If the Dick's Sporting Goods High School National Tournament selection committee will indeed select two Florida boys’ basketball teams for its Tournament in New York, as rumored, then it’s only right newly minted Class 3A state champion Weston Sagemont (33-0) gets the nod after top-ranked Montverde Prep.
When asked in the Feb. 26 state finals post-game press conference about his team’s national tourney prospects, Sagemont’s two-time state champion coach Adam Ross unequivocally stated the Lions deserves to join the nation’s top eight boys’ teams at Madison Square Garden onApril 3.
“I think we are one of the best teams in the country,’’ Ross said. “I am not ashamed to say that. No disrespect to anyone else. If they invite us we will be there. As a coach, I will feel confident going into any game against anyone with this group of guys.”
A jump from No. 22 to No. 4 in the latest MaxPreps Xcellent 25 national poll released Monday provides the strongest closing arguments for Sagemont’s inclusion.
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Sagemont, led by Connecticut 6-4 recruit Prince Ali, UMass-Lowell signee Lance Crawford, 6-11 center G.G. Goloman, Joe Kirby and Jordan Cooper, earned the right to leapfrog 18 teams with a history making state final four.
After holding Duke-bound five-star guard Grayson Allen to nine points in a stunning 78-59 victory over then MaxPreps No. 9 Jacksonville Providence (28-5) in the state semis, Sagemont beat Tampa Prep 79-48 for the 3A state title, clinching the first undefeated season for a Broward boys’ team.
“We have had an unbelievable ride of a season,” Ross said. “A s a coach it has been a pleasure just to be a part of it. We have such an incredible group of kids that wholeheartedly just believe in us as a coaching staff, wholeheartedly believe in each other and it showed every single night on the court.”
The three-day Tournament, which was known as the National High School Invitational, has a new sponsor and new venue since Montverde won the boys’ title last season.
ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will broadcast the games live.
SOFTBALL
• Kings Academy 13, Calvary Christian 10:
CC 0 0 4 0 3 1 2 —10 7 8
KA 1 0 4 4 4 0 X —13 11 3
WP: Stroempl LP: C. Chang (1-5). Top Performers: Chang (CC) 2-3, HR, RBI. Stroempl (KA) 3-4, 3 RBI. CC 2-6.
BOY’S WATER POLO
• Cooper City 15, Krop 13: Brandon Bogumill 6 goals. Aiden Goldberg 4 goals. CC 3-0.
BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL
• Western d. Miramar (25-10, 25-11, 25-20): Timmy Conway 6 kills. WEST 1-0.
• Late Friday-Palmetto d. Cardinal Gibbons (26-24, 28-26): Devin Decker 9 kills, 8 points, 5 digs. Tanner Ray 9 digs, 9 points. Joey Sensale 6 kills, 3 digs. Alex Brown 5 kills, 3 blocks.
• Late Friday-Palm Beach Gardens d. Palmetto (23-25, 25-20,13-15): Devin Decker 13 kills, 4 digs. Thomas Latimer 26 assists, 4 blocks. Julian Hunt 6 kills, 5 blocks.
GIRLS’ LACROSSE
• St. Thomas 19, Plantation 0: Morgan Dunm 3 goals. Caysi Canteberry goal .STA 3-1.
TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE
BASEBALL
Blanche Ely vs. Northeast, 6:30
Coconut Creek vs. McCarthy, 4:00
South Plantation vs. Cooper City, 6:30
Monarch vs. Coral Glades, 5:30
Piper vs. Cypress Bay, 6:30
Deerfield at South Broward, 6:30
Everglades vs. West Broward, 3:45
Flanagan vs. Miramar, 6:30
Fort Lauderdale vs. Taravella, 6:30
Western vs. Hallandale, 3:45
Hollywood Hills vs. Nova, 7:00
Pines Charter vs. Somerset Academy, 6:30
TENNIS
Pompano Beach vs. Blanche Ely, 2:00
Monarch vs. Cardinal Gibbons, 2:00
Coconut Creek vs. Deerfield, 3:00
Taravella vs. Coral Glades, 3:00
Coral Springs vs. Western, 4:00
Pines Charter vs. Flanagan, 3:00
Plantation vs. Miramar, 2:00
South Plantation vs. West Broward, 3:00
BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL
University School vs. Cardinal Gibbons, 4:30
West Broward vs. Cooper City, 4:30
Hollywood Hills vs. Coral Glades, 4:30
Miramar vs. Coral Springs, 6:00
Somerset Academy vs. Cypress Bay, 4:30
South Broward vs. Douglas, 4:30
St. Thomas Aquinas vs. Flanagan, 4:30
Monarch vs. McArthur, 4:30
Nova vs. Pines Charter, 6:00
Plantation vs. Piper, 4:30
Pompano vs. Deerfield, 4:30
SOFTBALL
Monarch vs. Blanche Ely (Mitchell Moore Park), 4:00
Fort Lauderdale vs. Boyd Anderson, 4:00
Cardinal Gibbons vs. Coconut Creek, 4:00
Cooper City vs. Cypress Bay, 6:30
South Broward vs. Flanagan, 6:30
Hollywood Hills vs. Nova, 4:00
St. Thomas vs. Plantation, 6:30
BOYS’ LACROSSE
Western vs. Cooper City, 5:00
West Broward vs. Flanagan, 5:00
St. Thomas vs. Pine Crest,5:00
South Plantation vs. American Heritage, 5:00
GIRLS’ LACROSSE
Cooper City vs. Western, 5:00
Flanagan vs. West Broward, 5:00
St. Thomas vs. Pine Crest, 7:00
South Plantation vs. American Heritage, 5:00
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