The Montverde Academy girls' basketball team won the 2022 GEICO High School Nationals on Saturday morning, defeating New Hope Academy 61-57 in the championship game to secure the school's first ever girls' title for the school.

Fernanda Ovalle led the team with 21 points on 8-for-13 shooting, to go along with three rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Mjracle Sheppard added 16 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals in the win. Janiah Barker added eight points and a game-high 12 rebounds, along with three assists. Vivian Iwuchukwu added nine points in the win.

It was a gritty battle for the Eagles. Despite winning the game, it was a contest that saw them play from behind most of the way. The top seeded New Hope Academy led for more than fifty-eight percent of the game, while the Eagles led for less than twenty-two percent of the game. New Hope managed to keep MVA at arm's length distance most of the second half. Each time it appeared New Hope would take control of the game, the gritty Eagles would make clutch baskets to keep the game close.

"Basketball is a game of runs, and I knew both teams would make runs," said head coach Special Jennings. "But we never felt we were out of the game. These girls are very talented and confident, and I knew it we just kept playing our game, we'd be able to win.

New Hope led 53-46 with just over five minutes to go before the Eagles put the clamps on the top-seeded New Hope Academy. MVA outscored New Hope Academy 13-1 over the next five minutes to take a two possession lead at 59-54 with eight seconds to go to put the game out of reach.

"It's surreal right now. The girls earned it, they made great plays down the stretch," said Jennings regarding being the first coach to win a national championship for the MVA girls' basketball team. "It's not about me. The team wanted it and went out and earned it."