Montverde says no to West Oaks
National No. 1 boys basketball juggernaut Montverde Academy has canceled a home game against Orlando independent power West Oaks that was scheduled to be played Thursday, Jan. 18.
It would have been the first varsity game matching West Oaks (15-2), a three-time champion in the Sunshine Independent Athletic Association, against Montverde (21-0), a Florida High School Athletic Association independent that won three mythical national titles in the past five seasons and sits atop the major polls this season.
West Oaks coach said the game was booked in October but Montverde athletic director
called last Friday to say it was canceled and to apologize for the inconvenience. Gillion said he asked why and was told by Thornton that Montverde headmaster frowned on playing non-FHSAA schools.
“This has been kind of a work in progress for two years,” Gillion said. “The last three years we’ve both been nationally-ranked and it’s only 30 minutes (apart). Why not play a good game?”
Montverde has historically avoided teams within the SIAA and distanced itself from an association founded by schools that broke away from the FHSAA nearly a decade ago. Many FHSAA coaches describe SIAAA teams as schools without rules.
“The perception is that the SIAA is just lawless,” Gillion said. “In reality our rules are about the same. I don’t have any fifth-year guys on our team.
“West Oaks, before I got here, had a checkered past. I don’t run from that. But we look to the future. I’m not going to put anybody on a high school roster that doesn’t belong.”
Montverde has played one SIAA opponent this season. The Eagles, who have difficulty landing as many home games as they would like, defeated The Rock of Gainesville 97-55 on Nov. 28. And the the Montverde girls basketball team played West Oaks in a December.
“Personally, I think (Montverde) decided why jeopardize (a national No. 1 ranking) when this is a game you don’t have to play?” Gillion said.
Kesserling responded to a request for comment with an email that stated in part, “The Montverde Academy Basketball program has a long and demonstrated track record of competing against nationally ranked opponents throughout the country.”
Kissimmee Osceola (13-4), ranked No. 2 in the Sentinel state Class 9A rankings behind Oak Ridge, went 2-2 at the Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic outside New Orleans last week, but oh how close the Kowboys were to something better.
Osceola lost a 93-92 double-overtime barnburner against Brooklyn Lincoln (11-2) in a consolation bracket final on Saturday. The Kowboys also lost 49-47 to hometown Karr, La., which was tournament runner-up in an overtime final against Reserve, La., Riverside Academy (22-0).
Legendary former Ocala Vanguard boys basketball coach has been battling health issues for more than a year and was unable to travel to the National High School Coaches Association convention to receive his well-deserved NHSCA Hall of Fame award. But he was honored at a fitting venue in December when another retired coaching icon, presented the award to Haley during the Battle at the Villages tournament at Villages Charter School.
Haley, who ran the Kingdom of the Sun tournament in Ocala for decades, now focuses some of his boundless energy on finding teams for the Villages tournament and he helped build a stellar field this year.
“It made me proud for Jim that he could get his dues in front of what really is his own crowd,” Kershner said. “What Jim has done for basketball is really astonishing.”
Montverde hosts reigning Class 3A state champion Orlando Christian Prep (8-7) Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in a game that will be nationally-televised by ESPN2.
The game pits Duke recruit (6-7, Sr.) of Montverde, ESPN’s top-rated 2018 prospect, against North Carolina signee
(6-7, Sr.) of OCP, who is rated No. 6 among seniors by 247Sports.
Montverde adds even more depth and length to its lineup because 7-foot junior who transferred from Windermere Prep to the Eagles in December, will be activated for Thursday’s game.
OCP, a six-time state champion since 2008, has struggled this season against a grueling schedule.
Oak Ridge (14-3), ranked No. 16 nationally by MaxPreps and in the BallisLife Fab 50, joins Montverde at this weekend’s Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass., home of The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Pioneers play Roselle Catholic of New Jersey, No. 14 in the Fab 50, on Saturday afternoon at 4:30.
Montverde meets Chicago Simeon, rated No. 6 by BallisLife, at 6 Saturday and plays No. 17 Mater Dei of California in an ESPNU TV game on Monday at 1.
University School of Fort Lauderdale (17-0), ranked No. 2 behind Montverde by Max Preps, plays a 3 p.m. Monday TV game vs. third-ranked Oak Hill (24-0) of Virginia.
Closer to home, it’s wall-to-wall basketball this MLK holiday weekend. The Metro vs. Florida Challenge at Apopka has games Thursday through Saturday and Monday, and it is joined by events at Jones (Saturday and Monday), Mount Dora Christian (Saturday) and Port Orange Atlantic (Saturday and Monday).