Leadership role



Cape Fear Academy international player shows growth



Michael Cuneo



Wilmington StarNews USA TODAY NETWORK



The Cape Fear Academy boys basketball team might look slightly different this season, but the school’s international program is still turning out talented players from up north.



Before point guard Markus Pastorcic- Straun grew into a leadership role with the Hurricanes, he played every sport he could in his hometown of Toronto, Canada.



Markus’ early journey through the sports world included stints playing soccer, football and running track. However, after his friends started playing basketball, he made the move to the court and hasn’t looked back since.



After spending time on travel teams throughout high school, Markus got the call from coach Tony Martin and joined Cape Fear Academy through the school’s international program as a junior.



New City, new responsibilities



Wilmington proved a perfect landing spot for the teenager, but transitioning to life in another country far from family was challenging.



“We had just come out of COVID, so I was with my parents every day and quarantined. So coming from being quarantined with my parents every day to not seeing them at all was really hard on me,” Markus said.



Being away from his parents wasn’t the only thing Markus would have to adjust to. With the Hurricanes, he’s expected to watch film, create scouting reports of opposing teams and guide younger students along the way, all while taking at least two advanced program classes.



The constant balance between sports and school was new for Markus, but he says it ultimately made his transition easier.



“It’s definitely different from the school I came from. The workload of basketball, we’re in here every day. We have homework every day. Just time management and learning to balance everything really helped,” he said.



Why move?



While he never planned to move to the U.S., limitations in high school athletics in Canada due to COVID-19 restrictions opened the door for Markus to explore new opportunities.



“I didn’t consider (playing internationally) at all until COVID because basketball was shut down in Canada. Even when I came my junior year, there was nothing in Canada. I was kind of forced to come down here, but it was a great move for me, but I had never had that type of intention before,” he said.



Markus says his social personality didn’t mesh well with online schooling during the lockdown, another reason he liked being in Wilmington.



“I hated online school just because I like to be social. Canada was really strict on restrictions and then I came down here and it wasn’t the same at all. So for me, I loved it because I could do what I loved and go back to somewhat normal.” he said.



Stepping into a leadership role



As he jogs onto the practice court in the Cape Fear Academy gym, Markus immediately assumes a teaching role, quizzing younger teammates on positioning and movement as they run through drills.



“Why are we doing that,” he asked just moments after joining his teammates on the court. “What’s the goal?” he continued.



After watching five of his teammates graduate this offseason, Markus has found a new way to approach leading the team.



“I feel like I’ve always been in a leadership position but haven’t always done it the best. I’d get frustrated last year with my guys, but this year is



See BASKETBALL, Page 3B



Continued from Page 1B



completely different. Coach Martin has really helped. He’s forced me to calm down and just do what I do,” he said.



It’s this role within the team, combined with his outspoken personality and raw skill on the court, that has made Markus a figure well-respected by teammates and coaches alike.



‘Hyper-competitive’



“I just love winning,” the 18-year-old said. “It doesn’t matter what it is, I’m just a competitive person in general.”



Martin, who has coached nearly every level of basketball for more than 30 years, says Markus’ competitive spirit elevates his game.



“For Markus, he is the ultimate competitor. If you look at his skill set, he’s a pretty gifted athlete, but at the end of the day, it’s all relative. He’s a very good athlete and has a good skill set in all areas, but it’s elevated because he is hyper-competitive,” Martin said.



Markus is one of Cape Fear Academy’s most skilled players on the court. He played one of his best games of the season against New Hanover in the Hoggard Holiday Classic, drilling a longdistance 3-pointer just before the halftime buzzer.



While he’s experienced the bulk of the limelight this season with the Hurricanes, Markus says watching those around him excel is the most crucial part of his game.



“As much as I love to win, I love to see my teammates succeed as well. I want my teammates to do just as big as things as I do, so I love seeing other people and my teammates succeed,” he said.

