The championship game for the Anthony Morrow Shootout is all set and it should be a good one. Cannon School (14-2) will face Carmel Christian (14-2).

It’ll be a rematch of Carmel’s 79-63 win at home Nov. 29 To get there, both teams faced challenges in their semifinal matchups.

Cannon beat Concord Academy 77-73 in its semifinal. Carmel Christian beat Robinson 71-61. The Cougars led by 10 before Concord Academy tied the game late in the fourth quarter. Cannon star Austin Swartz had a big jumper and free throw to give his team breathing room.

Swartz finished with 27 points, five assists. Teammate Isaiah Henry had 21 points, eight rebounds. Concord Academy got 25 points from Isaiah Tate, 18 from JJ Moore and 16 from Avion Pinner.

In the final semifinal, Carmel Christian -- which had just watched Cannon win -- struggled to pull away from a determined NCHSAA 2A state championship team from Robinson High in Concord, mainly because the Cougars couldn’t make an outside shot.

Finally, sophomore guard Brett Freeman got going in the third quarter and Carmel worked out to a double-digit lead. Robinson made a brief push but Carmel was able to repel it and advance.

Freeman finished with 15 points, four assists. Jaeden Mustaf had 16 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks. Daevin Hobbs, who signed with Tennessee for football Wednesday, had 14 points, 13 rebounds and three assists.

CANNON SCHOOL 77, CONCORD ACADEMY 73 CONCORD ACADEMY 73 -- JJ Moore 18, Avion Pinner 16, Isaiah Tate 25, Cvetkovic 2, Van Bibber 8, Asceric 4 CANNON SCHOOL 77 -- Austin Swartz 27, Titus 2, Jaylen Claggett 12, Isaiah Henry 21, Ingram 4, Birmingham 9

CARMEL CHRISTIAN 71 ROBINSON HS 61
CCS : 15-20-18-18---71
RHS : 17-9-15-20---61
RHS—Daevin Hobbs 14, Jermaine Gray 13, Zi’Kei Wheeler 13, Brooks 9, Parker 6, Harlee 2, Roseman 2, Rowe 2
CARMEL 14-2

Saints advance in FCA Winter Classic


Southern Wayne played the game and reaped the rewards Tuesday afternoon.

Play-making guard Duntae Wright pumped in a team- and season-high 17 points as the Saints turned back Wayne Christian, 70-53, on opening day of the FCA Winter Classic.

“We played together,” SW head coach Brian West said. “I just told the guys to play the game. You take every game one day at a time and never take the game you’re playing in for granted. You give it everything you’ve got and leave it out there.”

In other quarterfinal-round games, Wayne Prep defeated Rosewood 64-49, Wayne Country Day routed South Johnston 81-55 and Coastal Christian stunned James Kenan, 43-23.

Play continues today inside Kornegay Arena on the University of Mount Olive Campus. Kenan and South Johnston tip off at 2 p.m. in consolation-round play, followed by Rosewood and Wayne Christian at 3:30 p.m.

Former Classic champ Wayne Country Day meets Coastal Christian at 5:30 p.m. in one semifinal game. The other semifinal pits Southern Wayne against Wayne Prep at 7 p.m.

Admission is $10 for a day pass and $20 for a tournament pass.

Carmel Christian escapes against 2A state champ Burlington School
BY LANGSTON WERTZ JR.

Carmel Christian had a few chances Tuesday afternoon to pull away from The Burlington School, the reigning N.C. Independent Schools 2A state champions, in the first round of the Anthony Morrow Shootout at Charlotte Latin School.

But when the Spartans, down 10 points several times, kept fighting back -- and even briefly took a late lead -- Carmel coach Joe Badgett wasn’t surprised.

“That’s the way our season has gone,” Badgett said after watching Khamani Wertz, Bryce Cash and Jaeden Mustaf cement a 60-55 win at the free throw line. “We’re telling the kids that the type of schedule we’re playing is to get you ready for February (when the NCISAA playoffs are held) and that the teams you are playing are not going to quit. They’re going to play hard. They are well-coached and they’re not backing down. You have to finish the game.”

Carmel (13-2) advanced to Wednesday’s tournament semifinals by knocking off the private school 2A state champions with patience and balance. Mustaf had 19 points, 10 rebounds. Cash had 17 points, four rebounds, and Wertz added 16 points and three rebounds.

That offset a brilliant performance from Burlington School junior Zion Walker, a 6-2 guard who had 25 points, nine rebounds and a steal.

Next up for Carmel, the reigning NCISAA 4A private school champion, is a semifinal date Wednesday night with NCHSAA 2A public school state champion Robinson High of Concord. Robinson beat Charlotte Latin its first round game Tuesday.

Badgett said he expects the semifinal game to be similar to what his team got in Round One. “The more you can win these tough, battle-tested games, it just helps you,” Badgett said. “You get used to it, and if you’re fortunate enough to get to the state final, you’re not worried about it being a state final. You’re used to that stage. And that’s our goal.”

Knights rolling into Greenfield Christmas Tournament





By Andrew Schnittker

aschnittker@wilsontimes.com | 265-7807 | Twitter: @aschnitt53



While some might have visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads already as the countdown to Christmas hits under a week, for eight high school boys teams that will gather at Greenfield School Wednesday through Friday, it’ll be visions of basketballs and trophies.



The Knights are set to host the annual Greenfield Christmas Tournament, entering its 15th year in the current format. Fayetteville Academy, Grace Christian of Sanford, Northwood Temple, Trinity Academy of Raleigh, Grace Christian of Raleigh, Crossroads Christian and New Life Christian will make up this year’s field, as head coach Rob Salter once again looks forward to welcoming a talented slate of teams to Greenfield’s gym.





“We love this time of year,” Salter said. “We feel like we’ve got one of the best pre-Christmas tournaments in the state. Every year, we’ve got really, really talented teams and coaches coming in. So this is just great preparation for what we could see later on. It’s three great days of basketball. As the history shows, it’s very hard to win this thing. That’s what you want, so we know we’ve got our work cut out for us to have a chance to win it.”



