Geico Nationals: Montverde Academy vs IMG Academy (Part 1)

Joel Francisco

April 8, 2022 @ 11:12 AM

Geico Nationals: Montverde Academy vs IMG Academy (Part 1) FORT MEYERS, FL—It’s hard to believe but Geico Nationals is in its thirteenth year of existence and its been quite a ride with a staggering amount of players that have ended up in the NBA, including Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Jaylen Brown to name a few. This year is no different as there are a plethora of highly-talented ballers in Jordan Walsh, Chris Livingston, [player_tooltip player_id="546187" first="Dariq" last="Whitehead"], [player_tooltip player_id="781876" first="Keyonte" last="George"], and Gatorade National POY Gradey Dick. In the first semi-final, IMG put together a stellar 3rd quarter to take command, but Montverde Academy showed some serious moxie as they fought back in the 4th quarter to win 62-57. Mr. Glue-Type [player_tooltip player_id="577854" first="Jalen" last="Hood-Schifino"] (Montverde Academy) 2022, G, 6-foot-5, 200 pounds Joel’s take: Every program in America needs a Hood-Schifino type on their team. He approaches every game with production in mind. He’s relentless off the bounce where he attacks the rim with a vengeance. If the lane cuts off he is quite potent at finding open shooters or cutters—as exhibited by his dime to Whitehead in the 1st half. Defensively, he bodies up his opponent and has active hands. [player_tooltip player_id="781876" first="Keyonte" last="George"] (IMG Academy) 2022, G, 6-foot-3, 185 pounds Joel’s take: George has a terrific all-around game and he plays with poise and savvy well beyond his years. He had his 3-ball flowing and even hit a 28-footer at the buzzer before the half. He isn’t a burner off the bounce or overly explosive, but he changes speeds well and is quite crafty breaking down defenders as he glides to the rim. Defensive Stalwart [player_tooltip player_id="546189" first="Jarace" last="Walker"] (IMG Academy) 2022, F, 6-foot-8, 230, pounds Joel’s take: Although Walker didn’t have his usual offensive outburst, defensively, he made his presence known. He caused havoc on the defensive end where he used his strength (defending in the post) and bounce (slapping shots away) to impact the game. He dropped in 11-points utilizing different moves, but it was his six blocks that caught the eye of this scout. [player_tooltip player_id="546187" first="Dariq" last="Whitehead"] (Montverde Academy) 2022, G, 6-foot-6, 190 pounds Joel’s Take: Whitehead has been nationally ranked since the 9th grade and his game continues to reach new heights each season. He has always been known as a high-flyer as he has assaulted a number of rims over the years. However, it’s the development of his half-court skill set in the past season that has been very impressive. His shot looks tight and he gets great lift on it. He should be one of the best two-way players in the country next season at Duke.