NOTE: the rankings are compiled from The Charlotte Observer and News & Observer of Raleigh by Talking Preps co-hosts Alex Bass (girls) and Rick Lewis (boys). TOP VIDEOS

GIRLS NCISAA Rk School Rec Prvs

1 Grace Christian 20-2 1
2 Providence Day 13-4 2
3 Rabun Gap 16-5 3
4 Cannon School 14-5 4
5 Victory Christian 14-2 5
6 Concord Academy 12-7 6
7 Saint David’s 9-2 7
8 Wayne Country Day 16-1 8
9 O’Neal School 16-2 9
10 Greensboro Day 12-7 10

WAKE CHRISTIAN 80 WILSON CHRISTIAN 62
Wake 21 23 27 9 — 80
WCA 12 14 14 22 — 62
WCA--Beckett Coon 22, Worsley 18, Delaney 16, Berkley Coon 14, Caruso 6, Bryant 2, Thomas 1, Neville 1.
WCA--Simon Quinn 22, Batts 10, Evans 7, Z. Joyner 6, Trull 6, Quinn 4, Clark 4, B. Joyner 2, Zander 1.

Carmel Christian rallies past No. 1 Myers Park in thrilling heavyweight battle
BY STEVE LYTTLE


High school basketball fans hoped Saturday night’s finale of the Phenom Hoops MLK Classic at Carmel Christian would answer the question: How much difference is there between the state’s top-ranked public school team and the No. 1-rated private school team?

Now we know the answer – a loose ball, and a couple of seconds.

That’s about all that separated Carmel Christian, the defending 4A private school state champion, and Myers Park, the No. 25 team in MaxPreps national rankings. Host Carmel Christian, No. 1 in the statewide private school poll, prevailed 52-51 before a sellout crowd that included huge contingents of vociferous student fan sections from both schools.

“It was an electric atmosphere,” Carmel Christian coach Joe Badgett said.

Badgett’s Cougars (21-3) raced to a six-point lead in the first quarter and never trailed in the first half. Coach Scott Taylor’s Mustangs (13-4) battled back in the third quarter, outscoring Carmel Christian 18-10 and taking a 40-36 lead at the end of the period.

Park led by as much as 46-38 with 5:22 left, but Carmel Christian scored 14 of the final 19 points.

The game ended with some controversy. Myers Park’s Sam Walters hit a 3-point field goal with 1.5 seconds left, cutting the deficit to 52-51. Then the Mustangs thought they’d stolen the inbounds pass, but the buzzer went off, and officials ruled the game had ended.

“We showed that we are resilient,” said Cougars’ forward Jaedan Mustaf, who scored a game-high 21 points, many of them heavily-contested under the Myers Park basket.

So here are some takeaways from a game that might turn out – depending on how things go in the playoffs later this season – to be North Carolina’s Game of the Year.

CARMEL IS CRUISING

A year ago at this time, Badgett was talking about his team being a long way away from where he wanted it to be.
“I think we’re ahead of where we were at this point last year,” Badgett conceded/ There are two things that are different than last season, he said. “We’re ahead defensively,” he said. “There are still some things that we have to work out, but we’re ahead of last year defensively.”

Saturday’s contest looked like a Big Ten game. It was rugged, with much of the scoring around the basket. Players landed on the floor on nearly every play.

“We expect a half-court game,” Taylor said before the contest. That’s what happened. But it should be noted that Carmel Christian’s late surge started with a pair of 3-point field goals by Mustaf, on back-to-back possessions with about four minutes left. That cut the Myers Park lead from 46-38 to 46-44.

For the most part, though, it was a tough game, and the Cougars held their own.

MYERS PARK IS FINE

A one-point loss to the state’s No. 1 private school team on their floor is no reason to panic. Myers Park had won seven in a row prior to Saturday night and still looks like a legitimate 4A state championship contender.

Sir Mohammed had a big night, with 16 points and five rebounds. The Mustangs were hurt by the loss of center Elijah Strong, who scored 10 points before fouling out with 1:15 left.

But Myers Park settled down after a shaky start. They out-rebounded Carmel Christian 9-4 and shot better than 50 percent from the floor in their big third quarter. And the Mustang defense forced four Carmel Christian turnovers.

Myers Park has seven regular-season games remaining and will be favored in at least six of them, up until the finale Feb. 10 at Olympic.

WHAT CARMEL LEARNED …

Badgett said he learned something about his team in Saturday’s victory. “I saw that this team won’t quit,” he said. “We were down 8, but we came back.”

