Montverde Wins the 2018 Geico National Championship
RJ Barrett has done it all at the high school level. Player of the year awards, McDonald’s All American and even committing to Duke University are just a few of his accomplishments of his. The “Cherry on Top” was a Geico National Championship. On Saturday, March 31st two Florida based teams, Montverde Academy and University School faced off in a battle of epic proportions. Each school loaded with future NBA lottery picks. On one end of the gym The University School stars Vernon Carey Jr and Scottie Barnes prepare for battle and on the other end Monteverde stars Michael Devoe and RJ Barrett do the same thing. Montverde would up winning in pretty convincing fashion 76-58, but The University School put up a good fight during the tournament and there is no doubt that they will be back on this stage very soon. This win capped off a perfect 36-0 season, for Montverde and cemented their place in the HIgh Scjhool Basketball history books.
RJ Barrett going up against the Sophomore sensation Scottie Barnes. Photo ATH
The game started out pretty even as both teams seemed to be working out the nerves of playing a game of such magnitude. RJ Barrett, the nations top-ranked senior took control of this game and was a man amongst boys on the court. He just seems to have a motor that none of his peers seem to have. He put up 25 points and 15 rebounds leading the Montverde Eagles to the victory. This would be the fourth National Championship in school history, breaking a tie with Findlay Prep. He went 11-23 and played aggressively on both ends of the court. With this victory he has now etched his name alongside other Montverde greats, D’Angelo Russell and Ben Simmons and is surely headed down the same path to the pros.
RJ Barrett will be a lottery pick after he’s done with college! The whispers are getting louder and louder! Photo ATH
Barrett wasn’t alone on this mission. Barrett got help from guys like Mike Devoe, the Georgia Tech commit who hit on five three pointers during the championship for 21 points. Gonzaga-bound Filip Petrusev also added 15 points in the win. The University School had a great run this year. They have two of the best HS players in the country, junior Vernon Carey Jr. and sophomore Scottie Barnes. Montverde did a great job containing Carey Jr. and held him to only 12 points and 10 rebounds. He had 29 in the semifinals versus Oak Hill Academy. He’s really a special player and is destined for greatness. Scottie Barnes is another high powered recruited 22 points and 10 rebounds and is definitely going to make some noise when it’s his turn to shine. He and RJ Barrett were going at it, with both trading jabs along the way. RJ praised Barnes in the press conference and said that Barnes played with a chip on his shoulder and was young and “up next”.
It’s the cherry on top of everything that happened in my high school career and it means a lot. -RJ Barrett
The Eagles played the perfect game. They have the perfect combination of size and athleticism with RJ Barrett being the glue guy who puts everything together. Prior to playing in the championship, in order to get there Montverde made easy work of Lone Peak (UT) and Findlay Prep (NV). Both of whom have 5 star recruits on their teams.
Coach Kevin Boyle has a rich history of winning basketball. In 2011 he left St. Patrick’s School in Elizabeth, NJ for sunny Florida. He had built St. Patrick’s into a national powerhouse and l after leaving, used his expertise to transform Montverde into a National Champion. In little over three seasons, Boyle has led the Eagles to an 84-6 record, 41 straight victories and a share of back-to-back national championships — in the process taking his program, and his career, to new heights. Moving forward Boyle is expecting a brand new crop of talent. With 4 ninth graders coming in who are highly ranked it’s going to be a challenge for Boyle and the Montverde coaching staff to continue to push the envelope and compete at the highest level in HS basketball, but he is built tough and thrives under that kind of pressure.