Link Academy (Missouri)

{{distinguish|text=the The Link Academy, a secondary school located in the Netherton area of Dudley, West Midlands, England}}

{{Infobox school

| name = Link Academy

| image =

| motto =

| type = Boarding school

| established = 2011

| president = Adam Donyes

| staff =

| ratio =

| street = 1353 Lake Shore Drive

| city = Branson

| state = Missouri

| zipcode = 65616

| county = Taney County

| country = United States

| enrollment =

| grades = 9–12

| conference = Nike EYBL Scholastic

| colors = Black and gold
{{color box|black}} {{color box|gold}}

| publication =

| mascot = Lion

| website = {{URL|https://linkacademylions.com}}

}}

Link Academy is a boarding school just outside of Branson, Missouri.{{cite web|title=SCNext Top 25: The best 2022-23 high school boys' basketball teams|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/35027314/scnext-top-25-best-2022-23-high-school-boys-basketball-teams-final-ranking|website=ESPN.com|date=April 10, 2023|access-date=April 7, 2024}}{{cite web|title=Link Academy – Premier Boarding School for Grades 9-12 in Branson, MO|url=https://linkacademylions.com/|website=LinkAcademyLions.com|access-date=April 7, 2024}} Known for its basketball teams, it won the 2023 Men's GEICO National Championship{{cite magazine|author=Simon, Bryce|title=Behind the Scenes at Link Academy: The 2023 Men's GEICO National Champions|url=https://www.si.com/nba/draft/newsfeed/the-story-behind-link-academy-the-2023-mens-geico-national-champions|magazine=NBA Draft Digest|publisher=Sports Illustrated|date=May 2, 2023|access-date=April 7, 2024}} and the 2025 Nike EYBL Scholastic Conference Tournament Championship.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-08 |title=Link Academy Takes Inaugural Nike EYBL Scholastic Conference Tournament Crown |url=https://nikeeyblscholastic.com/news/2025/3/8/mens-basketball-link-academy-takes-inaugural-nike-eybl-scholastic-conference-tournament-crown.aspx |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=nikeeyblscholastic.com |language=en}} It was founded by former college basketball player Adam Donyes.{{cite news|author=Wheeler, Wyatt D.|title=Link Academy: Meet the new Branson high school basketball power you've never heard of|url=https://www.news-leader.com/story/sports/high-school/2021/08/10/link-academy-branson-high-school-cusp-becoming-basketball-power-mshsaa-rodney-perry-omaha-biliew/5461597001/|newspaper=Springfield News-Leader|date=August 10, 2021|access-date=April 7, 2024}}

McDonald's All American Players

National championship history

In Link Academy's inaugural year, the high school team secured the #4 seed in the 2022 GEICO National Championships and finished the tournament as the runner-ups.{{Cite web |last=admin |title=2022 Winner and Results – Chipotle Nationals |url=https://chipotlenationals.com/2022-winner-and-results/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |language=en-US}} In their second year, the Lions once again entered the tournament as the #4 seed, and won the overall championship title.{{Cite web |last=admin |title=2023 Winner and Results – Chipotle Nationals |url=https://chipotlenationals.com/2023-winner-and-results/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |language=en-US}} The Lions entered the 2023-2024 Chipotle National Championship Tournament (successor to the GEICO National Championships) as the #6 seed, and became the sole high school program to make the semi-finals for three seasons in a row (2021-2022, 2022-2023, and 2023-2024).{{Cite web |last=admin |title=2024 Winner and Results – Chipotle Nationals |url=https://chipotlenationals.com/2024-winner-and-results/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |language=en-US}} The 2024-2025 team earned the highest seed in Link Academy history, entering the 2025 Chipotle National Tournament as the #2 seed.{{Cite web |title=Chipotle Nationals – Nationally-ranked high school basketball teams compete in a season-ending tournamen |url=https://chipotlenationals.com/#boys-brackets |access-date=2025-03-24 |language=en-US}}