He gave a lot of the credit to his assistant coaches, twins Chavis and Travis Holmes. “They have played professional basketball,” he said of the brothers. “They’ve experienced this game in all kinds of levels. They keep their cool.”

Badgett said the coaches’ behavior is contagious. “Our players see how the coaches are handling things,” he said. “We coaches don’t quit, so our players keep going.”

Like Myers Park, Carmel Christian will be favored in all but perhaps its final regular-season game. The last of the Cougars’ six remaining contests is Feb. 11, against Maryland powerhouse Shabach Christian Academy, in Landover.

After that, the Cougars will begin the chase for another state championship.

APA boys drops close one to Rocky Mount Academy

Arendell Parrott put up much more of a fight the second time around.

Although the Patriots came up short against Rocky Mount Academy 33-31 but APA coach Christopher Brown said there were positives to take from the loss. Arendell Parrott (2-10) fell to Rocky Mount (5-7) 62-39 on the road Dec. 7, and the team was in it throughout.

"We avoided turning the ball over as much as possible against their pressure defense," Brown said. "We had great energy and the guys have really worked hard in practice."

Neither team could garner separation in the first half, as the lead changed hands six times. Rocky Mount Academy took a 19-16 lead into the break and extended it to seven after baskets from Wyatt Wells and Wells Hutson.



Arendell Parrott came back with an 8-0 run, capped off with a 3-pointer Connor Woelfel banked in to take the lead. The Eagles went into the fourth ahead 26-25 and had a four-point lead early, but an Oliver LaQuire free throw and J. Allen Smith 3-pointer tied it at 31 with 5:20 to go.

The last points of the game came on an Owen Smith basket with 3:28 to play for Rocky Mount Academy.

The Eagles came up empty in three attempts at the free throw line, but the Patriots couldn't capitalize.

ROCKY MOUNT ACADEMY 33, ARENDELL PARROTT 31
RMA 7 12 7 7 – 33
APA 6 10 9 6 — 31
ROCKY MOUNT ACADEMY — Wells 9, Sherrod 6, Hutson 6, Winham 5, Smith 5, Lewis 2
ARENDELL PARROTT — Oliver LaQuire 11, Riley 5, Smith 5, Corey 4, Soloman 3, Woelfel 3
Three-pointers: RMA — Winham. APA — Corey, Riley, Smith, Woelfel, LaQuire.

WILSON CHRISTIAN 38 WAKE CHRISTIAN 22
WAKE 4 4 4 10 — 22
WCA 15 12 7 4 — 38
WAKE CHRISTIAN (22)
Mercedes 15, Morgan 3, Frazier 2, Caruso 2.
WILSON CHRISTIAN (38)
Bailey 12, Hoskins 9, Nesbit 5, Villaverde 5, Farmer 3, Hurteau 2, Little 2.

KVA completes perfect week on hardwood
By Bryant Baucom bbaucom@hendersondispatch.com; 252-436-2840 Jan 13, 2023 Updated 10 hrs ago

HENDERSON — Kerr-Vance Academy capped off a perfect week on the hardwood on Thursday, earning a decisive 69-42 victory over Oakwood High School.

The win for the Spartans was their second over the five-day stretch and brought them to .500 in conference play.

Leading by just 7 points at the break, head coach Marcus Foster implored his team to take hold of the contest and put it out of reach. Taking his advice, the Spartans began the second half on a 12-0 run en route to the season sweep of the Eagles.

Freshman Wil Holmes recorded a game-high 27 points, while sophomore M.J. Wright assisted with a 21-point performance. Foster also praised the work of the frontcourt, singling out Rakia Terry for his effort on the glass.

Thursday night’s victory came on the heels of a mid-week win for Kerr-Vance, in which they orchestrated a fourth-quarter comeback to snap a six-game losing streak.

First-year program Wake Prep clung to a 7-point lead heading into the final eight minutes of play, figuratively holding the season in the balance for the then 2-8 Spartans.

With less than a minute to play, Kerr-Vance found themselves down 3, but a steal by Wright that developed into an and-one opportunity for the Spartans swung the momentum, much like a pendulum, in their direction.

