Defending national champs hope to keep winning at high level with promising youth movement.
Video: Early Contenders - Montverde AcademyMaxPreps 2015-16 High School Basketball Early Contenders, Presented by Dick's Sporting Goods and Under Armour
Head coach: Kevin Boyle (619-139 career record)
2014-15 record: 31-1, MaxPreps national champion
State association: Florida High School Athletic Association
Enrollment: 998 (K-12)
Montverde Academy has a roster loaded with experience and talent including players (left to right) Bruno Fernando, Silvio de Sousa, Howard Washington, Kevin Cham and E.J. Montgomery.
Photo by Andrew Bershaw
Players to Watch
Rowan Barrett Jr. (6-6, Fr., G) … Canada's top-ranked 2019 prospect
Marcus Carr (6-0, Jr., G) … Experience on Canada's junior national team
Silvio de Sousa (6-8, So., F) … No. 2 prospect in 2018 class by 247Sports
Bruno Fernando (6-10, Sr., F/C) … Teammate of de Sousa's on Angolan junior national team
Davonta Jordan (6-0, Sr., G) … Transfer from Florida Air Academy (Melbourne, Fla.)
E.J. Montgomery (6-10, So., F) … No. 5 prospect in 2018 class by 247Sports
Micah Potter (6-10, Sr., C) … Committed to Ohio State
Simisola Shittu (6-8, So., F) … Another promising young Canadian
Anfernee Simons (6-3, Jr., G) … Transfer from Edgewater (Orlando, Fla.)
Howard Washington (6-3, Sr., G) … Committed to Butler
Guard E.J. Montgomery is the No. 5 prospect in the 2018 class according to 247Sports.
Photo by Andrew Bershaw
Key Dates
Nov. 21 – vs.
Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.)Dec. 7 – vs.
Huntington St. Joseph Prep (Huntington, W.Va.)Dec. 18-23 – City of Palms Classic
Dec. 26-31 – Beach Ball Classic
Jan. 2 – vs.
DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) at Cancer Research Classic
Jan. 18 – vs.
Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) at Spalding Hoophall Classic
Jan. 28-30 – Montverde Academy Invitational
Forward Silvo de Sousa is the No. 2 prospect in the 2018 class according to 247Sports.
Photo by Andrew Bershaw
Eagle Storylines
* Montverde Academy is the current king in high school basketball. The Eagles have been recognized as national champion by at least one media outlet each of the past three seasons (MaxPreps recognized Montverde Academy as national champions in in 2012-13 and 2014-15). The Orlando-area powerhouse is 84-3 during that span and has helped develop elite talents Ben Simmons and D'Angelo Russell.
* A virtual unknown in the United States prior to the summer, de Sousa put himself on the map by dominating the Nike EYBL 16U division for Florida-based E1T1. A native of Angola, the physically mature forward averaged 14.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game as a 15-year old at the 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship in Dubai.
*
NorthPoleHoops.com has tagged Barrett Jr. as Canada's top prospect in the 2019 class and he's garnered Andrew Wiggins-level hype early on. He backed it up this summer at the FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Argentina, averaging 14.3 points per game while helping Canada win a silver medal.
View photo gallery of preseason photo shoot with Montverde Academy
Head coach Kevin Boyle is surrounded by many talented players at Montverde Academy this season.
Photo by Andrew Bershaw