Salter explained that holiday tournaments allow student athletes to have a time where they can completely focus on basketball over Christmas break, and often allow for them to have former teammates and family in town to watch them play.



For the Knights, it’s also yet another opportunity to test themselves in nonconference play and get ready for the sort of competition they might see down the line in the NCISAA 2-A state playoffs.



“I always tell our guys, we kind of split our season up into three different seasons: the regular season, holiday season and postseason,” Salter said. “We kind of treat it as a different part of the year. It’s fun. You play in front of great crowds, great environments and you’re playing different teams. That’s what we like. We like playing different teams and not playing the same people all the time. There’s a lot of turnover in our tournament, because there’s a lot of different teams that want to come. It’s great preparation for the end goal, which is the state tournament.”



The Knights are off to an excellent start to the season, as they sit at 11-3 overall and 1-0 in NCISAA 2-A/3-A Coastal Plain Independents Conference play.



The Knights have already played in multiple preseason showcases, including the Wilson Prep Hoop State Showcase, and the Good Guys vs. Cancer Showcase in Kill Devil Hills. The Knights’ losses have all been tight games against top opponents, with two of those coming against schools from Virginia.



“I love my team,” Salter said. “We’ve been battle tested already. We’ve had a great schedule. We’re seven points from being undefeated. We’ve lost two games by one. I feel good about us. We’re pretty healthy, as much as you can be at this time of the year. I just love coaching this group. This group competes. This group loves each other. So it’s just a fun team to be around. They’re very, very hungry and focused.”



While Salter still sees room for improvement, there’s a whole lot to like for the Knights heading into the holiday season.



Depth is the name of the game, as the Knights have six players averaging at or near double figures scoring. Hampton Evans is leading the Knights with 17 points per game to go with six rebounds, followed by Matt Kirby with 16 points and four assists per game, Kyshon Atkinson with 14 points (and 41% shooting from 3-point range), Kobe Edwards with 11 points and seven assists, Micah Sherod with about 11 points per game , and Nik Edwards with nine points and a team-leading eight rebounds per game.





The Knights are also getting strong contributions off the bench from players such as Cole Evans and Bryson Wall.



“We’ve got to get better defensively still,” Salter said. “We’re good at times, but we need to be more consistent. Our depth has really been great for us. Our cohesiveness and playing well together has gone well for us. We know it can be somebody different every night that helps us, and it has been at this point. When we’ve had somebody get hurt, the next man has stepped up and played well. But I think we’ve got to get better defensively and keep maintaining our tempo that we want to play.”



After falling in the tournament championship game against Wayne Country Day last year, the Knights will look to get back to victory and win the event for the first time since 2019 (it wasn’t held in 2020).



They know they’ll have their work cut out for them, however. The Knights will start off with a New Life Christian team that enters the tournament at 14-7. The Monarchs have been led by Ja’Kwon Moore, a 6-6 senior who averages a double-double with 19.2 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, and have four more players scoring in double figures.



The tournament will also include Trinity Academy, last year’s NCISAA 2-A runner up, and Northwood Temple, a team that Salter says boasts a great deal of size throughout its lineup.



“There’s a lot of really good teams,” Salter said. “You’ve got some of the top 1-A, 2-A and 3-A teams in this bracket. … You can go down the list. Every team there is going to present a challenge for anybody. It’s just a really good field.”





The tournament will start Wednesday with a showdown between Fayetteville Academy and Grace Christian of Sanford at 3 p.m. The Knights will play their first game at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday against New Life Christian.



2022 Greenfield Christmas Tournament



Date Time Game



Dec. 21 3 p.m. 1. Fayetteville Academy vs. Grace Christian (Sanford)

Dec. 21 4:30 p.m. 2. Northwood Temple vs. Trinity Academy

Dec. 21 6 p.m. 3. Grace Christian Raleigh vs. Crossroads Christian

Dec. 21 7:30 p.m. 4. Greenfield vs. New Life Christian



Dec. 22 3 p.m. 5. Loser 1 vs. Loser 2

Dec. 22 4:30 p.m. 6. Loser 3 vs. Loser 4

Dec. 22 6 p.m. 7. Winner 1 vs. Winner 2

Dec. 22 7:30 p.m. 8. Winner 3 vs. Winner 4



Dec. 23 1 p.m. Third-place game

Dec. 23 3 p.m. Seventh-place game

Dec. 23 4:30 p.m. Fifth-place game

Dec. 23 7:30 p.m. Championship game

Westchester rolls past New Garden
• BY GREER SMITH ENTERPRISE SPORTS WRITER

HIGH POINT — Westchester Country Day head boys basketball coach Brook Patterson felt his squad finally put four good quarters of play together Saturday in Brooks Gym.
Westchester, playing its last game before the New Year, opened a sizable lead in the first half and posted a 55-36 nonconference victory over New Garden Friends, which is coached by former WCD standout Dwon Clifton.
The victory came the day after the Wildcats (4-5) played well in the first half and then couldn’t keep pace with Gaston Day.
“Early we hit some baskets and they struggled and that set the tone,” Patterson said. “That is what he (Clifton) and I were talking about. We felt good about our full game. Last night, we had one half. Today, we put two of those together. I’m happy for our guys, satisfied for our guys that we put two halves together so when we can come back after New Year’s, we can say that is what it looks like.”
The Wildcats led 9-0 before the Bears dynamic small forward Jeffrey Clark scored their first bucket. Westchester led 17-11 after one quarter and the lead was still six before the Wildcats, keyed by nine points from M.J. Edwards, went on a 11-3 run over the last 5:05 of the half for a 30-16 halftime advantage as they held New Garden to five points in the second quarter .
Edwards, who scored 18 points, started the run with a jumper and then came up with a steal and a layup. Westchester center Jalen Umstead, who had 10, scored from underneath. Edwards hit one of his two 3s and then closed the half with a drive to the bucket.
“We did a good job of going inside-out,” Patterson said. “We haven’t had a big man since I’ve been here so we’re learning how to do that. Jalen did as good job of getting the ball in and then kicking it out.”
The Wildcats also tried to limit the times that Clark got the ball. Clark, who had no trouble driving to the basket if he got possession, finished with 24 points but no other Bear had more than four.
“He’s so electric,” Patterson said. “We had guys on him with a hand in his face and he made shots anyway. And they do a good job of setting back screens to get him free. We worked this week on jumping those screens and communicating defensively. The first half last night and today have been night and day to what we’ve been doing defensively.”
The lead grew to 18 in the third quarter and to as much as 28 in the fourth before Patterson started substituting.
“We were happy with the defensive effort,” Patterson said. “We talked about getting stops on defense and being patient on offense. They want to run and we don’t want to run. We think we’ll be more successful slowing it down.”
gsmith@hpenews.com