Clinging onto a 52-51 advantage following a two-point basket, their defense held firm in the final 10 seconds, as Foster’s squad earned their first victory since Dec. 6.

“They played very hard and they never gave up. That’s been a problem for us in the past. I was pleased with the effort for all four quarters,” said Foster. “I talked to the guys and told them to just believe in themselves, dig down, pour everything they had, and just leave it all on the court.”

Sitting at six games under .500 heading into the non-conference tilt, the trajectory of their season hung in the balance.

“To get a win on Wednesday night was huge for us. It was a big turnaround for the program,” said Foster. “It feels real good as a coach, but the kids get all of the credit for it. I couldn’t have asked for a better performance from them.”

Holmes, who is Kerr-Vance’s leading scorer, tallied a game-high 18 points, as Wright aided the offensive attack with 16 points of his own.

Despite the successful offensive numbers, it is the trademark defense of the Spartans that contributed to the win.

Forcing 18 turnovers and utilizing their tenacious defense helped lead to fast-break opportunities and a plethora of transition points.


“We want to get out and run and that comes from our defense,” said Foster. “If we force turnovers, we can get easy baskets.”

Wednesday’s result is a byproduct of Kerr-Vance’s development over the course of the season, as they now know their identity as a program.

“They are finding out what their roles are,” said Foster. “We found out last night truly what our identity is as a team. We can be a really scrappy team and that’s the thing I’ve wanted from day one since I took this job.”

The Spartans’ roster features just one senior and a total of seven underclassmen, making the perfect record on the week a glimpse into the future in Henderson.

While those types of results may not be present over every sequence of the season, Foster emphasized the change in confidence and outlook for the Kerr-Vance basketball program.

“We are going to fight and we’re going to be active on defense. We’re a young team,” said Foster. “We know moving forward what we can do and what we’re capable of.”



“We might not score a lot, but we’ll scratch your eyeballs out.”

BOYS SWEET 16

Rk School Rec Prvs

1 Myers Park 12-3 1
2 Carmel Christian 20-3 2
3 Central Cabarrus 16-0 3
4 North Mecklenburg 15-1 4
5 Cannon 19-5 5
6 United Faith 18-2 7
7 Olympic 17-0 8
8 Concord Academy 20-4
6 9 J.L. Chambers 12-4 9
10 Hickory 13-1 13
11 Charlotte Catholic 13-4 10
12 East Mecklenburg 12-3 12
13 Gaston Christian 14-7 NR
14 Richmond County 12-2 NR
15 Butler 9-4 NR
16 Hough 11-5

NR Dropped Out: Charlotte Country Day (IND, 15-7); West Charlotte (3A, 9-5); Robinson (2A, 9-5); Gaston Day (IND, 9-4).
Also receiving consideration: Hopewell (4A, 10-6); Crest (3A, 12-2); Lake Norman (4A, 11-5)

Suffren, Ward earn McDonald’s All American nominations


C. JEMAL HORTON
CONCORD -- Two Cabarrus County athletes took a monumental step toward finding themselves in what is rarefied air for high school basketball players in the United States.

On Wednesday, Cannon School’s Samyha Suffren and Concord Academy’s Zoey Ward earned nominations to be included in the 2023 McDonald’s All American Game.

According to the game’s organizers, 722 girls and boys players nationwide received nominations this year, and Suffren and Ward and two of the girls.

Of the 722 players nominated, only 48 – 24 girls and 24 boys – will be selected to play in the McDonald’s All American Game.

The McDonald’s All American Games Selection Committee – comprised of some of the nation’s most knowledgeable high school analysts, prep scouts, media and basketball coaches – will make final the picks.

Players were nominated by a high school coach, athletic director, principal or member of the McDonald’s All American Games Selection Committee based upon athletic achievement, scholastic achievement and behavior.

Thus far, only two Cabarrus County athletes have ever been selected as McDonald’s All Americans: Cox Mill boys legend Wendell Moore Jr., now with the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves; and former Cannon School girls star Reigan Richardson, who started her career at the University of Georgia and now plays at Duke.

