PAUL VI. FINISHES in SECOND PLACE at PALM CITY CLASSIC

PAUL VI.

FINISHES

in

 SECOND PLACE

at

PALM CITY CLASSIC

PAUL VI. HS.

FAIRFAX VA.

EVAN TAYLOR

Montverde Academy, the defending tournament and national champions and ranked No. 2 in USA Today’s Super 25, defeated No. 11 Fairfax (Va.) Paul VI 58-53 in a game that ended at 12:20 a.m after tipping off shortly after 9 p.m.

Montverde led 26-11 after the first quarter but was outscored 14-8 by the Paul VI Panthers in the third quarter.

Montverde led by just two points, 55-53, with 8.7 seconds remaining.

Paul VI defeated Montverde Academy by two points last January for a tournament championship in Springfield, Mo.

Paul VI senior forward Marcus Derrickson, a future Georgetown Hoya, scored 14 points and grabbed four rebounds in the Classic final.

“They were more focused than we were,” Derrickson said of the Eagles. “They came out fast and hot, hitting everything.”

Montverde Academy improved to 10-0, while Paul VI fell to 8-1. The teams could meet again next month in that same Springfield, Mo., tournament.

“It was important for us to play,” Paul VI coach Glen Farello said. “It was a great opportunity. We made the best of it.”