High school basketball: Projecting field for GEICO Nationals
Sunrise Christian Academy, IMG Academy, Link Academy, Montverde Academy and La Lumiere are virtual locks while eight teams vie for final three spots.
GEICO Nationals, the season-ending event designed to crown a high school basketball national champion, returns to the Suncoast Credit Arena in Fort Myers, Fla. for the second consecutive season from March 31 through April 2.
Previously known as the National High School Invitational (2009-2013) and Dick's Nationals (2014-2017), the GEICO Nationals will field an eight-team bracket and crown its 13th champion.
This year's field should come primarily from the National Top 20 rankings, as each of the top eight teams are expected to be eligible for this year's field. Sunrise Christian Academy, IMG Academy, Link Academy, Montverde Academy, La Lumiere, Prolific Prep, AZ Compass Prep and Oak Hill Academy all are strong contenders to earn an invitation to the event this season.
In addition to the National Top 20 squads, teams in MaxPreps Top 25 rankings may also have an opportunity to break into the loaded field as top 10 teams Calvary Christian Academy and Bishop Gorman have put together strong resumes this season.
Looking at this year's projected field to this point in the season, five teams appear to be locks to earn an invitation to the eight-team field on March 16, while several other schools remain on the bubble with work left to do down the stretch.
A side note is that it's not publicly known how organizers will handle first- or second-year programs vying for a bid, but early indications are that Link Academy will be eligible, while the situation surrounding Southern California Academy and its midseason transfers make its invitation uncertain.
