PREP ROUNDUP: IMG Academy wins opener at Geico Nationals

FORT MYERS — The IMG Academy national boys basketball team showed no rust from a 52-day layoff.

Jacoi Hutchinson and Keyonte George hit 3-pointers in the first 62 seconds and IMG Academy never looked back to defeat La Lumiere High (Indiana) 76-51 in an opening-round game ot the Geico Nationals at Suncoast Credit Union Arena.

Eight of the top boys teams from across the nation are competing in the event which culminates with a mythical national championship game televised by ESPN at nood today.

“We built it like a bowl game,” Ascenders coach Sean McAloon said after playing for the first time since Feb. 5, a 57-52 loss to Sunrise Christian Academy (Kansas) in the Metro Classic in Toms River, New Jersey. “We took some time off, mixed in some work, took some time off. It was something to keep their minds fresh before we got back out there. We ramped up before those guys went to McDonald’s (All-American Game earlier this week).”

With George leading the way with 13 points in the first quarter, including a four-point play, the Ascenders raced to a 26-9 advantage after eight minutes.

“That just shows the work I put in,” George said. “I wanted to win this game bad. I didn’t want this to be my last high school game.”

La Lumiere, which defeated IMG Academy (21-4) in double overtime earlier in the season, warmed up from the outside and pulled to within six points in the second quarter.

“We watched film and figured out what we did wrong,” George said of the first meeting between the teams, a 93-91 La Lumiere win in the Metro Classic in New Jersey. “And then come out here and don’t make the same mistakes and we got the win.”

A 7-0 Ascenders’ run, fueled by five points from Jarace Walker, reestablished a double-digit lead.

“Everybody is going to be a little tight or a little rusty," McAloon said. "We showed neither. We came out and smacked them in the mouth and maintained the lead from jump. That’s hard to do, especially with a really good team that’s well coached. Just proud of their effort. They played a flawless game except for a couple of minutes.”

The Lakers (20-5) got to within nine points four times in the third quarter but could get no closer.

“It’s a veteran group with a bunch of seniors, and we let them know what the goal is at hand,” McAloon said.

George, heading to Baylor, made 8-of-12 from the field and finished with 22 points and had a team-high eight rebounds. Walker, going to Houston, led in scoring with 23 points to go along with seven rebounds. Jett Howard, playing in front of his father, Michigan coach Juwan Howard, also pulled down seven boards for IMG Academy.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Braden River names Gilmer as coach

BRADENTON — Braden River High named Dwight Gilmer as its new coach. Gilmer replaces Jason Mickan who stepped down after the season.

Previously, Gilmer coached at Bayshore High. The Bruins went 11-15 in 2021-22. The Pirates finished 7-18 this past season.

BASEBALL

Riverview 6, Pelham (Alabama) 3

WHAT: IMG National Classic.

AT: IMG Academy, Bradenton.

TOP PLAYERS: R, Chris Barr (1-3, 2RBI, run), Pip Smalley (3-3, 3B, RBI), Elijah Hurt (1-1, 2B, 2 runs).

PITCHING: R, Austin Harford (5IP, 5H, 3R, 2BB, 4K), Landon Gierhart (2IP, 3H, 1BB).

Canterbury 1, Venice 0

WHAT: IMG National Classic.

AT: IMG Academy, Bradenton.

TOP PLAYER: V, Nicolas Dunn (1-3).

PITCHING: V, Trent Adrian (4IP, 2H, 1R, 1BB, 3K), Douglas Schapley (2IP, 1BB, 3K).

Sarasota 9, Palmetto 0

AT: Sarasota High.

TOP PLAYERS: S, Lance Trippel (2-4, 2RBI), Rocco Depastino (2-3, 2 runs), Mario Trivella (1-2, 2 runs, 2 RBI).

PITCHING: S, Brandon Jung (5IP, 1H, 1BB, 5K), Tanner Crump (2IP, 2H, 2BB).

IMG Academy Black 11, ODA 1

SOFTBALL

Lakewood Ranch 10, Land O'Lakes 0

AT: Lakewood Ranch High.

