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By Christopher Lawlor FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Grace VanSlooten demonstrated why she is a McDonald’s All American. When the game is big, so is the 6-foot-3 inch forward from IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.). When the stakes are higher, VanSlooten wants the ball and produces. You might call her clutch, but again that what is expected of a player of her ilk that is headed to Oregon in the fall. VanSlooten could have hung around her hometown of Toledo, Ohio for her senior year but opted for an experience that would take her game to another level. That was case when…

By Christopher Lawlor FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Remember the name Jordan Walsh. He’s a dandy of a player and the fans of the Arkansas Razorbacks will relish his play come next season. But Walsh isn’t about to allow his senior season to end prematurely and on Thursday afternoon he made sure nationally ranked Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) would extended its season for at least one more day. Walsh did a little of everything during the quarterfinals of the GEICO High School Nationals boys’ tournament. He played at warp speed. He played above the rim. He drilled perimeter shots. He defended…

by Christopher Lawlor FORT MYERS, Fla. — Nate Bittle of Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) has put up more dynamic numbers in high illustrious high school career but Wednesday night’s stat line of eight points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots do not begin to paint the picture for the 6-foot-11 beanpole from rural southern Oregon. Bittle, a McDonald’s All American, was every bit the hero on the defensive end but needed help from his Eastern European teammate Stefan Todorovic. Bittle earned player of the game honors but Todorovic tossed in a team-high 12 points and Prolific managed to held off…

by Christopher Lawlor FORT MYERS, Fla. – When Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) is scoring points that means a breakneck style of play is percolating. Yes, the Warriors are accustomed to the up-tempo offense and high-pressure defense to fuel the attack. Usually, the in-your-face defense feeds the offense. And for spurts on Wednesday night, it was the Warriors of old that emerged. There were crevices in OHA’s game and on at least three occasions Pace Academy (Atlanta, Ga.) might have taken a lead or at least tied the game. Yet, the Warriors were about to get eliminated in…

by Christopher Lawlor FORT MYERS, Fla. – Kendall Brown and Kennedy Chandler are McDonald’s All Americans for a reason and it starts on defense. Sure, two of the nation’s top players, both headed to high-major programs in Power-5 conferences, can score the basketball but what about when the game is one the line? Well, the dynamite dup of Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) came to the rescue late in the fourth quarter when the Buffaloes season was headed home. Key defensive stops led to a scintillating 56-55 thriller over seventh-seeded Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) Thursday in the quarterfinal round…

by Christopher Lawlor FORT MYERS, Fla. – Maybe there will be more of a test on Friday afternoon for top-seeded Montverde (Fla.) Academy. The Eagles didn’t get on Thursday in the quarterfinals of the GEICO High School Nationals. The blowout wins are usually reserved for cupcakes on the Montverde’s busy early schedule. But in April? And at a tournament they have won four times? Hardly. Yet that was case when the Eagles hammered Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 85-64, in the Suncoast Credit Union Arena. Once the game progressed into the second half it was apparent the Eagles…

by Christopher Lawlor FORT MYERS, Fla. – Sean McAloon had a quick message for his IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) players: We are chasing a title as reigning GEICO champions. True, the Ascenders are the reigning champions and desire for another title was on full display Thursday afternoon in the 12th annual GEICO High School Nationals quarterfinals. Since there was no GEICO Nationals played in 2020, the Ascenders entered this year’ tournament as the defending champions after beating La Lumiere School (La Porte, Ind.), 66-55, on April 4, 2019 in the final. And that meant an early trip home for sixth-seeded…

by Christopher Lawlor FORT MYERS, Fla. – Once Ty Ty Washington his rhythm it was over for Wasatch Academy (Mount Pleasant, Utah). Washington and his AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) teammates were unsettled in the first half and into the third quarter but that’s when Washington carried his team on Thursday evening to a 59-54 victory over the fifth-seeded Tigers at the GEICO High School Nationals quarterfinals In the Suncoast Credit Union Arena. The 6 foot 3 senior guard manufactured a double-double with 22 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. The Dragons outscored the Utah school by 12 points (29-17)…

by Christopher Lawlor FORT MYERS, Fla. – The great news for third-seeded Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) is a victory Friday at the GEICO High School Nationals girls’ semifinal. The Panthers survived overtime to knock off previously unbeaten Lake Highland Prep (Orlando, Fla.), 52-49, at the Suncoast Credit Union Arena. PVI’s Lee Volker sank two free throws with 21.7 seconds left in the extra session and after a timeout the Highlanders had a chance to tie but two missed three-point field goals, the second from Stefanie Ingram at the buzzer ended it. The second-seeded Highlanders (19-1) had their win streak spanning…