Findlay Prep advances in national tournament

Findlay Prep easily cleared its first hurdle en route to a highly anticipated potential showdown with Oak Hill Academy when the Pilots cruised past the Mountain State Academy (W.Va.) 76-55 today in the first round of the National High School Invitational in Bethesda, Md.

Junior forward Tristan Thompson led five Pilots in double figures with 20 points while senior guard Avery Bradley added 15, including eight in the first quarter when Findlay pulled away from the Falcons. Senior center Carlos Lopez added 14 points and nine rebounds.

The Pilots will face the winner of the Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.)-Friends Central (Wynnewood, Pa.) contest Saturday at 10 a.m. The game will be shown on ESPN2 (Channel 31). Oak Hill Academy (Va.), ranked No. 1 ahead of Findlay in the ESPN RISE Fab 50, routed Pinewood Prep of Summerville, S.C., 83-64 in its first-round game today.