Wesleyan girls outlast Ravenscroft
•
HIGH POINT – Eventually Wesleyan Christian broke free.
The Trojans, clamping down on defense and scoring points in droves on offense, pulled away in the second half to beat Ravenscroft 78-45 in girls basketball Saturday afternoon at Wesleyan.
In the boys game, Wesleyan trailed big early but kept the margin manageable the rest in the way in falling 63-46.
“It’s a game of attrition – wars aren’t won in one battle,” Trojans girls coach Daniel McRae said. “We condition and we practice really hard and really fast. So, even games where it’s close going to the fourth, I normally feel pretty good because our goal is to wear people down.”
Lily Pereira scored 25 points to lead Wesleyan (6-5), which outscored the Ravens 30-11 in the third quarter after Ravenscroft fought to stay within reach in the first half. Taylor Hawley added 15 points, followed by Sara Kate Carr and Sarah Chrapliwy with 10 points each.
“I feel like played really well,” said Hawley, a sophomore wing. “We executed our plays. I feel like we shared the ball well, better than we normally do. Our shot was really good today, and that was a big key.”
The Trojans led by 11 in the first and by nine in the second. But Ravenscroft (5-6), led by Zoe Adams with 13 points, hung within one to end the first and was still within 33-26 at halftime. But eventually Wesleyan’s tough defense and quick offense allowed it to pull away.
Wesleyan scored 18 straight points midway through the third to lead by 24. It then scored seven of the quarter’s final eight points to lead by 26 heading to the fourth. The Trojans scored on 12 of 18 possessions in the quarter, shooting 60% while Ravenscroft shot 38% and committed six turnovers.
“I think we were all just determined, that third quarter and those first four minutes, to push through and win this game,” Hawley said. “And we were going to pull out ahead. We just wanted to build that lead and all build up our energy to execute. It was really fun. I think everyone had fun today.”
Wesleyan – which did struggle with foul trouble but was able slow the Ravens’ inside presence – maintained a 20-point lead throughout the fourth quarter before pushing its advantage past 30 in the final minutes of the game. The Trojans will next play in this week’s Cherokee Invitational tournament

VILLAGE CHRISTIAN 79 FATHER CAPODANNO 57
FVC : 9-13-21-14---57
VCA : 22-19-21-17---79
VCA—Wilson Harrell 19, Andre Myrie 18, Nick Koukies 17, Johnson 2, Richie 0, Washington 6, Salisbury 2, Mason 2, Burnette 0, Pickford 7, Papale 0, Evers 6
VCA 2-7

LIBERTY CHRISTIAN (Richlands) 34 BETHEL CHRISTIAN 23
LCA—Hayden Newkirk 16, Brynlee Nodurft 10, Minner 6, Massie 0, Sanders 0, Shiflett 2, Riggs 0
BCA 1-5 LCA 1-4

Westchester basketball earns split
• Michael Lindsay | Enterprise Sports Writer

HIGH POINT — Westchester Country Day caught a spark in the first half. But Gaston Day quickly snuffed it out in the second half.
The Wildcats cut a double-digit deficit to three just before halftime. But the Spartans opened the second half on a big run to lead by 20 and beat Westchester 67-40 in nonconference boys basketball Friday at Westchester.
In the girls game, Westchester rolled into the Christmas break with a 48-20 victory over Salem Baptist.
“We played the best first half we’ve played all year,” Wildcats boys coach Brook Patterson said. “We really had a lot of intensity, played hard — and that’s what we were telling our guys. This is one of the top teams in the state and they obviously proved that in the second half.”
Jalen Umstead scored 12 points — all in the first half — to lead Westchester (3-5), which will host New Garden Friends today at noon to close out its 2022 schedule. Zane Dinkins added 10 points while MJ Edwards had nine points.
Gaston Day, ranked No. 47 in the state overall and No. 6 among NCISAA 2A teams, used a 10-1 run to close the first with an 11-point lead and held a 10-point advantage midway through the second.
But the Wildcats — keyed by 3-pointers by Dinkins, Edwards and Josh Bayne — answered with an 11-4 run to pull within three with a minute left in the half and trailed 31-26 into halftime.
The Spartans — getting the ball inside to 6-foot-11 senior Callum Richard — opened the third on an 18-3 run to lead by 20 midway through the quarter. Gaston Day scored on their first seven possessions of the third.
“Late in the first half, they got one over the top and they got two right to start the second half,” Patterson said. “We were there, but we had a guard down on the 7-footer when they threw it over top. So, it’s like we’re doing the right things — they’re just good.”
Richard finished with 21 points, including 15 in the second half after being bottled up fairly well in the first half, to lead the Spartans (8-2). Evan Montanari added 12 points — all on 3-pointers.
But Westchester takes some positives as it heads into the break.
“It’s putting two halves together,” Patterson said. “And I think our guys have to realize (they are having some success). We’re preparing for the state playoffs — our conference is a little different. So, this is good that we had some success. We can build off that.”

Austin Swartz’s big night leads No. 6 Cannon past No. 10 Chambers

BY CAMERON WILLIAMS AND LANGSTON WERTZ JR.
UPDATED DECEMBER 17, 2022 1

BY LANGSTON WERTZ JR. CONCORD

In a battle of two top 10 Sweet 16 teams Friday night, Cannon School junior Austin Swartz made a very big statement on a very big stage. Swartz absolutely dominated the second half of No. 6 Cannon’s 83-71 win over No. 10 Chambers at home in the Friday night showcase game at the Phenom Hoops Holiday Classic.

