The Dick’s Sporting Goods High School Nationals basketball tournament in New York announced its field Wednesday, and it includes six of the top-eight boys basketball teams in USA Today’s national rankings.
That includes No. 6 Wheeler of Marietta, which got special permission from the Georgia High School Association last week to participate.
Other teams include No. 1-ranked Oak Hill Academy (45-0), the Virginia prep school that counts Carmelo Anthony and Josh Smith among its alumni, and No. 2 Montverde Academy (28-1), the defending champion whose only loss in two years came in December against Wheeler (30-2), the Georgia Class AAAAAA champion.
The only top-eight teams missing are St. Vincent-St. Mary of Akron, Ohio, and Callaway of Jackson, Miss. Most state associations have rules against playing in tournaments after their teams have completed their state championships. The GHSA waived its rule for Wheeler.
The single-elimination tournament will be played April 2-4. The first two rounds will be played at Christ the King High in and televised on ESPNU and ESPN2. Saturday’s final will be played at Madison Square Garden at noon and televised by ESPN.
Wheeler won’t be the only Georgia presence in the tournament.
Oak Hill center Daniel Giddens, another top-100 national recruit, actually played for Wheeler last season. Montverde has two Georgia transfers – Doral Moore from Luella (signed with Wake Forest) and Noah Dickerson from North Atlanta (signed with Florida).
The tournament features the two top-rated senior prospects in the country. They are Oak Hill forward Ben Simmons (signed with LSU) and Wheeler forward Jaylen Brown (uncommitted).
Here is information on each of the teams as provided by Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Oak Hill Academy (VA)
Tournament History: Sixth appearance; Runner-Up in 2009, 2011 and 2014
Coach: Steve Smith
ESPN Ranked Players: Dwayne Bacon, SG - No. 20 on ESPN 100, Daniel Giddens, C - No. 56 on ESPN 100,
Josh Reaves, SG - No. 70 on ESPN 100
Notes: Oak Hill is a rich basketball program that can lay claim to eight "Mythical" National Championships. Their alumni include Jerry Stackhouse, Rajon Rando, Brandon Jennings, Josh Smith, Steve Blake, Ty Lawson, Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony. This season was particularly special for Oak Hill, as their undefeated season of 45 wins set a school record. With a No. 1 national ranking, Steve Smith, who was named Naismith Coach of the Year, and company look to capture their first DICK'S Nationals title.
Montverde Academy (FL)
Tournament History: Fifth appearance; Runner-Up in 2010 and 2012; Champions 2013 and 2014
Coach: Kevin Boyle
ESPN Ranked Players: Ben Simmons, PF - No. 1 on ESPN 100, Noah Dickerson, PF - No. 58 on ESPN 100,
Doral Moore, C - No. 68 on ESPN 100
Notes: Montverde will contend for their third-straight DICK'S High School Nationals Championship with only one loss on the season and a No. 2 national ranking by USA Today. Key wins this season came against Plano West (TX), Bishop O'Dowd (CA) and Bishop Gorman (NV).
Blanche Ely (FL)
Tournament History: Second appearance
Coach: Melvin Randall
Notes: Despite not having a single ESPN -ranked player, Ely has put together a historic season becoming the first Broward County public school to go undefeated. Their run included a late-season victory over No. 13 Cardinal Gibbons (FL) which paved the way for their 7A FHSAA State Championship win, the fifth state title for Blanche Ely and the sixth state title for coach Melvin Randall, a Broward County record.
Wheeler (GA)
Tournament History: First appearance
Coach: Douglas Lipscomb
ESPN Ranked Players: Jaylen Brown, SF - #2 on ESPN 100
Notes: Wheeler put an impressive season together with notable victories over No. 20-Wesleyan Christian (NC) and No. 2 Montverde Academy, on their way to a 6A Georgia state title and the No. 6 national ranking. Wheeler's victory this season over the 2014 DICK'S Nationals champions, Montverde, was the defending champion's only loss in the last two seasons.
Huntington Prep (WV)
Tournament History: Second appearance
Coach: Arkell Bruce
ESPN Ranked Players: Thomas Bryant, C - No. 22 on ESPN 100, Ted Kapita, PF - No. 40 on ESPN 100,
Miles Bridges, SF - No. 7 on ESPN 60 (class of 2016), Curtis Jones, SG - No. 53 on ESPN 60
Notes: In recent years, Huntington Prep has risen to become one of the premier basketball programs in the country.. Despite losing former head coach Rob Fulford to the University of Missouri, first year head coach Arkell Bruce, has maintained a high level of play and led the team to a No.7 national ranking.
Findlay Prep (NV)
Tournament History: Seventh appearance; Champions 2009, 2010 and 2012.
Coach: Andy Johnson
ESPN Ranked Players: Allonzo Trier, SG - No. on ESPN 100, Horace Spencer, PF - No. 59 on ESPN 100,
Derryck Thornton, PG - No. 11 on ESPN 60, Justin Jackson, SF - No. 30 on ESPN 60,
P.J Washington, PF - No. 14 on ESPN 25 (class of 2017)
Notes: Findlay Prep is the only team to appear in all seven DICK'S Nationals, and is the most-decorated team in the event's history. Andy Johnson is the fourth head coach at Findlay in as many years, but throughout that time, has continued to maintain a consistent top 10 national ranking. Findlay alums who have participated in the Tournament include NBA Players Tristan Thompson, Avery Bradley, Corey Joseph, Anthony Bennett and Nick Johnson.
Greensboro Day School (NC)
Tournament History: First appearance
Coach: Fred Johnson
Notes: Coming into the tournament with the No. 17 national ranking, this will be the first appearance in the DICK'S Nationals for Fred Johnson and the Bengals. Greensboro Day avenged a mid-season loss to No. 20 Wesleyan Christian, when they defeated the Trojans to take the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association 3A Championship. Coach Johnson, who has been with the program for 38 years, picked up his 900th win earlier this season.
Wings Academy (NY)
Tournament History: First appearance
Coach: Billy Turnage
ESPN Ranked Players : Jesse Govan, C - No. 65 on ESPN 100
Notes: Wings got over some significant hurdles by beating nationally ranked Jefferson and then defending champ Cardozo to win the New York City PSAL championship. They are lead by Georgetown bound center Jesse Govan, who had 17 points and 17 rebounds in the PSAL final.
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