With IMG no longer part of the EYBL Scholastic League (they are not affiliated with Nike), this matchup of two of the state’s premier high school programs is no longer a given. Thankfully, at least for this year, they agreed to meet and the game took place last night at Montverde.
The Ascenders of IMG scored the first bucket, a three-pointer from 6’5 senior Jermal Jones, fifteen seconds into the contest. Montverde responded emphatically with a 10-0 run as 6’3 junior Oneal Delancy got it started with a three, 6’2 senior Dhani Miller converted a three-point play then had an outright filthy steal and slam, posterizing an IMG defender. Joe Philon, a 6’8 senior, then made his first contribution of the game with a dunk on the break and within three minutes of game time Montverde led 10-3. IMG shook it off, getting a three from 6’5 senior Aziz Olajuwon and a free throw from 6’9 senior Chase Foster to draw within 10-7. Delancy of Montverde answered with another three but that was offset by a three from 6’2 junior Omer Ziyaettin of IMG. Montverde made its lead five after a pair of free throws from 6’8 junior Derek Daniels but Jones of IMG dropped in a three to make the score 15-13 in favor of Montverde with just over a minute to play in the first quarter. Daniels put back a missed shot for the Eagles but a three from Olajuwon of IMG made it a one-point game, 17-16, going into the second quarter.
Two free throws from Daniels of Montverde were the first points of the period. On IMG’s next possession, 6’6 senior Ralph Scott dropped in a three and the game was knotted at 19-19. Montverde then went on an electrifying 11-2 run. Daniels and Delancy both scored in transition after being set up by Miller, Philon but back a miss, Delancy drained a three and Philon then had a steal and slam. During this run, all IMG could manage was a put back from 6’11 sophomore Ahmadou Touray. With 4:25 left in the half, IMG was down 30-21 and called a timeout. IMG’s 6’11 senior Maxime Meyer and Scott each knocked down close-range shots to cut the margin to five after the TO, but then Delancy hurled in another three. Foster scored for IMG but a three from 5’10 junior Javion Tyndale pushed the score to 36-27 in Montverde’s favor. Foster’s ensuing bucket for IMG was offset by a baseline floater from Tyndale of Montverde. He then hit a three to push the Monteverde lead back to double-digits at 41-29 with just over a minute to play in the half. Jones scored a bucket inside for IMG but Delancy came back with another three for the Eagles. Jones made one of two free throws with five seconds left in the second and at the break, Montverde held a commanding 44-32 lead.
The Eagles scored the first five points of the third period with a three from Philon and a putback from Miller. IMG responded and the teams traded baskets for roughly three possessions each. With just over five minutes left to play in the quarter, Montverde’s lead was seventeen, 55-38. A 6-1 run for IMG, back-to-back threes from Olajuwon, got the Ascenders back to within twelve, 56-44, with 3:31 to go, giving the team and its fans a sense of hope that a game-changing run was on the way. However, back-to-back threes by Miller moved the margin to eighteen, 62-44. Foster connected from mid-range for IMG but Delancy dropped in a three and after 6’7 senior Nikos Koulisianis slammed home a transition bucket, Montverde had a 67-46 margin with 1:16 left in the third and a student section going wild. Touray scored inside for IMG to quiet the crowd a bit but with one quarter remaining, Montverde was up big, 67-48.
IMG started the fourth period with a three from Olajuwon and a putback from Touray to get to within 67-53 with 7:15 to go. That is as close as they got. Daniels had a pair of violent dunks to boost Montverde’s lead. The Eagle’s largest lead would come after a Koulisianis three to make the score 82-59 with just under two minutes to play. A three-point play from Meyer of IMG was answered with a putback from 6’8 sophomore Trace Lopez of Montverde to make the final score 84-62 in favor of the homestanding Eagles.
Montverde was led by Delancy with 21 points. Miller was close behind with 18 points while Philon finished with 17 and Daniels contributed 16. The Eagles as a team were a blistering 13-23 from behind the arc (56.5%).
For IMG, Olajuwon led the way with 17 points. Jones added 13 points while Touray finished with 10 points.