2017 DICK'S Sporting Goods High School Nationals

DICK'S Nationals Report Card: Quarterfinals

DICK'S Nationals Report Card: Quarterfinals

The full report card of the DICK'S Sporting Goods High School Nationals quarterfinals at Christ The King High School.

Mar 31, 2017 by Brett Regan
DICK'S Nationals Report Card: Quarterfinals
NEW YORK -- Commanding performances. High-profile players. Upsets. If you love big-time high school basketball, Christ The King High School was the place to be Thursday.

There's no doubt about it. The DICK'S Sporting Goods High School Nationals quarterfinals lived up to the hype. With eight of the best teams in the country at one place, there was really no way it couldn't.

No. 3 Montverde Academy (FL) 74, No. 6 Shadow Mountain (AZ) 61

No. 4 Findlay Prep (NV) 77, No. 5 Oak Hill Academy (VA) 65

No. 7 Greensboro Day School (NC) 59, No. 2 IMG Academy (FL) 40

No. 1 La Lumiere School (IN) 64, Wasatch Academy (UT) 52


Here is out each team graded out in its opening-round performance:

FINDLAY PREP (NV): A

The Pilots didn't just beat Oak Hill; they absolutely pounded the defending champions by double digits for the second time this season. Findlay Prep's energy and body language were hard to match and were the difference in the game. Simply put, Paul Washington Sr.'s tough-minded squad wanted it more. McDonald's All American PJ Washington (22 points, five blocks) and Lamine Diane (21 points) played like grown men, and Reggie Chaney was a force from start to finish with 21 points and nine rebounds. This was the best team on the court all day and will need a similar performance to knock off top-seeded La Lumiere in the semifinals Friday.

GREENSBORO DAY SCHOOL (NC): A

The one and only upset of the day did not come in the form of a buzzer-beater. It was a complete beatdown. Give the Bengals a lot of credit. They appeared ready and focused from the jump against No. 2 IMG Academy. Although it was not the greatest shooting day -- making 37 percent of its shots -- Greensboro Day did all the damage it needed on the defensive end by creating 19 turnovers and turning them into 19 big points. JP Moorman set the tone early on the way to 15 points, but it was Jordan Perkins who shined in the second half, including knocking down back-to-back 3-pointers in the second half to seal the victory. Senior leadership is key, and the Bengals have the right pieces to prove it was not just a one-game thing Friday against Montverde Academy.

MONTVERDE ACADEMY (FL): B

RJ Barrett started the game by finishing a lob, and he ended it with authority, too. The 2019 Flo40 No. 1 player was stellar once again, posting 24 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists to lead the Eagles past a scrappy Shadow Mountain team. Barrett also got help with a 20-point, 10-rebound performance from Sandra Mamukelashvili and 12 points and six assists from point guard Marcus Carr. Rechon Black had some strong moments, too. This was not the best Montverde Academy had played this year, but the Eagles did what they needed to and rode their star player to knock off some of the rust after a long gap between games.

LA LUMIERE SCHOOL (IN): B

There was nothing flashy about this performance. The Lakers were not at their best, but they played well enough, especially on the defensive end, to advance. It was a very business-like game for one of the best teams in the country, and that's all that matters. McDonald's All Americans Brian Bowen (21 points, nine rebounds) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (19 points, 12 rebounds) were the stars, which was also a great sign for things to come. La Lumiere was aggressive and willing to go into attack mode to get to the foul line, where it knocked down 22 of 24 attempts. This squad came to life in the second half and having a big crowd of supporters will help as it moves into Friday against Findlay Prep.

SHADOW MOUNTAIN (AZ): B-

The Matadors are legit and certainly belonged in the tournament. It's just a shame they were without star sophomore guard Jaelen House, who had to serve a one-game suspension after he was ejected in their state championship game. Shadow Mountain could have used his 22 points per game, for sure, and perhaps his absence was a big reason for the team's sluggish start. However, Mike Bibby's team was able to bounce back and make it interesting before running out of gas. Jovan Blackshear and Marcus Shaver were hard to stay in front of with 20 and 19 points, respectively. It's hard to discredit this team at all. The Matadors fought hard, took care of the ball with just five turnovers, and made plays. Their lack of size killed them on the boards (45-21), but who knows what would have happened had this team been at full strength?

WASATCH ACADEMY (UT): B-

A team full of size and athleticism, Curtis Condie's squad made the No. 1 seed work. The Tigers ran some pretty good action and pounded the offensive glass, but they struggled to capitalize and shot under 27 percent for the contest. It wasn't a bad game. It just wasn't the right recipe to pull off the upset. There was a lot to like about this team, but it wasn't in the cards for Wasatch, which saw its season come to an end with a tough loss.

OAK HILL ACADEMY (VA): C-

All eyes were on the defending champions to see how they would respond to the pressure of repeating and avenging a loss to Findlay Prep earlier in the season. The Warriors, stacked with talent and experience, definitely had a squad to make a run again, but they struggled with a rather atypical performance. Billy Preston shined off the bench with 21 points and nine rebounds. It just wasn't enough to overcome the shooting woes. Lindell Wigginton and Devontae Shuler combined to go 7 for 37 from the floor, and no one else really caught fire to recover. Findlay Prep was better on this day, and there will be no repeat for Oak Hill.

IMG ACADEMY: D

Heading into the tournament, the Ascenders were one of the favorites. They had a deep and balanced squad to compete with any style. Then, they laid the proverbial egg in a first-round upset to Greensboro Day. Trevon Duval was hot early and finished with 14 points but was the only player to get going. He eventually started forcing the issue, too, and committed eight turnovers. A lot of credit goes to Greensboro Day, though. The Bengals got after it on the defensive end and hit some big-time shots. It just was not the performance anyone expected from IMG, which had looked good all season long and had the star power to win the title.

FRIDAY'S SEMIFINALS:

No. 3 Montverde Academy (FL) vs. No. 7 Greensboro Day School (NC), 3 p.m. EST

No. 1 La Lumiere School (IN) vs. No. 4 Findlay Prep (NV), 5 p.m. EST