Built from the ground up, SPIRE International Varsity was created as a strategic addition to the national prep basketball landscape. The program was designed to provide low- and mid-major recruits from around the world a structured, college-style development environment while competing against one of the most demanding schedules in the country.

In its first season, that model delivered immediate results.

SPIRE International finished 23-7 overall and went undefeated against Ohio competition, earning road victories over established state powers including St. Edward High School, Benedictine High School and Lutheran West High School. Each opponent carries state championship pedigree and national recognition, underscoring the level of competition SPIRE faced throughout the season.

The team also secured a signature international victory over Canada’s top fifth-year program, Orangeville Prep, further establishing credibility across North America.

Competing on major national stages including the Hoophall Classic, the Metro Classic and The Grind Session circuit, SPIRE International consistently matched up against elite varsity and post-graduate programs from across the country.

“Coaching this team has been a surreal experience,” said Coach Brendan Boyle. “It started the day I was hired at SPIRE, searching the globe and recruiting the best players and people I could find to build a culture centered on toughness and development that would last long after the preseason and deep into the grind of a national schedule. My guys got better, and when things heated up and the road got tough, they kept pushing and embraced hard coaching and accountability more than I’ve seen at almost any level of basketball. The success of this team isn’t mine — it belongs to the student-athletes who joined what was essentially an expansion team with no tradition and no history, and made sure everyone now knows about SPIRE International.”

The roster featured high-major forward prospects Anthony Goring, Class of 2028, and Jeffrey Reynolds, Class of 2027, whose length and versatility anchored the frontcourt on both ends of the floor.

Senior guard Cohen Hyatt emerged as one of the nation’s most productive scorers, averaging 28 points per game, placing him among the top senior scorers nationally. Hyatt has received recruiting interest and communication from programs including Ohio State Buckeyes men’s basketball, Robert Morris Colonials men’s basketball, Vermont Catamounts men’s basketball, Iona Gaels men’s basketball, Buffalo Bulls men’s basketball, Mercyhurst Lakers men’s basketball and Siena Saints men’s basketball, among others. He is expected to announce his college decision this spring.

“This is a great accomplishment for our basketball program to understand that we have multiple teams within one program that have seen a great deal of success at both the team level and in college recruitment,” said Managing Director of Academy and Athletics Jeff Javorek. “Coach Brendan did a great job recruiting and scheduling to compete against the top teams in Ohio as well as nationally. This is what makes SPIRE unique — having different teams for different levels, but with the same goals: compete, win and prepare for college.”

The inaugural season also reinforced the depth of SPIRE Academy’s overall basketball structure. Few prep programs nationally can point to a second varsity-level team that produced 23 wins, competed on premier national platforms and defeated multiple state champions in its first year of existence.

With the foundation established, SPIRE International has quickly positioned itself as a competitive force within the national prep basketball landscape and a developmental pathway for the next tier of collegiate prospects.

Learn more about SPIRE Men’s Basketball.