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published: Friday, February 05, 2010
Jones' runner gives Montverde a close MAIT win
FRANK JOLLEY
Staff Writer
MONTVERDE -- Jamail Jones hit a runner with less than a minute to play Friday to give Montverde Academy a 59-57 win against Rockville (Md.) Montrose Christian on the second day of the seventh annual Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament.
The Eagles will face Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep, the nation's No. 3 ranked team at 7:30 p.m. today for the tournament championship.
Henderson Findlay Prep advanced with a 75-68 win against Jacksonville Arlington Day.
Montverde Academy recovered from dismal shooting in the second quarter with eight points from James Bell in the third quarter. The Eagles watched an eight-point lead disappear in the second quarter, but outscored Rockville Montrose Christian 20-18 and erased a six point deficit. Daniel Katuka, who scored five points in the third, contributed to the comeback.
In the opening seconds of the fourth quarter, a pair of free throws by Katuka gave Montverde a 45-44 lead -- the Eagles first advantage since the second quarter.
Terrance Ross responded with a 3 pointer, his record-tying sixth of the game, on the ensuing possession, to put Rockville Montrose Christian back on top, and Kaleb Clyburn responded with 3 pointer of his own to give the Eagles the advantage.
For much of fourth, the lead changed hands with virtually every basket. Neither team led by more than four in the final eight minutes.
There were three ties and seven lead changes in the quarter.
Rockville Montrose Christian mounted a furious charge in the closing seconds. Justin Anderson converted on an old fashioned 3-point play with a dunk a free throw to cut Montverde Academy's advantage to 55-54. The Mustangs had a final shot to tie the game at the buzzer, but Ross missed a twisting jumper in the lane.
Montverde Academy jumped out to a quick lead behind Jones' eight first-quarter points. Jones drained a pair of 3 pointers and was complemented by Bell, who added six points.
The Eagles outhustled the Mustangs down the floor in the first quarter, forcing Rockville Montrose Christian into six turnovers in the opening eight minutes.
Rockville Montrose Christian stayed in touch with the Eagles with a long-range shooting attack. The Mustangs hit only three field goals in the first quarter, but all three were from behind the three-point line, including a pair by Ross.
In the second quarter, however, the Mustangs rebounded from a six-point deficit to take a lead that was stretched to six points (23-18) at one point. Rockville Montrose Christian stifled the Eagles' offense, limiting Montverde Academy to one field goal in the first four minutes of the quarter.
Ross scored six points in the quarter and Michael Carrera added seven to power the Mustangs.
Montverde Academy, which had only three field goals in the quarter, stayed close with 3 pointers from Daniel Katuka and Kaleb Clyburn.
Ross led all scorers with 21 points, followed by Josh Hairston with 15.
Montverde Academy was led by Jones' 16 points, followed by Bell with 14 and Katuka with 10.
Rockville Montrose Christian will face Jacksonville Arlington Country Day at 5:50 today in the tournament's third-place game.
Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep advanced to today's championship game with a 75-68 victory against Jacksonville Arlington Country Day in a matchup of the past two MAIT champions.
Henderson Findlay Prep entered the game as the country's No. 2-ranked team and withstood a furious fourth-quarter rally by Jacksonville Arlington Country Day. Former Montverde Academy standout, Justin Jackson, hit a runner with 3 minutes, 43 seconds to play, to bring the Apaches to within two (63-61).
Nick Johnson responded with a turnaround jumper to give Henderson Findlay Prep a two-possession advantage with 2:55 to play and a steal by Cory Joseph, who sank 1-of-2 free throws with 2:22 left extended the Pilots' advantage to 66-61.
Jacksonville Arlington Country Day closed to within three (66-63) at the 2:00 mark when John Brown banked in a putback, but a 3 pointer by Marko Petrovic with 1:25 left sealed the win for Henderson Findlay Prep.
