Chipotle Nationals opening round: live updates, scores from No. 7 CIA-Bella Vista vs. No. 11 Montverde Academy originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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FISHERS, Indiana, April 3 — It’s the high school basketball national championship game.
Or at least the closest thing we have to it.
The Chipotle Nationals championship game is set for 12 p.m. EST local at Hamilton Southeastern High School, and one half of the bracket looks familiar. The No. 11 Montverde [FL] Academy Eagles have made the field at the Chipotle Nationals 14 years in a row, and they’ve won the tournament seven times.
On the other side of the bracket waiting for them are the No. 7 CIA-Bella Vista [Phoenix, AZ] Bears who will be playing for their first title.
Neither team is guaranteed to win the title of The Sporting News High School Basketball National Champions where both of them entered the week ranked behind the No. 5 Sierra Canyon [Chatsworth, CA] Trailblazers. But the top four teams in SN’s rankings all lost at the Chipotle Nationals at least opening up the door a bit to the possibility. And none of those four teams – No. 1 Dynamic Prep [Dallas, TX], No. 2 AZ Compass Prep [Chandler, AZ] Dragons, No. 3 Prolific Prep [Fort Lauderdale, FL] Crew, and No. 4 Paul VI [Chantilly, VA] Panthers – even made it to the championship game, of course.
Sierra Canyon will no doubt move up, too, but the Trailblazers aren’t allowed to participate in the event due to California’s CIF rules. They had to settle for California’s Open Division state championship, but a wild and crazy week in Fishers, Indiana, may yet deliver a national title to the Trailblazers.
That will be announced next week after all the results are in.
HOW TO WATCH: A complete guide to all of the action at The Chipotle Nationals
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Both teams come up empty in their opening possessions, but CIA-Bella Vista breaks the ice on their next possession followed by Montverde’s answer. Approaching six minutes, it’s 2-all.
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The Chipotle Nationals championship game is under way!
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Coming soon! Game time is set for 12 p.m. EST local!
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Date: 12 p.m. EST local, Saturday, April 4WATCH: ESPN
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