While the 2021-22 Florida high school basketball season concluded back in early March, a few state teams were playing on a national level as recently as last week. And two of those squads – Montverde Academy and Calvary Christian – brought national honors back home to the Sunshine State.
The Montverde Academy Eagles, as expected, received an invitation to play in the 2021-22 Geico Nationals, a tournament that features eight of the best teams in high school basketball.
Montverde was the defending national champion, but the road to repeat at Geico Nationals would not be easy, considering the Eagles likely would have to go through IMG Academy – an opponent that had handed the team two of its four losses this season.
Beginning play on March 31, the fourth-seeded Eagles defeated AZ Compass Prep 70-63 in the quarterfinals to set up a semifinal matchup with IMG. Montverde finally topped the Ascenders, winning 62-57 to advance to the finals. The Eagles received stellar performances from the likes of Dillon Mitchell, Dariq Whitehead, and Malik Reneau in the finals to top Link Academy 60-49.
Besides being the second consecutive national title for Montverde Academy, the win also marked the sixth title for the Eagles overall.
In the inaugural State Champions Invitational this past week, Calvary Christian became the tournament’s first-ever champion when the Eagles defeated both Sidwell Friends (DC) and Auburn (WA).
The State Champions Invitational features four of the top state champions across eight different states. The Eagles qualified by claiming the FHSAA 4A state title this season, as well as being one of the nation’s top prep teams. Calvary Christian showcased its talent with two dominant victories that featured impressive performances from Taylor Hendricks, Carl Cherenfant and more.
Montverde Academy and Calvary Christian certainly were among the nation’s top high school basketball teams during the 2021-22 season, with each finishing the year with national honors.
Looking ahead to the 2022-23 season, both teams will return key names such as Kwame Evans Jr, Marvel Allen and more. Could more national accolades be in store for Montverde Academy and Calvary Christian in 2022-23?
