• Ten SCNext Top 25 Teams to Participate

The GEICO High School Basketball Nationals will return to Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Ft. Myers, Fla., March 30-April 1, with all 10 matchups available on ESPN platforms.  The 14th annual event, featuring the best high school basketball teams in the country competing in post-season play, includes ten teams in the boys’ and girls’ fields ranked in the SCNext Top 25.

The tournament will showcase 40 ESPN ranked boys players and eight espnW ranked girls players, including six McDonald’s All-Americans.

The three-day tournament begins Thursday, March 30 with the boys’ quarterfinals starting at noon ET on ESPNU. The girls’ semifinals begin Friday, March 31, at 10:30 a.m. on ESPNU. The tournament culminates on Saturday, April 1, with the girls’ championship at 10 a.m. on ESPN2 and the boys’ championship at noon on ESPN. Ted Emrich and Paul Biancardi will call the boys’ tournament and Matt Schick and Maylana Martin Douglas will call the girls’ tournament.

2023 GEICO High School Basketball Nationals Schedule

2023 GEICO High School Basketball Nationals Participating Boys Teams:
Boys team rankings are from the SCNext Top 25

Boys player rankings are from the ESPN 100 (class of 2023), ESPN 60 (class of 2024) and ESPN 25 (class of 2025)

Montverde Academy (Fla.) 23-2, SCNext No. 1
Tournament History: 11th appearance, Champion in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2021 & 2022
Coach: Kevin Boyle
ESPN Ranked Players: No. 13 Kwame Evans (Oregon), No. 16 Sean Stewart (Duke), No. 35 Chris Johnson (Kansas); No. 9 Junior Derik Queen, No. 10 junior Liam McNeeley, No. 18 junior Asa Newell, No. 58 junior Curtis Givens; No. 2 Sophomore Cooper Flagg

Long Island Lutheran High School (N.Y.) 20-2, SCNext No. 4
Tournament History: First appearance
Coach: John Buck
ESPN Ranked Players: No. 52 junior V.J. Edgecombe

Prolific Prep (Calif.) 31-1, SC Next No. 5
Tournament History: Third appearance
Coach: Ryan Bernardi
ESPN Ranked Players: No. 17 Aden Holloway (Auburn), No. 44 Tre Green (Xavier); No. 15 junior Yves Missi (Baylor), No. 41 junior Zion Sensley

Link Academy (Mo.) 24-1, SCNext No. 6
Tournament History: Second appearance (Runner-up in 2022)
Coach: Bill Armstrong
ESPN Ranked Players: No. 14 Ja’Kobe Walter (Baylor), No. 71 Jacolb Cole (Oklahoma),No. 89 Cameron Carr (Tennessee); No. 13 junior Elliot Cadeau (North Carolina); No. 19 sophomore B.J. Davis-Ray, No. 20 sophomore Aaron Rowe

St. Paul VI Catholic High School (Va.) 31-3, SCNext No. 7
Tournament History: First appearance
Coach: Glenn Farello
ESPN Ranked Players: No. 45 DeShawn Harris-Smith (Maryland); No. 43 junior Darren Harris (Duke)

IMG Academy (Fla.) 17-7, SCNext No. 11
Tournament History: Fifth appearance, Champion in 2019
Coach: Sean McAloon
ESPN Ranked Players: No. 58 Jamie Kaiser (Maryland), No. 77 Blue Cain (Georgia Tech); No. 14 junior Amier Ali, No. junior 42 Khani Rooths; No. 11 sophomore Jamier Jones

AZ Compass Prep (Ariz.) 22-5, SCNext No. 15
Tournament History: Third appearance
Coach: Ed Gipson

ESPN Ranked Players: No. 18 Mookie Cook (Oregon), No. 64 Zayden High (North Carolina), No 70 Rayvon Griffith (Cincinnati), No. 75 Trent Pierce (Missouri), No. 88 Tru Washington (New Mexico), No. 97 Jordan Ross (St. Mary’s); No. 22 junior Jamari Phillips (Arizona), No. 24 junior Vyctorius Miller, No. 55 junior Marcus Allen

Sunrise Christian Academy (Kan.) 21-7, SCNext No. 16
Tournament History: Fourth appearance (Runner-up in 2021)
Coach: Luke Barnwell
ESPN Ranked Players: No. 9 Matas Buzelis, No. 24 Scotty Middleton (Ohio State), No. 25 Layden Blocker (Arkansas), No. 33 Miro Little (Baylor); No. 25 junior John Bol

2023 GEICO High School Basketball Nationals Participating Girls Teams:
Girls team rankings are per the SC Next Top 25

Girls player rankings are per the espnW 100 (class of 2023), espnW Super 60 (class of 2024), espnW Terrific 25 (class of 2025) and espnW Watchlist (class of 2026)

Montverde Academy (Fla.) 24-1, SCNext No. 3
Tournament History: Second appearance, Champion in 2022
Head coach: Special Jennings
espnW Ranked Players: No. 36 Letycia Vasconcelos (Baylor), No. 40 Sahnya Jah (South Carolina), No. 86 Mjracle Sheppard; No. 34 junior Vivian Iwuchukwu

Long Island Lutheran High School (N.Y) 19-2, SCNext No. 4
Tournament History: First appearance
Coach: Christina Raiti
espnW Ranked Players: No. 17 junior Kateryna Koval, No. 50 junior Kayleigh Heckel

McDonogh School (Md.) 24-3
Tournament History: First appearance
Coach: Brad Rees
espnW Ranked Players: No. 27 junior Kennedy Umeh; freshman Autumn Fleary

Westtown (Penn.) 21-4
Tournament History: First appearance
Coach: Fran Burbidge
Key Players: senior Grace Sundback; junior Zahra King; 8^th grade Jordyn Palmer

Tickets are available for purchase online, along with further event information at www.hsbasketballnationals.com

For in-depth coverage of the GEICO High School Basketball Nationals, including highlights and exclusive content, follow @sportscenternext on Instagram and @SCNext on Twitter.

About GEICO
GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company), the second-largest auto insurer in the U.S., was founded in 1936 and insures more than 28 million vehicles. For over 85 years, the company has worked to make people’s lives better by protecting policyholders against unexpected events. As GEICO has grown, it has delivered money-saving coverage and outstanding customer service to policyholders through its investment in human resources and technology. GEICO is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies.

Homeowners, renters, condo, flood, identity theft and term life coverage are written through non-affiliated insurance companies and are secured through the GEICO Insurance Agency, LLC. Commercial auto and personal umbrella coverages are also available. Subject to terms, conditions, and availability.

GEICO has a national workforce of 40,000 associates. GEICO sales representatives throughout the country are licensed insurance agents in order to help guide customers through coverage decisions. To make changes, report claims, print insurance cards and/or purchase additional products, policyholders can access their insurance policy, connect via GEICO Mobile or by phone. Sales and service is also available at GEICO Local Offices.

Visit www.geico.com for a quote or to learn more.

About Paragon Marketing Group

Paragon Marketing Group is a corporate consulting agency specializing in sports, entertainment and cause related sponsorships. Paragon has collaborated with ESPN over the past 20 years to deliver over 1,000 live high school sports telecasts featuring many of the top teams and players in the nation.

Media credential requests: https://form.jotform.com/230464685670159

ESPN media contact: Kimberly Elchlepp at [email protected]; @kimelchlepp

-30-