After winning the New York PSAL AA city championship game at Madison Square Garden, New York’s Wings Academy will now try to capture the title at the Dick’s Sporting Goods High School Nationals in the Big Apple.
“Our focus right now of course is on the [New York State] Federation tournament, that’s our primary focus,” Wings coach Billy Turnage told SNY.tv Wednesday morning. “But anytime you can get invited to something prestigious like Dick’s, it’s always a beautiful things for the program and the kids as well.”
The event runs April 2-4, with the quarterfinals and semifinals at Christ the King, and the championship game at the Garden.
Wings is the No. 8 seed in the event and will face No. 1 seed Oak Hill Academy in the quarters.
The other schools invited include No. 2 Monteverde (FL) Academy, No. 3 Blanche Ely (FL), No. 4 Marietta (GA) Wheeler, No. 5 Huntington (W.V.) Prep, No. 6 Findlay (NV) Prep and No. 7 Greensboro (N.C.) Day.
“It’s a beautiful thing in New York,” Turnage said. “To be able to play in something like that in your back yard is really nice.”
Led by Georgetown-bound big man Jessie Govan’s 17 points and 17 rebounds, Wings beat Cardozo, 50-46, on Saturday to win the PSAL AA title at the Garden. That avenged a loss to Cardozo in the SNY Invitational championship game in January.
That put them into the New York State Federation semifinals next Friday against one of four teams to be determined. Reigning New York State champ Christ the King will meet Long Island Lutheran in the other semi.
Here is the Dick’s Sports Goods schedule per Jordan Divens
Schedule:
Day 1
Quarterfinals
12:00 PM: No. 4 Wheeler (GA) vs No. 5 Huntington Prep (WV) (ESPNU)
2:00 PM: No. 3 Blanche Ely (FL) vs No. 6 Findlay Prep (NV) (ESPNU)
4:00 PM: No. 2 Montverde Academy (FL) vs No. 7 Greensboro Day (NC) (ESPNU)
6:00 PM: No. 1 Oak Hill Academy (VA) vs No. 8 Wings Academy (NY) (ESPNU)
Day 2
Semifinals
3:00 PM: Findlay Prep/Blanche Ely winner vs Montverde/Greensboro Day winner (ESPN2)
5:00 PM: Wheeler/Huntington Prep winner vs Oak Hill/Wings Academy winner (ESPN2)
Day 3
Championship Game
12:00 PM: at Madison Square Garden (ESPN)
***Quarterfinal and Semifinal Games take place at Christ the King High School
2015 DICK’S Sporting Goods High School National Tournament Participating Boys Team Guide:
Oak Hill Academy (VA)
Tournament History: Sixth appearance; Runner-Up in 2009, 2011 and 2014
Coach: Steve Smith
ESPN Ranked Players: Dwayne Bacon, SG – No. 20 on ESPN 100, Daniel Giddens, C – No. 56 on ESPN 100,
Josh Reaves, SG – No. 70 on ESPN 100
Notes: Oak Hill is a rich basketball program that can lay claim to eight “Mythical” National Championships. Their alumni include Jerry Stackhouse, Rajon Rando, Brandon Jennings, Josh Smith, Steve Blake, Ty Lawson, Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony. This season was particularly special for Oak Hill, as their undefeated season of 45 wins set a school record. With a No. 1 national ranking, Steve Smith, who was named Naismith Coach of the Year, and company look to capture their first DICK’S Nationals title.
Montverde Academy (FL)
Tournament History: Fifth appearance; Runner-Up in 2010 and 2012; Champions 2013 and 2014
Coach: Kevin Boyle
ESPN Ranked Players: Ben Simmons, PF – No. 1 on ESPN 100, Noah Dickerson, PF – No. 58 on ESPN 100,
Doral Moore, C – No. 68 on ESPN 100
Notes: Montverde will contend for their third-straight DICK’S High School Nationals Championship with only one loss on the season and a No. 2 national ranking by USA Today. Key wins this season came against Plano West (TX), Bishop O’Dowd (CA) and Bishop Gorman (NV).
Blanche Ely (FL)
Tournament History: Second appearance
Coach: Melvin Randall
Notes: Despite not having a single ESPN -ranked player, Ely has put together a historic season becoming the first Broward County public school to go undefeated. Their run included a late-season victory over No. 13 Cardinal Gibbons (FL) which paved the way for their 7A FHSAA State Championship win, the fifth state title for Blanche Ely and the sixth state title for coach Melvin Randall, a Broward County record.
Wheeler (GA)
Tournament History: First appearance
Coach: Douglas Lipscomb
ESPN Ranked Players: Jaylen Brown, SF – #2 on ESPN 100
Notes: Wheeler put an impressive season together with notable victories over No. 20-Wesleyan Christian (NC) and No. 2 Montverde Academy, on their way to a 6A Georgia state title and the No. 6 national ranking. Wheeler’s victory this season over the 2014 DICK’S Nationals champions, Montverde, was the defending champion’s only loss in the last two seasons.
Huntington Prep (WV)
Tournament History: Second appearance
Coach: Arkell Bruce
ESPN Ranked Players: Thomas Bryant, C – No. 22 on ESPN 100, Ted Kapita, PF – No. 40 on ESPN 100,
Miles Bridges, SF – No. 7 on ESPN 60 (class of 2016), Curtis Jones, SG – No. 53 on ESPN 60
Notes: In recent years, Huntington Prep has risen to become one of the premier basketball programs in the country.. Despite losing former head coach Rob Fulford to the University of Missouri, first year head coach Arkell Bruce, has maintained a high level of play and led the team to a No.7 national ranking.
Findlay Prep (NV)
Tournament History: Seventh appearance; Champions 2009, 2010 and 2012.
Coach: Andy Johnson
ESPN Ranked Players: Allonzo Trier, SG – No. on ESPN 100, Horace Spencer, PF – No. 59 on ESPN 100,
Derryck Thornton, PG – No. 11 on ESPN 60, Justin Jackson, SF – No. 30 on ESPN 60,
P.J Washington, PF – No. 14 on ESPN 25 (class of 2017)
Notes: Findlay Prep is the only team to appear in all seven DICK’S Nationals, and is the most-decorated team in the event’s history. Andy Johnson is the fourth head coach at Findlay in as many years, but throughout that time, has continued to maintain a consistent top 10 national ranking. Findlay alums who have participated in the Tournament include NBA Players Tristan Thompson, Avery Bradley, Corey Joseph, Anthony Bennett and Nick Johnson.
Greensboro Day School (NC)
Tournament History: First appearance
Coach: Fred Johnson
Notes: Coming into the tournament with the No. 17 national ranking, this will be the first appearance in the DICK’S Nationals for Fred Johnson and the Bengals. Greensboro Day avenged a mid-season loss to No. 20 Wesleyan Christian, when they defeated the Trojans to take the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association 3A Championship. Coach Johnson, who has been with the program for 38 years, picked up his 900th win earlier this season.
Wings Academy (NY)
Tournament History: First appearance
Coach: Billy Turnage
ESPN Ranked Players: Jesse Govan, C – No. 65 on ESPN 100
Notes: Wings got over some significant hurdles by beating nationally ranked Jefferson and then defending champ Cardozo to win the New York City PSAL championship. They are lead by Georgetown bound center Jesse Govan, who had 17 points and 17 rebounds in the PSAL final.
(Breakdown courtesy ESPN)
