Seven teams clinch MaxMadness bids

Pool of confirmed MaxMadness national tournament teams reaches 10 in chase for fans' high school basketball championship.

By
Mar 8, 2010, 12:00am
Click here to see the current MaxMadness bracket presented by Milk.

Seven teams clinched their MaxMadness spots by earning state titles over the weekend. With Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), Falmouth (Maine) and Bob Jones (Madison, Ala.) already penciled in to the MaxMadness bracket, 10 teams have now earned automatic bids, with many more to come.
Austin Rivers leads Winter Park (Fla.) into MaxMadness.
Austin Rivers leads Winter Park (Fla.) into MaxMadness.
File photo by Jim Redman

A total of 50 teams (one from each state) will earn an automatic bid by being the highest-ranked team from their respective states, according to the MaxPreps Freeman Rankings. The remaining 14 bids will be determined by MaxPreps' Selection Committee after consulting both the Freeman Rankings and the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 presented by the Army National Guard.

Here's a look at the seven new teams who are primed for a run at MaxMadness glory:

North (Phoenix, Ariz.)
The Mustangs were Arizona's top team regardless of classification and proved it by beating Chavez (Laveen, Ariz.) 71-66 in the 5A-I title game. Daniel Bejarano was an absolute marksman from 3-point range, as he shot a blistering 40 percent from downtown. Committed to Arizona, Bejerano scored 19 points and pulled down 11 rebounds against Chavez.

Projected seed: 10

North beat some good Arizona teams this year and has a track record of success. Still, the Mustangs remain unproven against top teams from other states.

Winter Park (Fla.)
Led by National Junior of the Year candidate Austin Rivers, Winter Park capped off an outstanding season with a 6A championship, beating Dr. Phillips (Orlando, Fla.) 76-57.

The Wildcats have quite an impressive resume, featuring victories over St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.), Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.), Kentwood (Covington, Wash.), and Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.). Rivers averaged 23.9 points per game, while Brett Comer and Robert Lavoglio each averaged 12.

Projected seed: 4

Winter Park could be a threat to win it all, but with five losses, they are certainly beatable. The key is to contain Rivers, which is much easier said than done.

'Iolani (Honolulu, Hawaii)
Iolani developed a reputation for big shots in the clutch, so it did not come as a total surprise that Kainoa Chu hit a 3-pointer with 4.6 seconds left to give 'Iolani a state championship. Chu also hit a big go-ahead shot against Punahou earlier in the playoffs, while Trevyn Tulonghari sank a 3-pointer with two seconds left to earn a 50-49 victory in the ILH title game. The Raiders' last state title came in 2006, when the team won it all for the fifth straight season.
Projected seed: 15

With its penchant for big shots with the game on the line, 'Iolani could be a threat to a much higher seed.

Post Falls (Idaho)
Four players scored in double figures as Post Falls used a well-balanced offensive attack to knock off Eagle in the 5A state title game, snapping the Mustangs' 19-game winning streak. The title constitutes Post Falls' first in 46 years.

Malcolm Colbert led the way with 19 points. Junior point guard Connor Hill and senior Shawn Reid poured in 15 and 16 points, respectively. Promising sophomore guard Marcus Colbert also added 15.

Projected seed: 15

A definite underdog, Post Falls would need to play its best basketball for a first-round upset.

Gaffney (S.C.)
After losing in the state title game a year ago, Gaffney went the distance in 2009 with a convincing 71-59 win over Lexington. It's Gaffney's first state championship season since pulling off a three-peat from 2003 to 2005.

The Indians boast several talented underclassmen, including junior Dershawn Dawkins and sophomore Quinshad Davis. Six-foot-3 eighth-grader L.J. Peak could be one to watch.
Projected seed: 13

Though the Indians have great guard play, Gaffney is a bit undersized, as the 6-3 Davis is the team's tallest starter. However, in March, great guard play is at a premium.

Alta (Sandy, Utah)
Defense is the Hawks' trademark, and that rang true in the 5A title game, as Alta downed Davis 46-32. The Hawks jumped out to a 19-2 run at the start of the game and never looked back. It was the third time in the state tournament that Alta held its opponent below 40 points.

Kyle Davis and Jordan Brown were a dangerous one-two punch for the Hawks offensively, averaging over 33 points per game between them.
Projected seed: 12

Alta was able to beat Davis because it dictated the pace of the game. The Hawks need to avoid high scoring affairs; Alta was only 2-3 in games in which its opponent scored more than 60 points.

Essex (Essex Junction, Vt.)
Essex knocked off top seed Burlington in the Division I final 44-37, avenging a 21-point loss earlier in the season. They also overcame the state's top player, Joe O'Shea, who is committed to Holy Cross. O'Shea did tally 23 points and 12 rebounds, but the Hornets were able to limit the help he received from his supporting cast.

Senior Demir Smajovic, a 6-4 shooting guard, was the key cog to the Hornets' success while junior point guard Ben Ferris distributed the ball while playing excellent defense.
Projected seed: 16

Despite the Hornets' in-state success, they'd face an uphill battle to advance to the second round.

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