He finished with 30 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds, three steals and two blocks. So, basically, if you’re doing rankings of the top N.C. players, just move Swartz up a little.

“We are going to go as he (Swartz) does,” Cannon coach Che’ Roth said.

“He is our playmaker. He is our quarterback. I think that has been the biggest adjustment for him coming into this year. He can do more than just score the basketball. He is a really elite level passer.”

Cannon (12-2) needed every bit of Swartz’s elite performance Friday. Buoyed by their coach, Brian Frasier asking for more energy, Chambers got control of the game late in the first half, rallying for a 34-33 halftime lead. With a packed house at Cannon going crazy, the Cougars seemed poised for another upset of a top ranked team after taking Myers Park at home when the Mustangs were top 30 nationally ranked and No. 1 in The Observer’s Sweet 16 poll.

But not Friday. Swartz -- and his teammates -- wouldn’t allow it. Jaylen Claggett had 17 points, Isaiah Henry 16 and Sean Birmingham added 12 in a balanced effort, while Chambers got 49 points combined from Nick Dorn and Maurio Hanson.

“I thought our kids played their rear ends off,” Roth said. “I’ve got a ton of respect for coach (Brian) Frasier and everything that Chambers does. They are a battle tested, elite level program.”

With Swartz heating up, Cannon worked its one-point halftime lead to 11 to start the fourth quarter. That was enough.

“We got out in transition and then the transition led to easy buckets,” Swartz said. “We just stayed composed and we were ready when our number was called.” ▪

Cannon has a quick turnaround as they play again on Saturday against Freedom in day two of the Phenom Hoops Holiday Classic.

THREE WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE

Austin Schwartz, Cannon: Mister do-it-all for the Cougars was scoring, passing and rebounding efficiently all game long. Chambers really couldn’t really find an answer for Schwartz. He finished with 30 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds.

Nick Dorn, Chambers: In the absence of the Cougars two leaders from a year ago, Jaylen Curry and Daniel Sanford, Dorn has been the engine that keeps Chambers running this far in the season — and this game was no different. Dorn did what he did best: he shot the cover off the ball.


Maurio Hanson, Chambers: Chambers’ energy was different when Hanson was in the game. His rebounding was extremely effective for Chambers, keeping Cannon from getting second chance points.


WORTH MENTIONING

▪ The referees were calling a very close game the entire game.

▪ Chambers was able to get out and run in the second quarter which played to their advantage and helped spur their comeback.

▪ Cannon was able to take advantage of the Chambers’ turnovers often, scoring effectively off of them. What’s Next? Cannon will play again on Saturday against Freedom while Chambers will play Providence Day on Dec. 20

Cougars split with Burlington School
Michael Lindsay | Enterprise Sports Writer Dec 15, 2022 Updated 6 hrs ago


HIGH POINT — High Point Christian put a late scare into The Burlington School. But it wasn’t quite enough to pull itself from a big hole.

The Cougars trailed by 27 in the second half before clawing within five with two minutes to go. But the Spartans regained enough control to beat HPCA 67-54 in a meeting of NCISAA boys basketball powers Thursday at HPCA.

In the girls game, HPCA — with unrelenting defense leading to easy offense — steamrolled The Burlington School 71-23.

“We played well in spurts,” Cougars boys coach Joseph Cooper said. “We came out flat somehow. We really wanted to be physical — we knew they’d be physical. We wanted to match that early on, and it took four or five minutes to understand the physicality of the game. We figured it out and played them pretty even the rest of the game.”

Elijah Cathcart scored 17 points, hitting four 3-pointers, to lead HPCA (4-6), which reached last year’s NCISAA 3A final. Adam Grier added 10 points, while Taft Johnson and Benny Limbacher each had seven points.

The Spartans — the NCISAA 2A champions the last two years after reaching the 1A finals in 2020 — scored the first 11 points of the game, carried a 31-18 lead into halftime and extended their lead to 27 with 1:25 left in the third.

The Cougars, trailing by 22 early in the fourth, went on a 20-4 run in the final quarter — scoring on eight of nine possessions — to pull within five on a 3 by Johnson with 2:02 left to play. A pair of technical fouls on TBS for hanging on the rim help HPCA gain momentum.

“We kind of took it to them instead of being back on our heels,” Cooper said. “We were the aggressor finally. And when you’re playing a team of that quality, you can’t sit back and let them push you around. You have to take it to them.”

But the Spartans (11-3) — coached by George Marshall, who led Henderson Collegiate to an NCHSAA 1A finals appearance against Bishop McGuinness in 2019 and a co-championship in 2020 — scored on their final five possessions to stave off the Cougars. Zion Walker finished with 13 points to lead TBS.

Cyclones decked by Mount Calvary Christian
Host Community Christian was overwhelmed 19-6 by Mount Calvary Christian of Hookerton in the first quarter of Monday’s eventual 43-29 loss for the Cyclones at Peace Church. However, CCS was only outscored by a point after the disastrous first quarter as it continues to seek its first win of the season through five games.
Senior Abigail Jackson led the Cyclones with 13 points and 11 rebounds while eighth grader Claire Carter supplied seven points, four steals and three rebounds. Aiyana Holmes added eight rebounds and three points.
Mount Calvary Christian (5-7) got 15 points and 28 rebounds from Hannah Rice and 13 points from Bailey Wade.

GARDNER NAMED NEW HEAD SOFTBALL COACH
Posted: Dec 09, 2022
GARDNER NAMED NEW HEAD SOFTBALL COACH

PCC Athletic Director Dawn Manning has announced today that Amy Gardner has been named the new Head Softball Coach.

"We are thrilled to welcome Amy to the Bulldog family. Coach Gardner brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and passion that will provide a spark to our softball program and our athletic department. In addition, she brings with her a seasoned staff that will make an immediate impact on our student-athletes." - AD Dawn Manning.

