MaxMadness field is set

 

With its victory this week in New Jersey's Tournament of Champions, Trenton Catholic Academy (Trenton, N.J.) earned a No. 7 seed. Across the country, Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.) captured its second straight CIF title, ensuring the Comets a favorable placement in the bracket.

Other teams that earned their way into the MaxMadness field over the weekend include: North Central (Indianapolis, Ind.), Jackson (Massillon, Ohio), Johnson (St. Paul, Minn.), and Kalamazoo Central (Kalamazoo, Mich.).

 

Fourteen teams were awarded at-large bids to complete the field of 64.

 

The pool of at-large teams is talented and geographically diverse, highlighted by St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.) and Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.).

The Gray Bees, who are not a part of the NJSIAA, finished the season with just one loss and beat the likes of Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) and Plymouth Whitemarsh (Plymouth Meeting, Pa.), teams that also earned at-large bids.

Findlay Prep also owns wins over two other talented at-large selections, St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) and Christ (Arden, N.C.). The Henderson, Nev., program endured a brutal schedule and only fell twice, with both losses coming at the hands of MaxMadness teams.

Two at-large bids went to nationally-ranked teams that were upset in the state playoffs. Paterson Catholic (Paterson, N.J.), whose only loss came in the non-public North B playoffs to St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.), earned a No. 4 seed, while Northland (Columbus, Ohio), who was stunned by Lincoln (Gahanna, Ohio) in the Division I playoffs, is a No. 3 seed.

Other at-large bids went to Providence (Jacksonville, Fla.), Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.), Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.), Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) and DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.).

Below are the official MaxMadness seedings. Updated brackets will be available by 11 a.m PST.

 

East

1 - St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.)

2 - Providence (Jacksonville, Fla.)

3 - Plymouth Whitemarsh (Plymouth Meeting, Pa.)

4 - DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.)

5 - Jesuit (Portland, Ore.)

6 - Kalamazoo Central (Kalamazoo, Mich.)

9 - Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission, Kan.)

10 - Gaffney (Gaffney, S.C.)

11 - Norcom (Portsmouth, Va.)

12 - Regis Jesuit (Aurora, Colo.)

13 - West (Anchorage, Alaska)

14 - O'Gorman (Sioux Falls, S.D.)

15 - Russell (Great Falls, Mont.)

16 - Bismarck (Bismarck, N.D.)

1 - Yates (Houston, Texas)

2 - Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.)

3 - Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)

4 - Paterson Catholic (Paterson, N.J.)

5 - Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)

6 - Peabody (Alexandria, La.)

7 - Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.)

8 - Simeon (Chicago, Ill.)

9 - Conway (Conway, Ark.)

10 - Kearney (Kearney, Mo.)

11 - Shelby Valley (Pikeville, Ky.)

12 - Squalicum (Bellingham, Wash.)

13 - North (Phoenix, Ariz.)

14 - Sanford (Hockessin, Del.)

15 - Natrona County (Casper, Wyo.)

16 - Essex (Essex Junction, Vt.)

1 - Sts. Neumann & Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.)

2 - Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.)

3 - Christ (Arden, N.C.)

4 - Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)

5 - St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.)

6 - Winter Park (Winter Park, Fla.)

7 - Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)

8 -  North Central (Indianapolis, Ind.)

9 - Johnson (St. Paul, Minn.)

10 - Lake Norman (Mooresville, N.C.)

11 - Central Catholic (Lawrence, Mass.)

12 - Douglass (Oklahoma City, Okla.)

13 - Alta (Sandy, Utah)

14 - Logan (Logan, W. Va.)

15 - Falmouth (Falmouth, Maine)

16 - Hope Christian (Albuquerque, N.M.)

1 - Ames (Ames, Iowa)

2 - Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.)

3 - Northland (Columbus, Ohio)

4 - Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.)

5 - Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.)

6 - Jackson (Massillon, Ohio)

7 - Trenton Catholic Academy (Trenton, N.J.)

8 - St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.)

9 - Starkville (Starkville, Miss.)

10 - Omaha Central (Omaha, Neb.)

11 - Bishop Hendricken (Warwick, R.I.)

12 - Arrowhead (Hartland, Wis.)

13 - Bridgeport Central (Bridgeport, Conn.)

14 - Post Falls (Post Falls, Idaho)

15 - 'Iolani (Honolulu, Hawaii)

16 - Conant (Jaffrey, N.H.)

Shelby Valley defeated Ballard of Louisville 73-61 for Kentucky's single-class state title.

<center>Photo by Wayne Litmer</center>