Banners on the wall attest to the success of the Findlay Prep basketball team, seen during practice Tuesday, March 18, 2014.
Friday, April 3, 2015 | 2:28 p.m.
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The Findlay Prep basketball team was one rebound away from beating its nemesis, Montverde Academy of Florida.
Instead, Montverde’s Martez Cameron grabbed an uncontested offensive rebound and made a layup at the buzzer of the Dick’s High School Nationals semifinals in New York to force overtime against the Henderson-based Pilots.
With five players fouled out, Findlay Prep had no answers for Montverde’s 6-foot-9 post man Ben Simmons. Simmons, the nation’s top-rated recruit for the class of 2015, finished with 24 points and made 14 of 19 foul shots to lead Montverde to a fourth straight win against Findlay Prep, 57-53.
Findlay Prep trailed 48-46 with less than 90 seconds remaining when the Pilots’ Derryck Thornton was fouled. A Montverde player was called for a technical for arguing the call, and Thorton and Allonzo Trier each made two free throws to suddenly give Findlay a 50-48 lead.
But, before Findlay could take the ball out, Pilot forward Khalea Turner was whistled for a technical for intentionally running into Simmons. Simmons drained a pair of free throws to tie the game and Montverde, not Findlay Prep, got possession of the ball. Blake Harris hit a 3-pointer on the ensuing Montverde possession to give it the lead for good.
Trier, the Arizona committed guard, scored 26 points to lead Findlay Prep.
Montverde advances to the championship game Saturday at Madison Square Garden, looking for its third straight championship. It would match Findlay’s three titles from 2010-12.
Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21
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