Gardner has spent the previous 19 years at The Oakwood School where she served as the Athletic Director. "It was difficult to leave Oakwood, everyone there has been so good to me over the years" Gardner commented. "I will greatly miss the students, staff, coaches and parents that make Oakwood such a special place. I prayed on it, and I know that PCC is where God wants me to be right now to uplift these girls and help move the program forward."

Coach Gardner has been deeply invested in softball throughout Pitt County and has worked with several PCC players including the late Abby Foster. "When I accepted the position, my first call was to Abby Foster's parents. I let them know that she will be remembered in our program. When I met with our team for the first time I shared her story and told them that Abby will have a special place on all of our teams."

Gardner stressed the importance of character in her program. "It's a coaches job to uplift players. I'm not looking for fame or recognition, it's all about the girls. Our players will be kind, humble, and respectful to everyone. With that foundation in place, we'll build something we can all be proud of."

PCC opens the season on February 3rd at Chowan College.

Crossroads sweeps first ever matchup against Vipers
• By Bryant Baucom bbaucom@hendersondispatch.com; 252-436-2840

HENDERSON — On Friday, for the first time in history, Vance County and Crossroads Christian went head-to-head on the hardwood in both girls and boys basketball.

The Colts played host to the Vipers in a crosstown matchup, emerging victorious in both varsity contests.

Crossroads’ girls improved to 10-1 on the season with a 69-61 win, holding off a late push from Vance County. Four Colts scored in double figures, highlighting the plethora of weapons for Cammy Simmons’ squad.

Sophomore guard Elyssa Phillips continued her success, pacing the Crossroads’ offense with a game-high 22 points. Phillips connected on all four of her three-point attempts and pulled down nine rebounds.
Freshman Leanna Wimsatt added on 20 points in the win, shooting a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line, taking advantage of her five steals.

Senior Isreal Thorpe (12 points) and Abby Taylor (10 points) assisted the offensive effort to help put the Colts at double-digit victories on the season.

As a team, Crossroads shot 63% from the floor and an impressive 83% from beyond the arc.
In the nightcap, another close, competitive contest awaited in the boys’ varsity contest, as a 13-point lead for the Colts at the end of the first quarter was trimmed to just three heading into the break.

With an electric atmosphere in the crosstown matchup, the two programs delivered for an instant classic in Henderson.

After trading baskets and a back-and-forth third frame, Crossroads clung onto a 60-58 advantage with eight minutes to play.

Senior forward D’Markus Tucker and junior Ben Gladieux each converted and-one opportunities in the final frame, bringing the crowd to its feet and giving them the momentum.

Late free-throw shooting ended up being the difference-maker for the Colts, as they extended their lead to double figures in the final minutes to earn a 75-65 win over the Vipers.

Down the stretch, Crossroads strung together multiple defensive stops and used their on-ball pressure to keep the Vipers at bay.

For Vance County, senior Isreal Terry scored a team-high 18 points, shooting an efficient 73% from the field. The other Viper to score in double figures was junior Nate Durham, who tallied 16 points down low.

Both Terry and Durham finished with double-doubles, as the duo each recorded 10 rebounds in the losing effort.

Crossroads will look to improve to 10-3 on Friday, when they travel to Lee Academy in Sanford for their second conference game of the season.
Vance County returns to action on Thursday with a home contest against Falls Lake Academy.

Knights grind to Salter’s 600th career win
By Tom Ham

The Greenfield School varsity boys basketball team celebrated another milestone in the program’s storied history in grinding to a 64-58 nonconference victory against taller and capable Trinity Christian of Fayetteville in the Greenfield gym Monday night.

The Knights presented veteran head coach Rob Salter with his 600th career win. In a low-key celebration, the players, some of them with paper cups filled with water, gathered around Salter briefly following the team’s 10th victory against three losses.


Salter, averaging some 25 wins per season with some 20 games remaining in 2022-23, mentioned the win count as special, but credited the players.

“I didn’t even know about this until a couple days ago,” the 45-year-old Salter insisted. “I have been lucky and blessed to coach so many wonderful players, who are close, respect and love one another.

“There has been a lot of hard work in building the program to where it is. We want to get better. The (600 wins) also means I’m getting old.”

However, the occasion was certainly significant for junior guard Matt Kirby.

“This is very special for me,” he declared. “I have been with Coach Salter since middle school. He’s the reason I’m the player I am today. I really love him for that and I’m proud of it.”

Kirby turned in a special performance, connecting for 14 points.

“I feel like I played well,” he reviewed. “I controlled the game at the end. (Trinity) is a very good team. They had good guards and they are big. It was a dogfight, a battle; they are a tough team.”

“Matt is our engine,” Salter commended. “When he gets it going, nobody can stay in front of him. He is becoming a complete point guard.”

Greenfield’s head coach also cited freshman Kobe Edwards, junior Nik Edwards senior Kyshon Atkinson, senior MIcah Sherrod, junior Cole Evans, senior Bryson Wall and senior Jack Adair.

The Knights prevailed although leading scorer Hampton Evans, a junior, was foul-plagued and managed just one point. Also Nik Edwards, saddled with four fouls, sat out much of the fourth quarter.

“Trinity has tough guards and made some tough, contested shots,” Salter continued. “Trinity has been one of the elite programs the last 10-15 years. We’ve had some major wars with them.”

A war was brewing Monday night until the Knights, boosted by tenacious, ballhawking man-to-man defense, pumped in the first 15 points of the third quarter and held the Crusaders scoreless until Trinity’s Michael Rose Jr. scored with 2 minutes, 11 seconds left in the third quarter to shave the deficit to 42-28. A 3-pointer from Adair in a reserve role ended Greeenfield’s run that forced a pair of Crusaders’ time-outs.

“The first three minutes of the second half was pretty much the game,” Salter acknowledged. “That’s usually when you push it up, or it’s going to be a close game.”

Trinity, behind the 3-point barrage of Rose, did draw as close as eight points on three occasions in the final quarter. The last time was at 60-52. But a breakaway basket from the Knights’ Sherrod and a pair of free throws from Kirby staked the Knights to a 64-54 cushion with some 35 seconds showing. Trinity kept firing and knocked down two more shots.