TOP PLAYERS: LR, Olivia Ryan (3-3, 2B, 2RBI), Cassidy McLellan (2-4, 2B, 2RBI).

PITCHING: LR, Ella Dodge (9-2, 5IP, 4H, 7K).

RECORDS: Lakewood Ranch (11-2); Land O'Lakes (9-9).

NEXT: Lakewood Ranch at Sarasota, 7 p.m. Monday.

Parrish Community 6, Palmetto 3

AT: Parrish Community

TOP PLAYERS: PC, Isabel Vega (3-4), Hannah Lewis (2-3, HR, 3 RBI)

PITCHING: PC, Ella Torres (7 IP, 3 runs, 1 earned, 11 Ks)

NEXT: Parrish at Lakewood Ranch, 7 p.m. Tuesday

Parrish Community 2, Berkeley Prep 1

AT: Parrish Community School.

TOP PLAYERS: PC, Ella Torres (2-3, 2B), Alex Call (1-2), Ella Romano (RBI), Grace Woodring (1-2, GW-RBI).

PITCHING: Isabel Vega (7IP, 4H, 1R, 11K).

RECORDS: Parrish Community (12-1); Tampa Berkeley Prep (12-1).

GIRLS LACROSSE

Tampa Catholic 13, Cardinal Mooney 8

AT: Tampa Catholic.

TOP PLAYERS: CM, Lindsay Kuo (2 goals, 2 draw controls, 6 ground balls), Morgan Martin (2 goals, 4 ground balls), Morgan Costallos (goal, 2 assists, 6 draw controls, 8 ground balls), Darling Bergstrom (goal, 3 assists, 4 ground balls), Ally Frank (goal, 5 ground balls, 2 draw controls).

GOALIE: CM, Lily Vanderpol (6 saves, 32%).

RECORD: Cardinal Mooney (4-8).

NEXT: Venice at Cardinal Mooney, 6:30 p.m., Tuesday.

Venice 14, Barron Collier 10

AT: Venice High.

TOP PLAYERS: V, Jack Clarkson (4 goals, 3 assists), John Ptaszek (3 goals, 3 assists), Brodie Calandria (3 goals), Nate Rockwood (2 goals)

GOALIES: V, Alex Ptaszek (8 saves), Caleb Hess (10 saves)

RECORD: Venice (3-6).

GIRLS TENNIS

Venice 6, Gulf Coast 1

SINGLES — Nicole Cierniak (V) def. Kelly Richter 4-6, 6-4, 10-4; Mikayla Faure (V) def. Mia Martin 6-0, 6-1; Nika DeLong (V) def. Marchala Rykowski 6-2, 6-0; Adela Piskor (V) def. Ava Rochford 7-5, 6-3; Sia Dihenia (GC) def. Tess Tchorbadjiev 4-6, 7-5, 10-6.

DOUBLES — Cierniak / Faure (V) def. Richter / Dihenia 6-0, 6-1; DeLong / Tchorbadjiev (V) def. Rykowski / Rochford 6-4, 6-2.

BOYS TENNIS

Venice 4, Gulf Coast 3

SINGLES — Davide Procacci (GC) def. Charlie Siddons 6-0, 6-2; Seth Neitlich (V) def. Ivan Kisic 3-6, 6-3, 10-7; Hudson Fry (GC) def. Bryan Cierniak 6-3, 6-2; Pranav Mayor (V) def. Christopher Wilson 6-2, 6-3; Aravind Rajeev (V) def. Alex Mazza 6-7 (7-9), 6-1, 10-4.

DOUBLES — Siddons / Neitlich (V) def. Procacc i /Wilson 5-7, 6-4, 10-4; Kisic / Fry (GC) def. Mayor / Evan VanBuskirk 7-6 (7-3), 6-2.

Dennis Maffezzoli is the deputy sports editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and chief reporter for Sarasota Herald-Tribune and HTpreps covering Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties. Support local journalism by subscribing.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: PREP ROUNDUP: IMG Academy wins opener at Geico Nationals