MIDDLE VILLAGE, N.Y. – Just after coming back from 16 points down in the fourth quarter and knocking off No. 3 Montverde (Fla.) Academy in the GEICO High School Nationals semifinals on Friday, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) coach Sean McAloon said he’d “never been a part of a game like this.”
McAloon and the No. 4 Ascenders experienced another first on Saturday, knocking off No. 1 La Lumiere School (La Porte, Ind.) 66-55 to claim the national title.
It’s the first national title in any sport in the school’s history and was also La Lumiere’s first loss of the season.
Josh Green led the Ascenders with 19 points, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, who was named tournament MVP, had 18 points and Jaden Springer posted 12 points, seven assists and five rebounds.
Keion Brooks led La Lumiere with 15 points.
Robinson-Earl had the hot hand early, draining two threes in the first four minutes to ignite an 11-4 run. Green scored 13 first half points, but Gerald Drumgoole drained a corner three-pointer cut into the Ascenders 31-26 lead at halftime.
Drumgoole drained another three with 3:22 left in the third quarter to cut the lead to 39-36, but the Ascenders countered with a 9-5 run capped off by Jarace Walker’s three-pointer to take a 48-41 lead headed into the fourth quarter.
The Ascenders extended their lead, 61-51, on run-out dunks in transition capped off by Springer’s transition layup with 1:23 left in regulation.
The final Super 25 boys basketball rankings will be released Monday.
Follow Jason Jordan on Twitter: @JayJayUSATODAY