Greenfield’s Kyshon Atkinson (5) twists his way under the basket for a shot during Monday’s game against Trinity Christian at Greenfield. Carl Copeland | Special to the Times
Greenfield, contending with the Trinity trio of 6-5 junior Linwood Rowe, 6-6 freshman Justin Caldwell and 6-8 sophomore Dyjon Carver, survived the back-and-forth first quarter with a 15-14 edge.


The second quarter saw the Knights boost their lead to 22-18 on Kobe Edwards’ first career dunk. But Hampton Evans was whistled for this third foul with 1:50 remaining and the Knights managed a 27-26 halftime lead with junior Cole Evans coming off the bench to provide spark.


Greenfield’s Bryson Wall (14) is closely guarded by Linwood Rowe (12) of Trinity Christian during Monday’s game at Greenfield. Carl Copeland | Special to the Times
“Our depth showed,” Salter said. “We have 9-10 who can help us win ball games.”

Greenfield lost the rebounding battle, 32-28, but with an improved effort, beat the taller Crusaders on the boards the second half. The Knights managed just six steals and six assists. The Knights limited their turnovers to seven. They finished 16 of 23 from the foul line but free-throw struggles the last three minutes kept the Crusaders in the game. Greenfield shot for just 25% (6 of 24) accuracy from beyond the 3-point arc and for 42% (21 of 50) on 2-point attempts.

Trinity (7-4) was keyed by Rose and Caldwell with 18 points each and Rowe with 10.

Greenfield’s balanced attack showed Nik Edwards with 15 points and Kirby and Atkinson with 14 each. Sherrod and Nik Edwards each collected five rebounds and Kobe Edwards paced the Knights with three assists.

“Matt and Kyshon can affect the game so many ways defensively,” Salter declared.

Greenfield is back in action Tuesday night at home against Wayne Preparatory Academy.

With five NCISAA 1-A titles along with the 600 wins – and counting – Salter plans “to keep on coaching as long as I can. I never thought I would be where I am now.”

TRINITY CHRISTIAN (58)

Rose 18, Caldwell 18, Diam. Shepard 4, Rowe 10, Carver 4, Monroe, Brown 4.

GREENFIELD (64)

Kirby 14, K. Edwards 7, N. Edwards 15, Atkinson 14, H. Evans 1, Sherrod 5, Adair 5, C. Evans 3, Wall, Baptiste.

Score by quarters:

Trinity 14 12 8 24 – 58

Greenfield 15 12 20 17 – 64

GREENFIELD 64 TRINITY CHRISTIAN 58
TCS : 14 12 8 24 – 58
GFS : 15 12 20 17 – 64
TCS : Rowe 18, Caldwell 18, Diam. Shepard 4, Rowe 10, Carver 4, Monroe, Brown 4.
GFS : Kirby 14, K. Edwards 7, N. Edwards 15, Atkinson 14, H. Evans 1, Sherrod 5, Adair 5, C. Evans 3, Wall, Baptiste.

PUNGO 58 KERR VANCE 32
KVA : 4-8-12-8---32
PCA : 19-12-10-17---58
PCA—Reagan Stoop 37, A.Williford 4, K.Williford 2, Cox 5, Cutler 4, Taylor 1, Rouse 2, Pugh 3, Walker 0
KVA 3-2 PUNGO 9-0

Knights get physical, overcome Raleigh Christian

By Tom Ham Special to the Times

The event was the first Wilson Prep HoopState Showcase on Saturday that Wilson Preparatory Academy officials hope becomes an annual event. No championship was at stake among the eight participating teams, but varsity boys basketball teams from Greenfield and Raleigh Christian scrapped as if world supremacy was at stake as the Knights avenged a one-point loss in their season opener with a 65-60 win before a sizable, entertained crowd inside the Wilson Prep gym Saturday afternoon.

At intervals, football pads would have been helpful. Neither head coach — Greenfield’s Rob Salter or Raleigh Christian’s David Hartman, in his first season — did not deny that physical contact was excessive.

“They hit us a few times and we hit them a few times,” Hartman said. “The physical play was about even.”

Commented Salter: “This team is not like some of my other teams. This team plays pretty good in physical games. We have (physically) strong guards and (junior) Hampton (Evans) is strong. This team can definitely win physical games.”

Benefiting from excellent 3-point shooting and sticky, physical defense, Greenfield emerged with its ninth win against three losses. The Eagles, who try to play as difficult a regular-season schedule as possible with a focus upon qualifying for the Hoop State Championship and receiving an invitation to a national tournament, dropped to 6-10.

“We take our losses and lumps now,” Hartman admitted, “We go through the fire early with the hope we will be rolling when January comes around.”


The Knights found themselves repeatedly clawing from single-digit deficits until the closing seconds of the third quarter. Hampton Evans, a 6-5 junior, scored with a nifty move inside for a 39-38 Greenfield lead with 1:24 left in the third quarter. But with 19.7 seconds showing, Gabe Marquis, a 6-1 junior, buried two free throws for a 40-39 Raleigh Christian edge after three quarters.

Evans and senior Micah Sherrod, in a reserve role, combined for five 3-pointers to rally the Knights. The pair accounted for all 17 Greenfield points in the period.

The comeback gained momentum early in the fourth quarter when senior Kyshon Atkinson netted a field goal and then sneaked a pass off a steal to Kobe Edwards for a 47-43 Knights’ edge.

Evans scored and Atkinson found himself all alone under the basket with three players nearby lying on the floor after a loose-ball tussle and scored for a 56-48 margin. Less than three minutes remained.

Despite a layup from the Knights’ Matt Kirby, the Eagles weren’t through. Greenfield helped out with a turnover, three fouls and a missed shot from close range. Raleigh Christian suddenly trailed only 62-60 with less than 20 seconds remaining.

Sherrod added a free throw with 3.4 seconds to go for a 63-60 edge. However, Evans kept the ball alive on the missed second foul shot. The Knights claimed the rebound. Evans was fouled and iced revenge with a pair of free throws with 0.2 of a second to go.

Raleigh Christian’s Hartman cited four turnovers and two missed box-outs in the final three minutes as crippling for his Eagles.

