NORTH BETHESDA, Md. – All four members of MaxPreps’ Xcellent 25 boys basketball rankings won quarterfinal-round games during the first annual ESPN Rise National High School Invitational Friday at Georgetown Prep.
No. 1-ranked Oak Hill (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) pulled away from a 31-31 halftime deadlock in the opening game to post an 83-64 victory over Pinewood Prep (Summerville, S.C.). It gave the Warriors a perfect 39-0 record and their 45th consecutive victory.
Six-foot-nine center Keith “Tiny” Gallon was in early foul trouble, but guards Lamont Jones and Doron Lamb took over and the Warriors’ defense dominated most of the game.
In the second contest, No. 13 St. Benedict’s (Newark, N.J.) eliminated talented St. Frances (Baltimore, Md.), 74-65, after trailing by five points (29-24) at the half. The Gray Bees (24-2) overcame a 29-point effort by 6-foot-7 Terrell Vinson in the foul-plagued game which saw them sink their first 16 free throws in the fourth quarter.
The final two games were not as close. No. 4 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) raised its record to 31-0 with a 76-55 victory over Mountain State Academy (Beckley, W.Va.) and No. 5 Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.) moved to 21-2 by ousting Friend’s Central (Wynnewood, Pa.), 88-45, in the day’s most lopsided affair.
That sets up Saturday’s semifinals, with Oak Hill taking on St. Benedict’s and Findlay challenging Montrose. The title game will be played on Sunday.
