Montverde claws past Fairfax, 79-70

RJ Barrett led Montverde with 22 points as all five Eagles starters finished with double-digit points. CJ Caraang | SL

Montverde Academy (Fla.) led by as much as 20, but held off a furious rally from Fairfax (Los Angeles, Calif.) to win, 79-70, to advance to the Iolani Classic championship game on Wednesday night against Jefferson (Portland, Ore.).

All five Eagle starters scored in double figures led by RJ Barrett, who had 22 points and 11 rebounds. Filip Petrusev scored 16 points, Andrew Nembhard added 12, Michael Devoe chipped in 11, and Makhel Mitchell rounded out the scoring with 10 points.

The Lions drop to the third place game and will face Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, Calif.). Jamal Hartwell led the Lions with 21 points, including four 3-pointers, Justyn Hunter added 20 points and Ethan Anderson scored 18 points.

Both teams traded buckets early on, but the Eagles took a 18-15 lead after the first quarter. Hartwell hit a pair of 3-pointers to give the Lions a 21-20 lead and Anderson's drive completed a 8-4 run prompting Montverde to call timeout, 23-22.

Montverde answered back with a 10-0 run after Karrington Davis completed the 3-point play, 32-23. Hartwell drained his third 3-pointer of the quarter, but Nembhard's steal and flush put the Eagles up, 38-28 going into halftime.

Hunter scored all 10 of Fairfax's third quarter points as it trailed, 57-38 heading into the fourth.

Hartwell, Anderson, and Hunter scored 26 of Fairfax's 32 points in the fourth quarter to erase a 20-point deficit. The Lions shot 12 of 14 from the free throw line in the quarter and finished 17 of 20 (85 percent) overall.

Fairfax clawed back and trailed by four, 74-70 after Shawn Booker made back-to-back 3-pointers with just over a minute left.

However, the Eagles were able to put it away at the free throw line.

Reach Brandon Ching at [email protected].