Findlay wins National High School Invitational championship over Montverde

Findlay defeated Montverde Academy 59-46 on Saturday to win the ESPN Rise National High School Invitational championship.  The Pilots won their 2nd consecutive NHSI championship averaging 64.0 points per game and allowed 49.7 points per for the event.  Behind the programs signature defense, opponents shot a combined 38.7% against the team and the Pilots forced nearly as many turnovers (48) as field goals allowed (55).  Findlay converted 49.0% on the offensive end and offensively rebounded 52 of 73 misses over the 3 days.

Findlay’s Cory Joseph garnered tournament MVP honors and scored 17 points with 4 rebounds in the final. Tristan Thompsons scored 15 points with 11 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals. Nick Johnson scored 13 with 3 rebounds, 2 steals.  Godwin Okonji scored 5 with 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks.  Senior Marko Petrovic provided his classic defense and added 5 points 3 assists.  Senior Thomas Laerke scored 4 points and added 2 assists.  Sophomore Winston Shepard was a spark on the defensive end with a couple critical rebounds and a block.

For the event, Joseph led the Pilots with 20.3 ppg on 51.1% shooting and 90.9% from the FT shooting.  Tristan Thompson made the all-tournament team with averages of 10 rebounds per game and scored 13.3 on 62.5% shooting to go along with 2.7 blocks per.  Junior Nick Johnson averaged 12.3 points with 3 steals per.  Unsigned senior Marko Petrovic averaged 8.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and hit 5 triples in 22.7 minutes per game.  Also unsigned senior, Godwin Okonji averaged 4.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, 2 assists and led the team with 16 offensive rebounds.  The team averaged 37.0 rebounds per game and allowed 27.7.

TEAM NOTES

The Findlay perimeter players held opposing starting perimeters to 18 for 68 (26.5%) from the field, 5 for 19 (26.3%) from the arc and forced 24 turnovers from those positions.

With a fully healthy team intact, the reigning national champions defended their NHSI title in convincing fashion with double digits wins over Charlotte Christian (29-4) 65-50, Mountain State (22-3) 68-53, and Montverde (23-4) 59-46.

This was the 100th game in 3 seasons under Coach Peck.  The Pilots are 97-3 and advanced to their 3rd national championship game, winning 2.  The 3 Findlay losses under Peck are by a total of 6 points.

In two seasons of the ESPN Rise National High School Invitational, the Pilots have won 5 of 6 games by double digits with a 14.8 point margin per game against the nation’s best.

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The Pilots strength of schedule was unparallel.  This season included:

*8 games all on the road against Top 16 teams in USA Today Super 25 rankings.

*11 road trips east with the closest to Las Vegas being Peoria, IL

*High School opponent win percentage was 84% including 5 state champions, with no high school opponents with losing records on the schedule

*Findlay totaled 7 games against the teams invited to the NHSI event

*Findlay averaged 84.6 points per game for the season and allowed 60.9 in 2009-2010.

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*Findlay is the defending National High School champion and is currently ranked #2 by USA Today.

*Findlay was the 2009 consensus national champion at 33-0.  In 2008, Findlay was the national prep runner up at 32-1.

*Findlay has 4 unsigned seniors.  Cory Joseph, Thomas Laerke, Godwin Okonji, Marko Petrovic

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