The Pilots, which entered the tournament riding a 40 game winning streak, took advantage of Jacksonville Arlington Country Day's perimeter defense, to bomb away almost at will from beyond the 3-point line in the first half. The Pilots never trailed and built a double-digit led early in the second quarter behind the long-range shooting of Johnson and Thomas Laerke, the slashing drives of Joseph and power play in the lane from Godwin Okonji and Tristan Thompson.
Jackson, a former Montverde Academy standout, struggled to get going in the first half. Jackson, now a 6-foot-9 senior who is committed to the University of Cincinnati, tried to ignite the Apaches with shots from the blocks and from behind the 3-point line, but was unable to find his range.
A runner by Angel Matias, a pair of free throws by Jackson and careless ballhandling by the Pilots enabled the Apaches to close the deficit to 33-27 with just over two minutes left in the second quarter.
Henderson Findlay Prep quickly regrouped, however, and regained a 10-point lead, thanks to superior interior work, which resulted in second shots, and a suffocating defense that seemed able to create a turnover when it needed one. The Pilots took a 39-30 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The Pilots were led by Joseph with 25 points, followed by Johnson with 17 and Thompson with 15.
Arlington Country Day was led by Wesley Blackman with 15 points, followed by Jackson with 14 and Brown with 12.
In only its fourth year, Henderson Findlay Prep has a 65-1 record since the start of the 2008-2009 season and is the defending national champions
In Friday's opener, Orlando Oak Ridge blasted Hollywood Chaminade 76-49 to advance to today's championship game in the Consolation Bracket against Orlando Christian Prep.
The Pioneers were led by Guito Ervilus with 19 points, followed by Corey Billingsley with 16.
Orlando Oak Ridge led from start to finish, building on nine point advantage after one quarter and outscoring Hollywood Chaminade 24-11 in the second quarter for a 47-25 led at halftime.
The Pioneers' proficiency inside the 3-point line powered them to the win. Hollywood Chaminade drained seven shots behind the arc -- the same as Orlando Oak Ridge -- but managed only nine baskets inside the 3-point line.
Orlando Oak Ridge, on the other hand, buried 27 shots inside the arc.
Hollywood Chaminade was led by Darius Perkins with 17 points, followed by Rey Valdez with 11.
Orlando Christian Prep advanced by throttling Dania Woods Haven Prep 75-33 in a game that was played with a running clock throughout the fourth quarter.
Justice Montgomery paced Orlando Christian Prep with 22 points, followed by Tariq Mackey with 15 and Orlando Parker with 12.
Dania Woods Haven, a first-year program, was led by Lynden Davis with 12 points.
The Warriors led from the outset, holding a 17-8 advantage after the first period and increasing the lead to 13 (33-20) at halftime. Orlando Christian Prep exploded for 30 points in the third quarter, led by five 3 pointers from Montgomery to put the game out of reach for the Seminoles.
Montgomery's five 3 pointers in the third quarter is a tournament record for most 3 pointers in a half by a player. He finished one trey shy of tying the tournament mark for most 3 pointers in a game, held by Niagara Falls' Jonathan Flynn, a mark set in 2006.
In all, Orlando Christian Prep eight 3 pointers in the third quarter and finished with 10 for the game.
Dania Woods Haven drained only four three pointers in the game.
The MAIT has proven to be a unique tournament in that the host team isn't guaranteed a victory. In many school-sponsored tournaments, the host team often finds itself traveling a noticeably easier road to the title game.
Because so many nationally ranked teams compete at the MAIT, Montverde Academy is not "guaranteed" a championship-game appearance. In fact, the Eagles have won the championship only twice in the MAIT's previous six editions, although they have appeared in the title game on four occasions.
Montverde Academy beat Notre Dame (Va.) 56-38 for the 2005 title and Maryland John Carroll 72-51 in 2007. The Eagles lost in the championship game in 2004 against Heritage (Texas) 57-55 and in 2006 against Niagara 70-63.
Nevada Findlay entered this year's tournament as the defending champion, but not school has ever won the MAIT in consecutive years.
