For the fifth time in nine years the Montverde Academy Eagles are Geico high school national basketball champions.
Led by dynamic Canadian duo of point-guard Ryan Nembhard and smooth shooting guard Caleb Houstan, the number one ranked Montverde Academy Eagles knocked-off Sunrise Christian Academy 62-52 to win the 2021 GEICO High School Basketball Nationals at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Ft. Myers, Florida.
Houstan, a Michigan Wolverines commit finished with a game-high 17 points and pulled-down four rebounds on 5-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-9 from three-pointers.
Elite playmaker and future Creighton Bluejays point guard, Ryan Nembhard capped off a tremendous season with game MVP honors — contributing with 12 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals on 4-of-5 field goals and a unblemished 3-for-3 from three-pointers.
The two Canadians connected on back-to-back late game three-pointers to put away Sunrise Christian after a 9-2 run cut Montverde’s 51-38 third-quarter lead to just six points with 4:23 remaining.
Montverde Academy (24-1) has won the most GEICO Nationals titles in the event history, winning previously in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2018.
Canadians have had a strong tradition of hooping for the Eagles under the guidance of head coach Kevin Boyle — starting with Jamar Ergas in 2011. Chris Egi became the first Canadian to win a high school championship in the Boyle era as the Eagles claimed back-to-back titles in 2014.
Other Canadians to win a championship at Montverde, include Howard Washington (2015), RJ Barrett and Andrew Nembhard in 2018.
