MT. PLEASANT—It has been said nearly every year for the last five years that Wasatch Academy boys’ hoops will be playing their hardest schedule in school history.
It’s the same again this year and with the advent of the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC), the saying is more justified than ever.
Wasatch Academy’s 2021-22 will feature the inauguration of the NIBC, a nationwide, eight-team “super-league” of sorts featuring the most premiere prep basketball programs in the nation. This year’s iteration of the NIBC features Wasatch Academy, along with Montverde Academy, Fla., IMG Academy, Fla., Oak Hill Academy, Va., Sunrise Christian Academy, Kan., La Lumiere, Ind., Legacy Early College, S.C., and Bishop Walsh Academy, Md.
These national powers alone comprise 10 games on the Tigers’ schedule between December and February, in addition to a postseason tournament later on.
The Tigers are plenty prepared with a lineup featuring two of ESPN’s Top 100 for 2022 in senior Roddy Gayle, Jr. who is committed to Ohio State, and senior Chris Bunch, committed to Syracuse. They join senior Koren Johnson, who recently decommitted from San Diego State, senior Purdue commit Camden Heide, and senior Keba Keita.
The Tigers will also be back to playing home games for the first time since before the pandemic, playing host to a smattering of instate teams.
Wasatch Academy’s first game listed on their schedule will be against Timpanogos in the UVU Tip-off Classic next Tuesday.
