National Division
11:00 AM
Los Angeles (CA) Fairfax vs. Melbourne (FL) Florida Air
Academy
2:00 PM
Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei vs. Ft. Lauderdale (FL) Dillard
5:00
PM
Rockville (MD) Montrose Christian vs.Tulsa (OK) Booker T
Washington
8:00 PM
Missouri City (TX) Hightower vs. Houston (TX)
Milby
The opening game matches Los Angeles (CA) Fairfax
versus Melbourne (FL) Florida Air Academy. Fairfax is led by UCLA signee Josh Shipp and junior forward Jamal Boykin. They are 6-1 are finishing third in the
Iolani Classic. They lost to #1 Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill Academy in the
semifinals.
They face Florida Air Academy, who finished 29-0 last
season. They are led by 6-11 senior Alexander Kaun, who signed with Kansas. They
are a two-time defending 2A and 3A Florida State Champion. Kaun averaged 16
points, 10 boards, and four blocked shots per game last season.
Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei faces Ft. Lauderdale (FL)
Dillard in the second national game. Mater Dei finished third in College
Basketball News’ prep poll last season, finishing 35-2. They are led by 6-6
Marcel Jones, who signed with Oregon State and 6-8 power forward Chris Henry,
who inked with Washington State. The Monarchs also have talented junior point
guard Mike Gerrity and 6-7 freshman Taylor King, who has already committed to
UCLA. They are 10-1 with their lone loss to Peoria Central.
Dillard finished 32-1 last season, winning a Class 6A
state title and a No. 18 USA Today final national ranking. The state
championship was their third in a row. 6-6 Chris Rawls is the lone returning starter for the Panthers.
The
third national contest matches Rockville (MD) Montrose Christian against Tulsa
(OK) Booker T Washington
Montrose Christian, coached by Stu Vetter, has a talented pair of African
seniors in 6-6 floor leader Churchill Odia and 6-11 big man Tunji Soroye. Odia,
who has been bothered by an ankle injury, committed to Xavier and Soroye is
Virginia-bound. The Mustangs also have junior forwards Mike Freeman and Uche Echefu and 6-7 freshman Herb Pope. They are 5-2 after finishing in fourth place
in the Iolani Classic.
Booker T. Washington is led by talented two-sport standout Quentin Chaney, who will play football at Oklahoma next fall.
The final national contest features Missouri City (TX) Hightower and
Houston (TX) Milby Hightower is led by 5-10 sophomore point guard Nic Wise,
who has already committed to Arizona. They finished 34-3 last season and also
have plenty of size in seniors Jacque Jones (6-5), Larry Handy (6-7) and
Reginald Fuller (6-6). Sophomore big man Darris Santee has a big upside.
Milby is 17-0 and is led by Arizona signee Jawaan McClellan. The Buffaloes won the recent 64th annual Houston ISD/Houston Jaycees Tournament, defeating Eisenhower 73-62 in the championship game. McClellan had 31 points to earn the tournament's MVP honors, while Larry Posey, who signed with Texas-Arlington added 21. They also have 6-5 Leon St. Rose and 5-5 point guard Tremaine Webster.