. Archbishop Stepinac, White Plains, N.Y. (18-9)

Previous: 25.

Low-down:Won Class AA New York Archdiocesan tournament championship.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Mount St. Joseph, Baltimore (29-6)*
2. Gonzaga, Washington, D.C. (25-10)*
3. Polytechnic Institute, Baltimore (25-2)
4. Archbishop Wood, Warminster, Pa. (22-5)
5. The Patrick School, Hillside, N.J. (20-8)

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

Midwest

1. Moeller, Cincinnati (26-1)
2. Bloomington (Ind.) South (26-0)
3. St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio (25-1)
4. River Rouge, Mich. (20-1)
5. Vashon, St. Louis (24-5)

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

Southland

1. North Mecklenburg, Huntersville, N.C. (30-1)
2. Hamilton Heights Christian, Chattanooga, Tenn. 28-3)*
3. Ashland (Ky.) Blazer (32-0)
4. Lee, Montgomery, Ala. (33-1)*
5. Wheeler, Marietta, Ga. (24-7)*

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

Far West

1. Sheldon, Sacramento, Calif. (28-5)
2. Harvard-Westlake, Studio City, Calif. (25-7)
3. Garfield, Seattle (25-4)*
4. Rancho Christian, Temecula, Calif. (22-8)
5. Salpointe Catholic, Tucson, Ariz. (30-1)*

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

! Blue Star Media Elite 25 National Champions

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

# Invited to GEICO High School Nationals

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 in April. 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.