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March 28, 2024

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Findlay Prep

Findlay caps 30-0 regular season with 107-57 thumping

Findlay College Prep finished a perfect regular season in devastating fashion with a 107-57 thrashing of Impact Basketball Academy on Friday night.

For the second consecutive season, the Pilots, No. 2 in the latest USA Today national Super 25 poll, are 30-0.

A national title eluded them last year, which they ended 32-1 with a two-point defeat to Hargrave Military Academy in the National Prep Championship finale in the Bronx, N.Y.

This time around, since it doesn’t take post-graduate players, Findlay will play in the National High School Invitational in North Bethesda, Md., in early April.

“I think we’ll win it,” said Texas-bound guard Avery Bradley, who led the way against Impact with 22 points. “We work hard every day and I think we’ll be rewarded.”

Findlay coach Mike Peck improved to 62-1 as the Pilots’ boss, and he had his squad finely tuned Friday night as it produced a program-record 33 assists.

It was even more impressive without high-flying 6-foot-7 Victor Rudd inside the jam-packed gym at the Henderson International School, with which Findlay is affiliated.

Rudd served a weeklong suspension for an undisclosed violation of team policy, and he wasn’t even on the bench against Impact.

The Pilots didn’t lose a step as newcomer Tristan Thompson, a 6-9 lefty who bolted from Newark (N.J.) St. Benedict’s to Findlay a few weeks ago, scored 17 in his home debut.

“My first Findlay home game of the season, so I had to put on a show for the crowd,” Thompson said. “I’m just feelin’ good with my teammates. It’s wonderful to be here.”

An SRO crowd, rare for the third-year Findlay program but indicative of its growing appeal, lavished Thompson with applause at his array of dunks and showered the seniors as Peck took them out toward the end of the game.

Thompson has given a verbal commitment to Texas, where he will play with Bradley in two seasons, and he made an impact on the game as soon as Peck put him in midway through the first half.

Ten seconds after he entered, Thompson was fouled going to the rim. He missed both free throws. Twenty-two seconds later, he was fouled while converting a strong two-handed jam.

Again, he missed the free throw, but he gave Findlay an 18-14 lead with the dunk. Sophomore guard Rasham Suarez eked in for a layup, junior power forward Godwin Okonji put in a layin and Suarez had a fastbreak layup.

Thompson sank two free throws and followed that with a strong layup after snatching Okonji’s missed jumper, and the Pilots were flying.

Midway through the second half, the Pilots slapped a 26-3 run on Impact to take a 97-52 lead, and another undefeated regular season was sealed.

“It was like a snowball running downhill,” said Impact coach Andrew Moore. “They’re good for the city. They represent the town very well with their ability and character.”

Rudd will return to the team – Peck is giving his players a week off – when it begins preparations for Bethesda on March 9.

“We talk to Vic,” Thompson said. “He’ll be back. It’s not a big deal.”

Carlos Lopez, the 6-11 center who will play at UNLV next fall, tallied 14 of his 16 points in the first half and agreed that he had his best game of the season.

“I wanted to get a perfect regular season again,” Lopez said.

Thompson’s quick transition to Findlay’s players and schemes shouldn’t be a surprise, Lopez said.

“He just bonds with everybody,” Lopez said. “He’s a great kid. He’s playing hard and making this team better.”

Thompson has been playing with Findlay junior point guard Cory Joseph, both of whom are from the Toronto area, since the fourth grade. They starred together on the "Canada Grassroots" summer traveling team.

“Cory helps that transition,” Peck said. “They’ve played so many games. They just have that feel.”

Illinois-bound guard D.J. Richardson, Thompson’s roommate in the house most of the Findlay players live in just up the hill from Henderson International, scored 15 points.

“I don’t know how he fits in so well, but I’m glad he’s here,” Richardson said. “He’s a great part of this team. I’ve always wanted to go undefeated in a regular season, since I was a freshman in high school.

“There will be some better teams in (Bethesda), but we’ll play our hearts out.”

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