The 16-team Culligan City of Palms Classic main bracket, fiour-team Small Town Signature Series and four other showcase games produced a whopping 11 schools who played for a state championship (eight of whom wound up hoisting the first-place trophies) and three more in the season-ending GEICO Nationals:
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GEICO NATIONALS
IMG Academy (29-1): Wire-to-wire, 66-55 win over La Lumiere in GEICO title game helped the Ascenders edge out McEachern in every major national poll, giving the school its first national championship in any team sport.
USA Today #1 / BallisLife #1 / MaxPreps #1
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Oak Hill Academy (31-5): Warriors got inspired efforts from returning New York City stars Cole Anthony and Kofi Cockburn, but lost 58-57 to then-No. 1 La Lumiere (Ind.) in the GEICO semifinals.
USA Today #7 / BallisLife #10 / MaxPreps #12
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University School (27-5): Sharks repeated as Class 5A state champions, despite playing twice without Duke-bound All-American Vernon Carey, Jr., but fell 65-57 to Montverde in the first round at GEICO.
BallisLife #12 / MaxPreps #13 / USA Today #18
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* STATE CHAMPIONS
Powder Springs McEachern (32-0): City of Palms champions ran the table and rolled past Meadowcreek 62-54 to win Georgia 7A title, as MaxPreps National Player of the Year Sharife Cooper scored 17 of his 20 points in the first half for the Indians, who passed on an invitation to the GEICO Nationals.
BallisLife #2 / MaxPreps #2 / USA Today #3
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Mountain Brook (31-3): Routed Mobile Baker 61-42 to win its third consecutive Class 7A state title, becoming the first AHSAA team to win three straight boys titles in the largest classification. McDonald’s All-American Trendon Watford, a 6-9 senior, capped his career with 22 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots.
USA Today #5 / BallisLife #5 / MaxPreps #5
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Glens Falls (29-1): Syracuse-bound Joe Girard III finished his storied career with 4,766 points – good for No. 9 in high school basketball history – and the Class B state champions won their first New York Federation title, beating Tonawanda Cardinal O’Hara 88-79 behind Girard’s 46 points.
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Imhotep Charter (26-6): Panthers’ decorated senior class claimed its third consecutive Pennsylvania Class 4A state championship, with the City of Palms runners-up wearing down Philadelphia Catholic League power Bonner-Pendergast 67-56 in Hershey.
MaxPreps #23 / BallisLife #33
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Kissimmee Osceola (26-6): Diwun Black, a future University of Florida linebacker who became eligible at midseason, exploded for 35 points Kowboys’ 50-43 win over Wellington in Florida 9A championship game.
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St. Louis Vashon (25-5): Missouri pledge Mario McKinney poured in 23 points, as Wolverines overpowered Springfield Catholic 69-59 to win the Missouri Class 3 championship.
BallisLife #26 / MaxPreps #36
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Gray Collegiate (21-10): War Eagles claimed their second consecutive Class AA crown, outscoring Andrew Jackson 29-1 in the fourth quarter and rolling to a 79-38 victory behind senior Tommy Bruner’s 16 points and 6 assists.
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* University School (see above) won the Florida Class 5A state championship.
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STATE RUNNERS-UP
Woodrow Wilson (31-9): Tigers easily bagged a third consecutive DCIAA City Championship, but were upset 63-62 by Sidwell Friends on a buzzer-beater in the DCSAA state title game.
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Olive Branch (26-8): Conquistadors’ bid for a repeat in Mississippi Class 5A ended with a 75-73, title-game loss to city rival Center Hill, despite D.J. Jeffries’ 27 points and 13 rebounds.
MaxPreps #68
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Orlando West Oaks (22-13): Flame fell to The Rock in the Florida SIAA championship game, then suffered a 55-47 defeat against Aspire Academy (Ky.) in the Grind Session World Championships.
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STATE SEMIFINALISTS
Fairfax Paul VI (27-9): Young Panthers overcame devastating early-season injuries to reach Catholic League and VISAA state semifinals, as well as the title game at the season-ending Alhambra Invitational.
MaxPreps #52
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La Crosse Central (24-3): Red Raiders squandered a 14-point, second-half lead and fell 72-71 in overtime to Milwaukee Washington in Wisconsion Division 2 semifinals, despite 31 points and 8 rebounds from junior Johnny Davis.
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The Villages (23-8): Buffalo returned to Florida Finals behind Tre Mann’s 30-point regional outburst at Cocoa, but were no match for University School in the Class 5A semifinals, losing 91-53.
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Brunswick (19-11): Pirates entered Georgia’s Class 6A playoffs unranked in the state poll, but won three games before bowing 83-74 to Tri-Cities.
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Lehigh (21-10): Lightning toppled once-beaten Port Charlotte to reach Florida 7A semifinals for the second time in three seasons under Greg Coleman, but struggled throughout a 74-50 loss to eventual champion Crestview.
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STATE QUARTERFINALISTS
Miami Christian (19-11)
Immaculate Conception (18-7)
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SWEET 16
Punta Gorda Charlotte (21-8)
Petal (20-9)
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ROUND OF 32
Miami Palmetto (20-8)
Sarasota Riverview (15-13)
Lakeland (17-10)
Sarasota Booker (17-10)