“That equated to 12 points,” Hartman contended. “(Greenfield) was able to execute a little better. Turning the ball over allowed them easy opportunities.”

Reviewed Greenfield’s Sherrod: “This game was personal. We had to go back in and beat them the second time. We couldn’t let them beat us again.

“Energy and effort won it for us. We were being lackadaisical on defense the first half. We turned it up defensively. If we had played like we did the first half, we wouldn’t have won.”

Contended Salter: “We were excited to see them again. We know we gave that (season-opening) game away. We wanted to come out and play a little better. We wore them down a little bit. Heart won that game.”

Evans and Sherrod each drilled in 19 points, with Sherrod registering his season high and knocking down 4-of-5 shots from 3-point distance. Atkinson canned nine points.

Sherrod came off the bench and said his coach’s instructions included to shoot the 3-pointer without hesitation.

“We saw a mismatch with (Evans),” Sherrod explained. “When he got past his defender, it opened up a lot of spots. It helped me get 3-point shots. This was my best game.”
Greenfield wound up with an 8-7 advantage in 3-pointers as the Eagles sensed an urgency to turn to the 3-pointer late after utilizing its size advantage to pound inside for three quarters. The Knights committed 12 turnovers but forced 16.

They had 11 assists. Greenfield shot for 50% accuracy from the floor and was accurate on 8-of-18 3-point shots from 44%. The Knights of the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association 2-A ranks swished 13-of-16 free throws as compared to 11 of 13 for the Eagles, also imposing defensively.

Jakel Powell, a 6-5 senior, triggered Raleigh Christian with 19 points. Marquis, who hit on six 3-point shots in the first meeting, added 17 points. The Eagles featured six players at 6-5 or taller.

Raleigh Christian jumped to an 8-2 start, but the Knights spurted to within a point at 8-7. The Eagles owned a 19-14 advantage after one quarter. The low-scoring second quarter ended with Greenfield junior Matt Kirby nailing a jumper to close the deficit to 26-22.

“So far, this win is the most satisfying,” Sherrod assured.

“What can you say about Micah?” Salter expressed. “He came in and got us going. He’s having a great year, but he was phenomenal today.


“We just had to make some plays. We attacked mismatches well and did a good job in transition. We did a good job of guarding the 3-point line this time. This is a mighty big win for us. We had lost a couple of games by one or two points and we needed to come out and win one of those. And (Raleigh Christian) is a great team.”

RALEIGH CHRISTIAN (60)
Marquis 17, Robertson, Wilson 6, Proctor 9, Copeland 9, Powell 19, Sheppard, Bryant.
GREENFIELD (65)
Kirby 6, K. Edwards 4, N. Edwards 5, H. Evans 19, Atkinson 9, Sherrod 19, Wall, C. Evans 3.
Score by quarters:
Raleigh Christian 19 7 14 20 — 60
Greenfield 14 8 17 26 — 65

Sweet 16 No. 1 Carmel Christian got behind early against N.C. 3A public school power Northwood and could never recover, falling 71-64 at the Phenom Hoops Tourney Town event at Greensboro’s Smith High School. In front of a large, loud crowd.

Northwood star Drake Powell, a UNC commit, helped his team get leads as large as 10 points, just one day after Northwood lost to No. 10 Cannon School by 10 points at the same event. Powell, a 6-6 junior, finished with 22 points, eight assists and three rebounds.

Seven-foot center Kenan Parrish had 11 ponts and seven rebounds and point guard Frederico Whitaker Jr. had 10 points and two assists.

Carmel, which missed nine point-blank layups, got 17 points and two assists from Khamani Wertz, 15 points, five steals from Bryce Cash, 13 points, four rebounds from Jaeden Mustaf and 13 points, three rebounds from Michael Marcus.

Olympic holds off Northside

In one of the feature games at the Southeast Hoops Festival Saturday at West Charlotte High School, the Olympic Trojans defeated Northside Christian 63-62 despite being down double digits in the first half.

“It was great to see that they had that fight in them,” said head coach Jeff Bishop, whose team improved to 6-0. “It was a long summer and this fall we’ve been playing really well, so it was great to see that we fought back.”

It was a slow moving first quarter till the Knights started to find a little rhythm from behind the three-point line. Northside Christian turned up the defense, holding Olympic to just four points in the last five minutes of the first quarter.

Northside Christian (3-8) would take a 36-19 lead into halftime after senior forward Antonio Perkins hit a half-closing 3-point basket. The Knights did a solid job of forcing Olympic into taking tough shots.

Bishop noticed, for sure, and said he just wanted his guys to get back to doing the things that they did well.

“We just had to remind them that they had to come to play,” Bishop said. “Play the way that we know how to play.”

The third quarter was largely dominated by the Trojans as they listened to their coach and got within five. Kameron Taylor spurred on the Trojan comeback during the third quarter stretch having several big baskets including a put back dunk lighting the crowd up

“I think when we got back to the locker room (at halftime), we really just had to lock in,” Taylor said. “I just thought that I had to get on the glass for us to win, and we really just locked in on getting on the glass.”

The Trojans found themselves ahead by two with just 10 seconds left in the game. Northside Christian’s Josh Bullock would get fouled with just two seconds remaining. His first free throw was pure. The second ran out of gas, bouncing off the front of the rim ending the game after Kameron Taylor grabbed his 16th rebound of the night.

THREE WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE

Antonio Perkins, Northside Christian: The Knights looked different when their senior forward was on the floor. Perkins got things going after a few short minutes, hitting two big shots, forcing a Trojan timeout early in the first quarter. Perkins was the catalyst in the first half.
Kameron Taylor, Olympic: The 6’5 forward took over in the paint in the second half, and was a huge factor in bringing the Trojans back into the game. He finished the game with 24 points and 16 rebounds. Arael Jones, Northside Christian: The 6’1 guard was rebounding above his height in this game grabbing 7 rebounds. 3 of which were offensive rebounds. He had 11 points to go along with his boards. WORTH

MENTIONING ▪ Northside Chrisitian’s length seemed to be a key factor in getting the Trojans off of their normal rhythm. ▪ The Trojans seemed to be at their best when they put in a smaller lineup and outran the Knights with just one forward on the floor.

