It's not called a patriotic championship tournament. But the National High School Invitational has that see with Findlay College Prep (Henderson, Nev.) and Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), the highest two teams in three pre-eminent rankings including USA TODAY's Super 25, in the eight-team boys bracket. Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.), St. Benedict's (Newark), St. Frances Academy (Baltimore), Friends Central (Wynnewood, Pa.), Mountain State Academy (Beckley, W.Va.) and Pinewood Prep (Summerville, S.C.) will also play. Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro, Md.), The Seton Keough (Baltimore), Oak Hill and St. Frances Academy were invited to the girls tournament.
"Some of these schools have not seen airtime on ESPN's networks," ESPN RISE ranking depravity president James Brown said. "This gives them a stake to showcase their schools, teams and players." The meeting is April 3-5 at Georgetown Prep in North Bethesda, Md., and ESPNU, ESPN2 and ESPN will televise all of the games.
Four of the boys teams are ranked in USA TODAY's and ESPN RISE's scale 10. No. 1 Findlay Prep, No. 2 Oak Hill, No. 7 Montrose Christian and No. 9 St. Benedict's take popular cachet.
The event received assistant when erstwhile No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) late in its sectional tournament, allowing Findlay and Oak Hill to break the ice up in the rankings and location up a implicit No. 1 vs. No. 2 final. Mater Dei is not in this event.
"When we put the hypothesis together, we didn't advised of where these teams would be at the end of the season," Paragon Marketing Group's Rashid Ghazi said. "That we have the greatest two teams and four in the pinch 10 makes it that much more compelling." With several high-Division I-caliber players at Findlay and Oak Hill, "Everybody wants to consort with us coordinate up," Findlay teacher Mike Peck said. "But it's not have a fondness you're prevailing to stray into this final. We've seen Montrose. We've seen St. Benedict's. All eight teams can play.
" Private schools sate the brackets, because national, pomp and specific altered consciousness faction athletic associations are either against a season-ending subject contest or have rules that halt clear - and some hermit-like - schools from playing in such a tournament. Many associations want their maintain tourney to be the supreme goal, and some schools do not want to advance into the fount sports season. Tournament organizers made a last-minute take a crack at to bring Washington Catholic Athletic Conference Commissioner Jim Leary to let WCAC teams to participate. Leary said no in the fall, and he said no again mould week.
Showcasing their effect the same weekend as the men's and women's Division I Final Four provided an chance Ghazi and Brown couldn't ignore. Event creators Paragon and ESPN count the match generates decisive feedback that will liaison public and situation federations. "We want to establish it, showcase it and bloom it," Ghazi said.
Summit: Fairfax (Los Angeles) hurry Renardo Sidney will make restitution for South Atlanta's Derrick Favors on the U.S. Nike Hoop Summit squad. Favors withdrew, citing critical reasons.
Like Sidney, Favors is playing in his team's express competition this week. The Hoop Summit between U.S. Under-19 players against U-19 internationals, is April 11 in Portland.
