Three Georgia basketball state champions are still playing, each with hopes of claiming a national title.
Milton’s boys, Pace Academy’s boys and Westlake’s girls were invited this week to the GEICO High School Basketball Nationals in Fort Myers, Fla.
The tournament, scheduled for March 31-April 3, will feature 10 boys teams and four girls teams.
Pace Academy, Georgia’s Class 2A boys champion, plays Oak Hill Academy of Virginia on March 31. Pace is ranked 15th nationally by ESPN and 16th by MaxPreps. Pace is 28-1, its only loss in the opening game against Sandy Creek. The Knights are led by Matthew Cleveland, who has signed with Florida State.
Milton, the 7A boys champion, opens against IMG Academy of Florida on April 1. Milton is ranked 12th by ESPN and seventh by MaxPreps. Milton guards Bruce Thornton and Kanaan Carlyle are top-100 national recruits. Milton is 28-2 with a 26-game winning streak.
Westlake, the 6A girls champion, plays Fremont of Utah on April 2. Westlake (20-0) has won four straight state titles in Georgia and is ranked No. 2 by ESPN and No. 10 by MaxPreps. Westlake guard Raven Johnson has signed with South Carolina. Brianna Turnage (Virginia Tech) and Ta’Niya Latson also are blue-chip prospects.
The games will be televised or streamed on ESPN networks.
The GEICO Nationals are in their 13th season. A Georgia team played it for the first time in 2015 after the GHSA granted an exception to Wheeler’s boys and ultimately changed its bylaws. Prior, Georgia high school teams were not allowed to participate in contests beyond their state champion. Several state associations still don’t allow post-season competitions for their schools.
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