Cory Joseph’s No.2 Findlay Prep. defeated Mountain State Academy 68-53 on Friday to advance to the finals of the ESPN/Rise National High School Invitational. Findlay will face Villanova-bound James Bell’s No. 8 Montverde Academy, which defeated No. 11 Winter Park, Fla., 62-56 in overtime. Montverde defeated Findlay Prep 54-51 earlier this season. They play at 130p (ET) on ESPN.
Villanova recruiting target, PG Cory Joseph, led Findlay with 32 points in the win over Mountain State. Montverde (23-4) beat Winter Park by pounding the ball inside to Marquette-bound Jamail James (25 points, eight rebounds) and James Bell (17 points and 11 rebounds). While Winter Park guard Austin Rivers, considered the No. 2 player in ESPN's class of 2011, had 36 points to lead all scorers, he was well covered late in the game by Bell. The win avenged a 55-52 loss to Winter Park earlier this season.