Notable alumni

JaMichael Morgan (2017), basketball player who played in Kosovo{{cite web |title=JaMicheal Morgan Player Profile, OKK Novi Pazar - RealGM |url=https://basketball.realgm.com/player/JaMicheal-Morgan/Summary/150729 |website=basketball.realgm.com |language=en}}
Bryson Warren (2021 - transferred), basketball player for the Sioux Falls Skyforce{{cite web |title=Bryson Warren, Link Academy , Combo Guard |url=https://247sports.com/player/bryson-warren-46103341/ |website=247Sports}}
Felix Okpara (2022), basketball player for the Tennessee Volunteers{{cite web |title=Felix Okpara College Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/felix-okpara-1.html |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}
Julian Phillips (2022), basketball player for the Chicago Bulls{{cite web |title=Julian Phillips College Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/julian-phillips-1.html |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}
Tarris Reed (2022), basketball player for the Connecticut Huskies{{cite web |title=Tarris Reed Jr. College Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/tarris-reed-jr-1.html |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}
Jordan Walsh (2022), basketball player for the Boston Celtics{{cite web |title=Jordan Walsh |url=https://arkansasrazorbacks.com/roster/jordan-walsh/ |website=Arkansas Razorbacks |date=7 June 2022}}
Elliot Cadeau (2023), basketball player for the North Carolina Tar Heels{{cite web |title=Elliot Cadeau - Basketball Recruiting - Player Profiles - ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/247463/elliot-cadeau |website=ESPN.com}}
Ja'Kobe Walter (2023), basketball player for the Toronto Raptors{{cite web |title=Ja'Kobe Walter College Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/jakobe-walter-2.html |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}
Tre Johnson (2024), basketball player for the Texas Longhorns{{cite web |title=Tre Johnson - Men's Basketball |url=https://texaslonghorns.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/tre-johnson/14079 |website=University of Texas Athletics |language=en}}
Labaron Philon (2024), basketball player for the Alabama Crimson Tide{{cite web |title=Labaron Philon Player Profile, Alabama - RealGM |url=https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Labaron-Philon/Summary/200450 |website=basketball.realgm.com |language=en}}
Jasper Johnson (2025 - transferred), high school basketball player, committed to the Kentucky Wildcats{{cite web |title=Jasper Johnson, Overtime Elite , Shooting Guard |url=https://247sports.com/player/jasper-johnson-46134852/ |website=247Sports}}
Chris Cenac (anticipated graduation - 2025), high school basketball player, committed to the Houston Cougars{{cite web |title=Chris Cenac Jr., Link Academy , Center |url=https://247sports.com/player/chris-cenac-46136807/ |website=247Sports}}

Head Coaches

2021-2022 Rodney Perry{{Cite web |last=Twitter |first=Jordan DivensFollow Jordan Divens on |date=2022-07-28 |title=High school basketball: Link Academy head coach Rodney Perry takes assistant job at Kansas State |url=https://www.maxpreps.com/news/kBkCAzGerEye0rj0gNiIcQ/high-school-basketball-link-academy-head-coach-rodney-perry-takes-assistant-job-at-kansas-state.htm |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=MaxPreps.com |language=en}} Named Assistant Coach at Kansas State in July 2022.{{Cite web |title=Tang Names Rodney Perry as Assistant Coach |url=https://www.kstatesports.com/news/2022/7/27/mens-basketball-tang-names-rodney-perry-as-assistant-coach |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=Kansas State University Athletics |language=en}}
2022-2024 Bill Armstrong{{Cite web |last=Wheeler |first=Wyatt D. |title=Link Academy hires former LSU associate head coach Bill Armstrong as new head coach |url=https://www.news-leader.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/07/28/link-academy-bill-armstrong-named-head-coach-after-rodney-perry-left/10178322002/ |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=Springfield News-Leader |language=en-US}} Named Head Coach at McNeese State in March 2025 after serving as an assistant coach for the Baylor Bears from 2024 to 2025.{{Cite web |last=Wheeler |first=Wyatt D. |title=Former Link Academy coach Bill Armstrong named head coach at McNeese State |url=https://www.news-leader.com/story/sports/college/2025/03/25/bill-armstrong-mcneese-state-will-wade-coach-link-academy-baylor-basketball-recruiting-jakobe-walter/82657219007/ |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=Springfield News-Leader |language=en-US}}
2024-present Chad Myers{{Cite web |last=Wheeler |first=Wyatt D. |title=Why the nation's best high school basketball players move to Branson to play at Link Academy |url=https://www.news-leader.com/story/sports/high-school/2025/01/17/link-academy-high-school-basketball-bass-pro-tournament-of-champions-chris-cenac-darius-hannah/77584772007/ |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=Springfield News-Leader |language=en-US}}

References

{{coord|36.6564989|-93.2122252|type:edu_globe:earth_region:US-MO|display=title}}

Category:Branson, Missouri

Category:Private high schools in Missouri

Category:Schools in Taney County, Missouri

Category:High school basketball in Missouri

Category:2021 establishments in Missouri

Category:Educational institutions established in 2021