Basketball phenom Olivia Breen is leaving Maine to attend Montverde Academy in Florida. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer

Olivia Breen’s basketball dreams included playing for a national power. She just didn’t envision it happening so soon.

The future is now for the South Thomaston resident, who with three Division I basketball offers already in hand will be continuing her career at Montverde Academy, a prep school in Florida about 20 minutes away from Orlando that plays a national travel schedule. Breen, originally at Oceanside Middle School, began school on Aug. 19, but posted an update to her Instagram account Monday announcing the move to the three-time defending national champions.

“It’s going to work wonders for me,” said Breen, 14. “I knew what I had to do to be the player I always wanted to be, and the player that little me has always dreamed of. It wasn’t tough, I just knew I had to go. It was bittersweet because I’ve always been in Maine, I’ve always gone to that school. I’ve never gone to a new school in my life. So it’s a first of everything.”

The 6-foot-2 Breen has already made a national splash, earning scholarship offers from Boston College, Robert Morris and Providence College. Now she’ll head to a school with an established basketball reputation, the school that drew Cooper and Ace Flagg from Nokomis High in Newport two and a half years ago.

When asked if it feels like her career has accelerated, Breen quickly answered “dramatically.”

“I never really thought I was going to move away at the age of 14,” she said. “But it’s what I always dreamed of doing, going to a prep school that’s high level and being able to play with the highest level athletes.”

Her father Matt, who coaches the Oceanside girls’ varsity team and said Montverde first reached out in March, said his daughter “hemmed and hawed” before committing to the move.

“It’s an exciting opportunity for her, both academically and athletically,” he said. “We’re happy she’s enjoying it, we obviously want what’s best for our kids. It stinks she’s away, but it’s a great place for her to be.”

Olivia said she’s been in touch with the Montverde Academy coach, Matt Shewmake, about her role in the program. She’ll play for the varsity gold team, with occasional chances to play for the national team that in April won the Chipotle High School Nationals for the third straight year.

“The intensity I (will) play at, it’ll help me a lot and help me understand the fast pace that high-level athletes play at,” she said. “I haven’t seen that yet, I haven’t played with it.”

Olivia said her choice came down to going to Montverde or staying at Oceanside. Multiple prep schools reached out to her, but she said she turned them down when they wanted her to reclassify and go into this school year as a freshman.

Asked if her career path has become overwhelming, she said “I would say it’s a good overwhelming. It’s a great turning point. Having four people guard me and … averaging 30 (points) a game wasn’t really helping me be the player I always wanted.”

Her father said she’ll get a new challenge at the Florida school.

“I just think she’s going to get better athletically, with the strength and conditioning,” Matt Breen said. “She’s going to be challenged every day in practice, going up against Division I basketball players. I think playing at such a high level is going to help raise her basketball IQ. She’s going to learn a lot about the game.

“Stuff you can get away with playing middle school basketball up here, you’re not going to be able to get away with down there. It’s really going to change her perspective on the game and push her to compete every minute she’s on the court.”