The 2023 GEICO Nationals started the way every basketball whose only rooting interest is chaos will love — all four games in the quarterfinals came down to the final possession.
It was No. 7 AZ Compass Prep knocking off No. 2 Long Island Lutheran, with four-star small forward Rayvon Griffith hitting the game-winner with about 10 seconds remaining. It was No. 6 IMG Academy upsetting No. 3 Prolific Prep with a ridiculous Blue Cain shot from the logo. It was No. 4 Link Academy getting the best of No. 5 Paul VI with a final defensive stand.
Finally, it was No. 8 Sunrise Christian toppling No. 1 Montverde Academy with a four-point play and a go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute.
See the highlights below. This tournament is only just getting started.
IMG Academy 66, Prolific Prep 63
Four-star IMG Academy guard Blue Cain appeared to be trapped just past the halfcourt line with three seconds to play and a tie game, but he somehow pulled into an off-balance deep 3 over two defenders in which it’s unclear if he could even see the basket.
Get a full recap at this link here, but for a teaser, check out his game-winner:
BLUE CAIN WITH ONE OF THE CRAZIEST GAME WINNERS YOU’LL EVER SEE! IMG ACADEMY BEATS PROLIFIC PREP!! pic.twitter.com/qEsMNcAXe7
— Global Scouting (@GlobalScouting_) March 30, 2023
Cain finished with 21 points and made eight of his 12 shots.
AZ Compass 73, Long Island Lutheran 71
Cincinnati commit Rayvon Griffith took over in the final minute of the game, scoring five points and the game-winner in the 73-71 win over the team ranked No. 9 in the Super 25. AZ Compass Prep, entering the tournament unranked in the Super 25, held on for a final defensive stand and got the win.
Take a look at Griffith’s final shots, which included an offensive rebound and putback with about 10 seconds to play. He finished with nine points, but he got the important ones when it truly mattered.
Rayvon Griffith clutched UP, scoring five in the final minute for AZ Conpass in their upset of no. 2 LuHi 😯 #GEICONationals
Final: AZ Compass 73, LuHi 71@GriffithRayvon @AZCompass_Prep pic.twitter.com/ZD2I2mhmzg
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) March 30, 2023
Link Academy 68, Paul VI 65
Link Academy was headlined by a pair of remarkable stat lines. Four-star guard Ja’Kobe Walter was an absolute monster, finishing with 34 points — exactly half of the team’s final output. Five-star guard Elliot Cadeau was more than happy to let Walter do the scoring, reaching only two points himself but recording 14 assists, seven rebounds and three steals for an all-around very impactful performance.
In the end, Link Academy had to put the pressure on four-star Paul VI guard and Maryland commit DeShawn Harris-Smith, who rose up for 3 in the waning seconds. The good defensive pressure forced a miss; Cadeau retrieved the ball and passed it upcourt; and Link Academy called game. See below; the video should start at a good time stamp. If not, go to the 5:22 mark for the closing 40 seconds.
(8) Sunrise Christian (KS) 46, (1) Montverde Academy (FL) 45:
Montverde was the favorite coming in, but Sunrise Christian knocked them out early on the back of five-star wing Matas Buzelis. Sunrise Christian trailed by six points with a minute remaining, but Buzelis drained a 3 while being fouled, getting the four-point play at the free throw line and cutting the deficit to just two. Four-star forward Scotty Middleton hit the game-winning 3, and Sunrise Christian held strong on defensive to advance.
Up next
On Friday, No. 6 IMG Academy and No. 7 AZ Compass Prep will play while No. 4 Link Academy will take on No. 8 Sunrise Christian. The winners of those two games will play for the championship on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the GEICO girls tournament will begin on Friday as well, with the semifinals beginning before the boys game. See the full schedule here.
