IMG Academy Wins the Chipotle Nationals Girls Basketball Title at Hamilton Southeastern IMG Academy from Bradenton, Florida beat their in-state rivals Montverde Academy a suburb of Orlando 80-78 in overtime of the Chipotle Nationals Girls Basketball Tournament Saturday Morning at Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers. The Chipotle Nationals brings in the best teams in the nation together to see who the best team in the country is. The Tournament started in 2009 and has been played every season with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. ESPN and Paragon Sports Marketing Group are partners that brought in four Girl’s teams from Florida, Texas and Pennsylvania to Central Indiana which hosted the tournament for the second year in a row after Brownsburg hosted the tournament last year. Montverde Academy won the last three tournaments including a 61-53 victory over IMG in last year’s Championship Game. This year IMG flipped the script and took home their first Chipotle Nationals Title and the eighth title for a Florida School and fourth year in a row. Dr. Phillips from Orlando won in 2011, Miami Country Day won in 2015 and 2017 and Montverde from 2022-24. 13 players that are ranked by ESPN Including 9 Seniors, 3 Juniors and 1 Sophomore played in this game. IMG finishes the season 19-4 and Montverde 26-2.
IMG had 5 players in double figures with Kelis Fisher leading the way with 20 points and headed to the University of Connecticut. Denyia Prawl headed to Tennessee scored 14 points. Kelsi Andrews, who is a Junior, scored 12 points and pulled down 13 rebounds. Senior Brooklyn Charlo scored 13 points and drilled four three pointers. Charlo is uncommitted but will be playing somewhere next season because of her ability to knock down the triple and get fouled to get to the free throw line. There were two times in Saturday’s game where Charlo hit a contested three and was fouled and getting to the line and those play fueled IMG to the Title. Stanford bound Lara Somfai scored 10 points. Pittsburgh bound Nyla Wilson scored 2 points and Manuela Alves-Fernandez who is headed to Illinois did not score.
Junior Sanyiah Hall who is the Number 1 ranked player in the Junior Class led Montverde with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Agot Makeer who is headed to South Carolina scored 20 points. Aliyiah Crump scored 14 points and is headed to Texas. Junior Missy Odom scored 10 points. Clemson bound Holland Harris scored 5 points and Alabama bound Lourdes Da Sliva Costa scored 1 point and fouled out of the game. 6-7 Sophomore Jayla Forbes scored 2 points and fouled out. Montverde controlled the first half leading 35-24 at halftime and outscored IMG 25-8 in the second quarter. The teams came out of the locker room and combined to score 55 third quarter points as IMG outscored Montverde 30-25. IMG outscored Montverde 19-13 in the fourth quarter as the game went to overtime tied 73-73. IMG outscored Montverde 7-5 in overtime to give the Ascenders the title and get avenge the loss to the Eagles in last year’s championship game. Brooklyn Charlo was named the Tournament MVP and Kellis Fisher were selected to the all-tournament team for IMG. Montverde’s Saniyah Hall, Agot Makeer and Alliyah Crump rounded out the all-tournament team. Charlo hit 10 three pointers and scored 2 points from the free throw line and did not have a two pointer in either game.
In Friday’s Semifinals Montverde beat Faith and Family Academy from Dallas, Texas 66-54 and IMG beat Westtown School from West Chester, Pennsylvania 64-61. Sniyah Hall led Montverde with 28 points and Lourdes Da Sliva Costa added 12 points for the Eagles. Junior Amari Byles led Faith and Family Academy with 18 points. Junior Amiyah Garcia scored 15 points and classmate Gianna Jordan added 10 points. Senior Joy Egbuna who is headed to Alabama scored 4 points and pulled down 7 rebounds. Sophomore Finley Chastain who played for Montverde last year hit two three pointers against her former team and is a good three-point shooter. 6-5 Freshman Keleena Ozumba pulled down 8 rebounds and scored 1 point as Faith and Family finishes the season with 15-7 record. Nyla Wilson was the hero for IMG on Friday drilling a three pointer at the buzzer to put the Ascenders in the Championship game after trailing 33-26 at halftime. Wilson scored 7 points as Brooklyn Charlo led the way with 19 points including six three pointers and Kellis Fisher added 13 points. Junior Kelsi Andrews pulled down 10 rebounds and scored 7 points. Sophomore Jessie Moses led Westtown School with 18 points. Senior Olivia Jones scored 14 points, Senior Kennedy Henry scored 12 points and Junior Atlee Vanseko added 12 points as the Moose finish the season with a 27-4 record.
