Montverde vs. Providence (free!)

Outside of a game at high profile holiday tournaments such as the City of Palms, Kingdom of the Sun, Kruel and others, it is extremely rare to have a high school game where you will have ten D-I prospects on the floor at the same time.  So when Jacksonville Providence Christian came to Montverde Academy for a game tonight, it was not to be missed. 

Providence started the week off ranked #23 in the country in the National Prep Poll while Montverde was unranked nationally but listed as #9 in the Southeast Region.  Also, each team was missing a key player for the game.  For Montverde, Center Ugo Okam was out due to eligibility issues with the FHSAA (he should be cleared soon) while highly regarded freshman Solomon Poole was out for an unspecified reason. 

Each team turned the ball over on their first possession.  Montverde’s 6’5  senior guard Jamil Jones knocked down a mid-range jumper off the dribble to give the Eagles an early lead.  That didn’t last long as Providence’s 6’5 senior guard Stacey Poole drained a three at the other end.  Montverde was clearly wary of going inside against 6’9 senior center Patrick Young of Providence as four of their next five shots came from behind the arc.  Providence would do themselves no favors with a couple of turnovers but 6’6 junior forward Wayne Martin nailed a long two pointer for a 5-2 lead with 5:30 left in the first quarter.  After an empty possession by each team, Montverde’s junior forward Steve Mondu-Missi scored in transition and was fouled.  He missed the free throw and Providence’s Martin was fouled on an attempt inside.  Martin knocked down both free throws.  A few plays later, Montverde’s 5’9 senior guard Kaleb Clyburn knocked down a three to tie the game at seven.  Providence’s 5’11 junior guard Will Cummings came right back with a drive down the lane.  He was fouled and hit both free throws.  On the next play, Missi scooped up an offensive rebound off of a miss by Jones and stuck it back in.  Both teams turned the ball over on their next two possessions.  With a minute and a half left in the quarter, Jones of Montverde stole the ball and was fouled going for the basket.  He converted both free throws and gave Montverde its first lead (11-9) since the first basket of the game.  With the clock running down, Cummings of Providence collapsed the defense with a drive down the lane.  He dished to Young for a dunk just before the buzzer and after one quarter of play both teams had scored eleven points.

Providence would score the first two baskets of the second quarter.  Cummings grabbed an offensive rebound and stuck it back in and Poole scored in transition.  Meanwhile Montverde was struggling to get baskets.  Jones finally broke the drought and hit a three to bring Montverde back within one. After a missed three by Providence, Missi grabbed the miss of a Jones three point attempt to give Montverde a one point lead, 16-15.  Providence’s 6’2 senior guard Alex Bodney answered with a three to re-take the lead.  Missi scored again inside to tie the game but Providence was in the midst a scoring on five straight possessions.  Young scored on a pretty left-handed jump hook and Cummings stripped Clyburn at mid-court and went in for a lay-up.  Montverde answered with two free throws from Missi.  Martin stuck back an offensive rebound of his own miss to put the lead back to four.  Montverde’s 6’5 senior forward James Bell countered with an offensive rebound off of a Mondu-Missi miss.  Cummings was fouled on a baseline drive and sunk two free throws.  At this point, Providence’s firepower on the offensive end would run out.  They turned the ball over on their next two possessions and Montverde’s 6’5 senior forward Hauker Palsson hit a three to bring the Eagles within one.  Poole would score again in transition for Providence to put the lead back to three.  From there the team’s would trade missed baskets.  With under a minute remaining until half-time, Bell was fouled underneath and hit two free throws.  A floater at the buzzer didn’t drop for Providence but they did lead at the half 28-27.

Providence opened up the third quarter with a bucket inside by Young.  Montverde’s 6’8 senior forward Papa Sambo Ndao answered with a three to tie the game at thirty.  Martin answered with a putback for Providence and after a missed Bell three by Montverde, Poole was fouled on a baseline drive and knocked in two free throws for a four point Providence lead.  Ndao was fouled on a cut to the basket the next play down and made one of two free throws.  Bodney of Providence scored on a drive to the hoop the next trip down and give Providence its biggest margin of the game at 36-31.  Bell of Montverde quickly answered with a bucket inside.  After Young made one of two free throws for Providence, Bell struck again for Montverde with an offensive rebound basket.  Bodney of Providence came right back with a three to put the lead back to five but was answered with a three from Jones of Montverde.  Jones then stole the ball on the next Providence possession and scored to tie the game at 40 with 4:20 left in the third quarter.  After a miss by Young, Bell was fouled and hit both free throws.  Bodney replied with two free throws of his own after being fouled on a drive to the basket.  From this point, Montverde could only manage a driving basket by 6’2 senior guard Marek Lagorce-Ross for the rest of the quarter.  Providence would score six unanswered points, an old-fashioned three point play by Young and a “new age” three from behind the arc from Poole.  With one quarter left to play, Providence led 48-44.

Both teams would play somewhat cautiously in the fourth quarter.  Montverde opened with a three from Palsson but Young put back an offensive rebound on the following Providence possession.  Montverde’s 6’1 junior guard DeForest Carter scored inside to make it a one point game with just over seven minutes to play.  From this point, Montverde and Providence struggle to make shots for most of the quarter.  Palsson again hit a three and this one gave Montverde a 52-50 lead with 4:20 to play.  After a few empty possession by both teams, Bodney of Providence hit a three to give them the lead, 53-52 with 1:21 to play.  Montverde worked the clock and got a good shot for Lagorce-Ross but he was fouled.  He knocked down one of two free throws to tie the game with 27 seconds left.  Providence called timeout after it brought the ball over half-court to set up its last shot.  They worked the ball around to Poole at the top of the key but as he was preparing to make his move, Bell of Montverde tipped the ball enough to make Poole lose control.  Poole’s shot was then hurried and off balance and missed its target.  Regulation ended with the teams in a 53-53 deadlock.

Montverde missed the first shot of overtime but Poole converted an offensive rebound at the other end.  On the next play down, Missi was fouled by Young which was Young’s fifth foul.  Missi hit the first but missed the second.  However, Jones grabbed the offensive rebound and scored, giving Montverde a one point lead 56-55 with 2:51 left in OT.  Bodney of Providence answered with two free throws of his own after being fouled on a drive to the hoop.  Missin would score inside for Montverde and after a Providence turnover Bell scored inside for a three point Montverde lead.  With under a minute left, Poole came down and stroked a three to tie the game at 60 apiece.  Without Young to patrol the middle, Montverde went back inside and Missi again delivered a bucket.  Providence turned the ball over on the next possession which turned out to be just short of devastating.  Montverde was able to spread out and Providence had to foul.  Clyburn of Montverde hit two free throws with 17 seconds left to put the team up 64-60.  Providence wasn’t dead yet.  Poole came down and connected on a three.  Montverde quickly inbounded and hit Missi for a transition layup with three seconds left.  The clock ran out before Providence could run another play and Montverde won a tough game 66-63 over an outstanding Providence team.

For Providence, Stacey Poole led the way with 20 points.  He was followed by Alex Bodney with 15, Patrick Young with 12, Wayne Martin with 8 and Will Cummings with 8.

For Montverde, Steve Mondu-Missi  hit for 17 points.  He was backed up by Jamil Jones with 14, James Bell with 12, Haukur Palsson with 9, Kaleb Clyburn with 5, Papa Sambo Ndao with 4, Marek Lagorce-Ross with 3 and DeForest Carter with 2.

In all, it was a great game by two solid teams.  Both Montverde and Providence will contend for national honors throughout the season.