WHAT’S NEXT Olympic will travel to Porter Ridge on Dec. 13, while Northside Christian will head to Covenant Day on Dec. 16.

SCORING SUMMARY
OLYMPIC: 9 10 28 16 — 63
NORTHSIDE: 19 17 16 10 — 62
NSC—Antonio Perkins 21, Arial Jones 11, Goudelock 7, Freeman 4, Shaw 8, Shouse 4, Bullock 3, Thompson 4,
NORTHSIDE 3-8

SANFORD GRACE CHRISTIAN 104 NEUSE CHRISTIAN 66
NCA : 13-22-17-14---66
GCS : 24-23-30-27---104
NCA—Alex Rechetnokov 26, Chase Curtis 14, Jonathan Philyaw 12, Campbell 5, Brown 3, Colgan 2, Winstead 4
GCA—Ma’Kyi Butler 26, Derius Hodges 16, Jimmy Zimmerman 16, Landon Wester 16, Kaleb Smith 10, Streeter 6, Stokes 3, Stone 3, McGraw 8,
NEUSE 1-5 GRACE 7-4

Dinkins, Westchester rally past Salem Baptist
• By GREER SMITH ENTERPRISE SPORTS WRITER


HIGH POINT — Zane Dinkins did a lit bit of everything down the stretch for the Westchester Country Day boys basketball team Thursday night.

Dinkins scored 11 of the Wildcats’ last 15 points, including the go-ahead bucket with 1:37 remaining, and came up with a pass interception at the end that sealed the Wildcats’ come-from-behind 63-60 victory over Salem Baptist on Thursday in Brooks Gym.

In addition to that, he twice grabbed a mop and cleaned up the moisture left from bodies hitting the floor in the closing minutes.

“I was doing my job,” Dinkins said of his play on the court. “I was doing whatever I could to help us win.”
Dinkins, who finished 17 points, said he was happier about getting the win than with the amount of points he scored. The win, which boosted the Wildcats to 3-4, was much needed after a blowout loss to Greensboro Day on Tuesday.

“You can’t say enough about Zane’s hard work,” Westchester head coach Brook Patterson said. “He’s in the gym all the time. It couldn’t happen to a better kid.”
Westchester, which trailed by 10 late in the third quarter, was down eight before the rally began in earnest with six straight points, the last of those coming when Dinkins made a layup before crashing into a Viking trying to draw a charge, hitting the floor hard and banging his elbow with 4:33 left.

“I tweaked some of my muscles but I’m fine,” Dinkins said.

Dinkins went to the bench briefly for medical attention, returned and streaked for a layup that followed a Salem 3. After another Viking bucket, he canned a 3 that brought Westchester within two. Salem’s next possession ended in a blocked shot and Josh Bayne of the Wildcats hit a layup that tied the score 57-57.

Dinkins drove for a layup that put Westchester up 61-60 with 1:37 left and the Wildcats never trailed again. Dinkins made the front end of a one-and-one for a 62-60 lead with 36.4 seconds left but the second was negated by a lane violation.

Westchester center Jalen Umstead, who led the Wildcats with 24 points, stopped Salem’s next offensive effort with a blocked shot. Dinkins was fouled, made the first but missed the second, leaving the Wildcats up 63-60 with 20 seconds left.

Collin Morrison of Salem, trying to tie the score, misfired on a 3-point attempt from about 20 feet with under five seconds to go. M.J. Edwards of Westchester grabbed the rebound, was fouled and missed the front end of a one-and-one with 3.1 seconds left.

Salem got the ball and headed upcourt. What was thought to be the final horn sounded before the Vikings could attempt a shot but officials ruled that Salem head coach Jon Weavil had called a time out with .4 seconds left. The Vikings (3-5) lobbed in a pass intended for shooting guard T.J. Corbin, who led Salem with 25 points, but Dinkins was in the right place to intercept it.

Westchester led early as it got the ball inside to Umstead, who scored 13 points that fueled a 19-13 lead with 5:50 left in the second quarter. The Wildcats shot poorly for the rest of the half as Salem closed it on a 17-4 run for a 30-23 halftime lead.

Westchester played a more uptempo style in the third quarter as it kept matching Salem basket for basket and trailed by seven entering the fourth.

“Our guys kept fighting,” Patterson said. “We’ve been struggling shooting the ball. We did that Tuesday and we did that in the first half today for sure. All of a sudden we got our confidence and that changed the game. We had done a good job defensively in the first half, we just weren’t making shots.”

Southeast Invitational (boys) (at Fayetteville Academy) FRIDAY
(Gym 1)
Lake Norman Christian vs. Northwood Temple, 4:30
NC GBB vs. TD Prep (GA), 6 Vertical Academy vs. Carolina Basketball Academy (GA),
7 Liberty Heights vs. Rock School (FL),
8:30

(Gym 2)
New Life Christian (SC) vs. Living Water Christian, 4:30
Elevation Prep vs. Trinity Christian,

Trinity Christian boys basketball won in dramatic fashion Monday night against New Life Christian.

With 1.5 seconds left and the game tied, Michael Ross Jr. sprinted toward the half-court line and heaved a shot that fell through the net as the buzzer sounded.

Trinity Christian uploaded the video on its basketball Twitter account. Watch it here:


Ross’ buzzer-beater gave the Crusaders a 71-68 double-overtime win. Linwood Rowe had a game-high 31 points, Diamante Shepard added 14 and Ross finished with 12 for Trinity Christian (5-3).

The Crusaders have won four in a row.


TRINITY CHRISTIAN 71 NEW LIFE CHRISTIAN (Fayetteville) 68 7 OT
TCS : 20-13-22-8—2-6---71
NLC : 13-19-11-20-2-3---68
NLC—Ja’Kwon Moore 19, Tavion Grant 14, Malachi Travis 14, Jaheim Faison 11, Young 0, Grate 5, James 5, Wright 0, Bailey 0,
TRINITY 5-3 NEW LIFE 10-6