Christopher Columbus Wins the Chipotle Nationals Boys Basketball Title at Hamilton Southeastern Christopher Columbus High School from Miami Florida beat Dynamic Prep of Irving, Texas 67-49 in the Championship Game of the Chipotle Nationals Boys Basketball Tournament Saturday Afternoon at Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers. The Chipotle Nationals brings in the best teams in the nation together to see who the best team in the country is. The Tournament started in 2009 and has been played every season with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. ESPN and Paragon Sports Marketing Group are partners that brought in ten Boys teams from Florida, Missouri, New York, New Hampshire, Arizona, California, Utah and Texas to Central Indiana which hosted the tournament for the second year in a row after Brownsburg hosted the tournament last year. Columbus lost in the Semifinals of last year’s tournament to Montverde Academy 84-70. This time the Explores were not going to be denied in winning the school’s first Chipotle Nationals Title and 9th title for a Florida School with Montverde winning 7 titles from 2013-15, 2018, 2021-22 and 2024 and IMG Academy winning it all in 2019. Columbus ends the season at 30-3 and Dynamic Prep finishes the season at 34-5.
Cayden Boozer led the way with 27 points and his twin brother Cameron scored 11 points and pulled down 8 rebounds in the title game. The Boozers are headed to Duke and their father is former Duke and NBA Star Carlos Boozer. Cayden was named the MVP and Cameron was named to the all-tournament team. Cayden hit the game winner on Friday as Columbus beat Brewster Academy from Wolfeboro, New Hampshire 47-45 in the Semifinals scoring 9 points and dishing out 9 assists. Cameron scored 15 points and pulled down 11 rebounds in the Semifinals. The Boozers combined for 49 points in the quarterfinals in a 76-62 win over Wasatch Academy from Mt. Pleasant, Utah. Cameron had 25 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists and Cayden had 24 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists as the pair played very well together. Junior Jaxon Richardson had 9 points and 12 rebounds in the championship game and is the son of former Michigan State and NBA Star Jason Richardson and his brother Jase who played with his brother at Columbus a season ago just completed his Freshman Season at Michigan State. Richardson like his dad and brother is a 6-7 highflyer who wowed the crowd with his dunks including several misses throughout the tournament. Junior Marcellous Jackson scored 11 points in the Championship game and Caleb Gaskins who played at Montverde Academy a year ago and won this tournament scored 10 points in the Quarterfinals.
Dynamic Prep was playing their fourth game in fourth days. Former Indiana Pacer Jermaine O’Neal coaches this team, and they were the #10 seed in this tournament but showed they belong taking down defending champion Montverde Academy 67-52 in the first round Wednesday, Link Academy from Missouri 74-55 in the Quarterfinals and Prolific Prep from California 83-64 in the Semifinals. Dynamic Prep finishes the Season 34-5. Jaden Toombs who was named to all-tournament team scored 14 points in the championship game. Toombs is headed to SMU and 6-9. Toombs had 17 points and 14 rebounds in the semifinals, 22 points in the Quarterfinals and had 18 points and 12 rebounds in the Opening Round. Jacobe Coleman scored 12 points in the Championship Game and is headed to Sam Houston State. Coleman is 6-3 and scored 12 points in the Semifinals 12 points in the Quarterfinals and 16 points in the opening round. Rutgers bound Chrisopher Nwuli scored 20 points in the Semifinals. The 6-8 Senior pulled down 11 rebounds and scored 8 points in the Quarterfinals and had 10 points in the opening round. Leroy Kelly IV who is headed to Oral Roberts scored 10 points in the quarterfinals. Jermaine O’Neal Jr. is headed to SMU, Sophomores Ryan Hampton and Marcus Spears Jr. provided key minutes off the bench throughout the tournament.
Darryn Peterson from Prolific Prep in Napa, California who is headed to Kansas was named to the all-tournament team scoring 28 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists in an 81-80 overtime win over Long Island Lutheran from Brookville, New York in the Quarterfinals and 24 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists in a Semifinal loss to Dynamic Prep. Winters Grady who is headed to Michigan scored 21 points in the Quarterfinals and 16 points in the Semifinals. 6-5 Senior Masi Mosley who is the nephew of Basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson scored 11 points in the Quarterfinals. Junior Seven Spurlock scored 11 points in the Semifinals and seven-foot Sophomore Obinna Ekezie scored 11 points and pulled down 8 rebounds in the Semifinals. Sebastian Wilkins from Brewster Academy rounds out the all-tournament team scoring 14 points and pulling down 12 rebounds in a Semifinal loss to Columbus. Wilkins is a 6-7 Junior scored 22 points and pulled down 14 rebounds in a 70-60 win against CIA Bella Vista from Phoenix Arizona in the Quarterfinals. In all there were 25 Seniors, 9 Juniors and 8 Sophomores that are in the ESPN Rankings that were playing in this event. Wasatch Academy beat IMG Academy from Florida 75-57 in the Opening Round in a game that was stopped with three minutes left in the game with the Tornado Sirens going off and everyone in the gym had to shelter in place for a half hour until the warning expired and the game finished.
