High school basketball: Late run sparks No. 3 Sunrise Christian Academy to GEICO Nationals finals with 70-63 win over IMG Academy

National Player of the Year finalist Kennedy Chandler leads Buffaloes with 25 points, five rebounds and five assists.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Jordan Divens
By
Apr 2, 2021, 1:45pm
No. 3 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) closed with a 19-4 run to beat No. 4 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 70-63 Friday and advance to its first GEICO Nationals championship appearance.

Five-star Tennessee signee Kennedy Chandler sparked the Buffaloes late-game burst with a 7-0 personal run. His heroics started with a left-win 3-pointer to put Sunrise Christian up 62-60 and followed that with a layup to extend the lead to four with one minute remaining.

Stifling defense played a major factor in the win, as the Buffaloes limited IMG Academy to four points and one made field goal in the final 5:45.

Chandler, who was recently named as a MaxPreps National Player of the Year finalist, finished with a game-high 25 points to go with five rebounds and five assists.
Kennedy Chandler scored a game-high 25 in Sunrise Christian Academy's 70-63 win Friday over IMG Academy.
Kennedy Chandler scored a game-high 25 in Sunrise Christian Academy's 70-63 win Friday over IMG Academy.
Photo by Pete Wright
Five-star junior Jaden Bradley finished with a team-high 18 points and six assists for IMG Academy (21-3).

Sunrise Christian Academy (21-3) also won its previous meeting with IMG Academy, knocking off the Ascenders 69-62 on Jan. 18.

The Buffaloes play either Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) or AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) in Saturday's championship.

GEICO Nationals championship

Saturday, April 3
Game on ESPN
Noon — No. 3 Sunrise Christian Academy vs. No. 1 Montverde Academy

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