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Wasatch Academy (Utah) eliminates IMG Academy (Fla.) from Chipotle Nationals

Wg0vf-nP_400x400by:Keegan Pope•04/02/25•

bykeeganpope

High School Basketball: Hoophall West High School Invitational
Jan 3, 2025; Gilbert, AZ, USA; Wasatch Academy guard Isiah Harwell (left) celebrates with guard Katrelle Harmon (5) against Link Academy during the Hoophall West High School Invitational at Highland High School. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Wasatch Academy (Utah) punched its ticket to the quarterfinals at Chipotle Nationals on Wednesday night, knocking off Florida’s IMG Academy 75-57 in a dominant effort.

The Tigers jumped out a 14-11 lead after one quarter, then steadily added to the lead, jumping ahead by four at halftime and taking a double-digit lead midway through the fourth quarter. However, the game was delayed for more than an hour due to a severe weather warning in the area. Once it resumed with 3:30 left in the final frame, Wasatch pulled away and stretched its lead to as many as 19 in the final minute.

Wasatch, which came into the game ranked No. 28 in the On3 Composite High School Basketball Team Rankings, controlled the game at all levels. It held IMG’s high-powered offense to just 6 of 20 shooting from the 3-point line while hitting 10 of its 24 attempts from beyond the arc. The Tigers also forced 20 IMG turnovers and never let the Ascenders get into much of an offensive rhythm.

Arkansas signee Darius Acuff, a five-star recruit, led IMG with 23 points but was their lone double-digit scorer and hit just 8 of 23 attempts from the field.

On the other side, Houston five-star signee Isiah Harwell had 15 points and four steals. And he was one of four Wasatch players in double-figures, led by junior guard Mariano Manciel‘s 17. The game was a rematch of the teams’ meeting in January, which Wasatch won 59-58 in dramatic fashion.

This one, however, was decided long before the final minutes. IMG ends its season 21-8, while Wasatch moves onto the quarterfinals to face No. 1 Columbus (Fla.) and five-star Duke signee Cameron Boozer on Thursday.

About the Chipotle Nationals

More on the major event via the Chipotle Nationals’ website:

“The National High School Invitational (NHSI) was created in 2009 by Paragon Marketing Group to provide a platform for the top, nationally ranked high school basketball teams in the country to compete against one another in a season-ending tournament. Over the course of fifteen-years, this event (previously titled DICK’S Nationals and GEICO Nationals, taking place in DC, NYC, FL) has crowned the best high school basketball teams in the country. In 2024, the event moved to IN and became the Chipotle High School Basketball Nationals ‘Chipotle Nationals’.”