Indiana Hoosier Signee Trent Sisley played Wednesday Night for Montverde Academy scoring 6 points and pulling down 5 rebounds in an opening round loss to Dynamic Prep. Sisley is 6-8 and grew up in Southern Indiana playing three years at Heritage Hills High School before transferring to Montverde for his final season. Sisley was playing in front of new Indiana University Men’s Basketball Head Coach Darian DeVries who Sisley will play for after originally committing to Mike Woodson who retired at the end of the season. Sisley scored his 2,000th career point and ended his high school career in his home state.
Indy Eleven and North Carolina FC play to a 2-2 Draw USL Championship Eastern Conference rivals Indy Eleven and North Carolina FC battled the rain and each other, playing a 2-2 draw at Carroll Stadium in Downtown Indianapolis Saturday Night. The Boys in Blue (1-1-2) started quickly with midfielder Oliver Brynéus getting a scoring chance off a pass from midfielder James Murphy in the third minute. Indy Eleven took the lead in the 26th minute when defender Aedan Stanley’s corner kick from the right side was inadvertently headed in as an own goal by Raheem Somersall. The Boys in Blue’s five first-half goals in four matches are the most in the USL Championship.
Brynéus earned another chance in the 39th minute on a breakaway, but his shot on target was saved by Jake McGuire. Indy Eleven had an additional opportunity to add to their 1-0 lead in the second minute of first half stoppage time when Brynéus’ cross to forward Edward Kizza just missed wide. That duo opened the second half with another Brynéus’ cross to Kizza in the 46th minute that just missed. Two minutes later, the Boys in Blue took a 2-0 edge when defender Pat Hogan played a long ball from just outside his own area deep down the right side. Forward Maalique Foster showed his speed to catch up to it just prior to it reaching the endline and center it to Kizza, who buried it with a one-touch finish for his first goal for Indy Eleven.
North Carolina countered three minutes later in the 51st when Evan Conway cut the deficit in half. The Boys in Blue had a chance to add an insurance goal in the 89th minute when defender Logan Neidlinger played a cross to midfielder Jack Blake, whose left-footed shot from the right side was saved. In the third minute of second-half stoppage time, North Carolina tied it on a header by Conor Donovan off a free kick from Mikey Maldonado. The Boys in Blue travel to Hartford Athletic next Saturday for a 2 pm match on ESPN+. The next Indy Eleven home game will be the US Open Cup Third Round match vs. Miami FC on Wed. Apr. 16 at 7:30 pm at Carroll Stadium. The next USLC home match is “Dino-Mite Family Nite” against Charleston Battery on Saturday, April 19 at 7 pm.
Taylor Trojans Men’s Lacrosse Drop Third-Straight to Top 10 Foe Taylor fell, 16-6, at No. 8 Aquinas on Saturday, marking its third-straight setback, with all three coming to teams ranked inside the NAIA Top 10. The host Saints (8-1, 3-0 WHAC) scored the first four goals of the day and added another stretch of four-unanswered scores in the second quarter to build a cushion. Henry Cooper scored twice in the opening minutes of the third to draw the Trojans within 10-5, but Aquinas netted the next five and rolled to the 16-6 win. Cooper ended the day with a team-leading three goals, while Lucas Pacer led the club with four ground balls and two caused turnovers. Taylor (5-5, 0-3 WHAC) will look to snap its skip on Wednesday, April 9, when it returns to Wheeler Field to host No. 9 Concordia (5-4, 2-1 WHAC) in a 1:00 pm start.
Indianapolis Colts and the NFL Announce Offseason Workout Dates The NFL announced on Thursday the offseason workout dates for all 32 of its teams. The first day of Colts offseason workouts will be April 21. Meanwhile, Indianapolis’ OTA offseason workouts will take place May 28-30 and June 3-5. Finally, mandatory minicamp for the Colts will take place June 10-12. The following are the different phases of NFL offseason workouts, per the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement:
Phase One – “Phase One shall consist of the first two weeks of the Club’s offseason workout program” Phase Two – “Phase Two shall consist of the next three weeks of the Club’s offseason workout program” Phase Three – “Phase Three shall consist of the next four weeks of the Club’s offseason workout program” The Colts are hoping to have a successful offseason so that they can start off strong during the 2025 NFL regular season. Indianapolis has not made the playoffs since the 2020-21 NFL season.
Former Purdue University Men’s Basketball Player Cam Heide Transfers to the University of Texas Former Purdue forward Camden Heide has committed to Texas, according to a report from Joe Tipton of On3. Heide averaged 4.7 points and 3.6 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Purdue. He took his game up a notch in the Big Ten Tournament and the NCAA Tournament. Heide averaged 7.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in those five games while making 10 of his 16 three-point attempts. He had two double-digit rebounding games over that span. He spent three years in West Lafayette, redshirting in his first year on campus. Heide entered the portal on Wednesday, April 2. Purdue played Texas in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, with Purdue winning to advance to the Sweet 16. Heide is the first Purdue player in the transfer portal to commit to a new school. Myles Colvin, Wil Berg, and Brian Waddell are all still in the transfer portal.