No. 14 Montverde Academy and No. 25 Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy are on a collision course to possibly meet in Saturday's MAIT championship game.
Top 25 Montverde Academy and Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy both advance to the winner's bracket in the MAIT originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament got under way Thursday in Montverde, Florida, and the No. 14 host Montverde [FL] Academy Eagles made quick work of the Northside Christian [St. Petersburg, FL] Mustangs in a 90-34 rout.
Montverde Academy is one of two Top 25 teams from the latest edition of The Sporting News Boys Basketball Top 25competing in the event that carries the school's name.
The other ranked team in attendance – the No. 25 Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy Eagles – had a much tougher go of it in the event's opening round, holding off the Dr. Phillips [Orlando, FL] Panthers, 69-59, in Thursday's opening contest.
The Top 50 Riviera Prep [Miami, FL] wasn't as fortunate, having the toughest draw of any of the nation's highest-ranked teams at the event. The Bulldogs ran into The Rock National [Gainesville, FL] Lions, and they might as well have run into a rock wall. The Rock National made its own bid for Top 50 consideration in next week's rankings by dealing Riviera Prep an 82-78 setback to move to 17-5 on the season.
The Lions' win set up what might be the most intriguing matchup of Day 2 as they will take on the tournament hosts from Montverde in Friday's 6 p.m. feature contest.
Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy, meanwhile, will take on DME Academy [Daytona Beach, FL] who enter that contest with an 18-5 record.
Top-ranked Class of 2026 senior prospects competing at the event include Oak Cliff's twin power forwards Gavin and Gallagher Placide, both of whom signed with Wake Forest, and Montverde Academy's Joe Philon who remains unsigned. The hosts will also feature SF Jayden Hodge (Northwestern) while The Rock National will send SG Joseph Hartman (Michigan) into the fray.
The complete results and schedule for the MAIT are listed below.
Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament 2026 schedule and final results
STREAM: Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament live on the NFHS Network
Thursday, January 29
- No. 25 Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy [TX] 69, Dr. Phillips [FL] 59
- DME Academy [FL] 70, Bethel Academy [VA] 63
- The Rock National [FL] 82, Riviera Prep [FL] 78
- No. 14 Montverde Academy [FL] 90, Northside Christian [FL] 34
Friday, January 30
- 12 p.m. EST — GAME 5: Dr. Phillips [FL] vs. Bethel Academy [VA]
- 2 p.m. EST — GAME 6: Riviera Prep [FL] vs. Northside Christian [FL]
- 4 p.m. EST — GAME 7: No. 25 Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy [TX] vs. DME Academy [FL]
- 6 p.m. EST — GAME 8: The Rock National [FL] vs. No. 14 Montverde Academy [FL]
Saturday, January 31
- 1 p.m. EST — 7th PLACE GAME: Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6
- 3 p.m. EST — 5th PLACE GAME: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6
- 5 p.m. EST — 3rd PLACE GAME: Loser Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8
- 7 p.m. EST — CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8
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