Suffren, a 5-foot-8 point guard who has signed a National Letter of Intent with Virginia Tech University, is a four-star prospect and ranked 69th in the country in the Class of 2023, according to ESPN. That was the third-best ranking among seniors in North Carolina.

This season, Suffren leads Cannon with averages of 14.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.4 steals and 3.1 assists per game. The Cougars are the No. 2 team in the Independent Tribune’s Cream of Cabarrus rankings.

Like Suffren, Ward has been one of the best players in the county for at least the last two seasons. Listed at 6-0, Ward can do it all, and she plays that role for Concord Academy, making her presence felt on the perimeter and the interior.


Currently, Ward is averaging 16.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game. She’s a major reason the Eagles are listed at No. 3 in the Cream of Cabarrus rankings.

Other players from the Charlotte area who were nominated Wednesday are Salisbury High School girls player Kyle Bryant and Charlotte Providence Day boys standout Riley Allenspach.

This year’s McDonald’s All American Game will be played in Houston’s Toyota Center, home of the NBA’s Houston Rockets on March 28.

Raiders spilt in first week back
By The Daily News


PCA returned to the hardwood last week after a two week Christmas break. The rust was evident for both teams on Tuesday as John Paul II swept the Raiders on their home floor.

John Paul II held an 11 point halftime advantage before the Lady Saints outscored the Raiders 19 – 11 in the third quarter to pull away, 65 – 41. It was the Lady Raiders first defeat this season. Reagan Stoop led the way with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Abbey Cutler scored nine points, all on three-pointers.

In the boys game, the Raiders got down by as many as 11 points in the third quarter before coming back to take the lead with under a minute to play. The Saints hit a go-ahead three-pointer with under 20 seconds left that proved to be the difference as the Saints prevailed, 51 – 47. Quay Artis had the hot hand with 24 points and was the only Raider in double figures. Drew Van Staalduinen and Austin Garrish each had 10 rebounds. The Raiders shot just 37% from the floor in the loss.


Friday, the Raiders hosted their county and conference rival Terra Ceia Christian School. The Lady Raiders jumped out to a 37 – 13 halftime advantage and never looked back, defeating the Knights 67 – 24. Stoop led the Raiders (13-1, 2-0) with 18 points, while Cutler and Alden Taylor each had 12 points. Sophomore center Allison Sawyer had eight points in her second game back from a knee injury suffered last season.

For the boys, the Raiders were up 42 – 22 at halftime and rolled to a 84 – 38 victory. Maddox Lee led all scorers with 26 points. Quay Artis was the only other Raider in double figures with 17. Garrish added nine points and eight assists while Van Staalduinen also scored nine and grabbed 10 rebounds as PCA raised its record to 11-3 and 2-0 in conference play.

Both teams will travel to Northeast Academy on Wednesday and host Lawrence Academy on Friday this week in what will be a crucial matchup for TIC standings.

Trojans fall just shy against Piedmont Classical
Michael Lindsay | Enterprise Sports Writer Jan 12, 2023 Updated 6 hrs ago

HIGH POINT – Wesleyan Christian made a lot of good things happen against one of the top teams in the area. But it fell just short of the upset victory.

The Trojans rallied when they needed to, stayed even into the fourth, but momentarily stumbled during a key stretch inside the final two minutes in falling 77-72 against Piedmont Classical in boys basketball Thursday at Wesleyan.

“I feel like we fought,” Wesleyan coach Noah Adams said. “That was an emphasis we put on the board pregame in the locker room: Tonight we fight. And I thought the boys did exactly that. They usually get down and let their heads hang a little bit, but I feel like they actually fought tonight.

“It’s amazing to see our progression. Everyone’s going to look at our record and say, ‘Oh, they’re not a good team.’ But one thing they’ve got to realize is where this team’s come from in November to now in January. I can almost guarantee we’re not a team some teams want to play coming into February.”

Stephen McLamb scored 21 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, to lead the Trojans (6-14), who have been 4-4 over their last eight games after a choppy opening month. Luke Morgan and Trenton Jackson each had 14 points.

Wesleyan, which led by one point two minutes into the fourth but trailed by six a minute and a half later, rallied back to tie the score on a layup by Jasean Williams, who had 11 points, with 1:58 left in the game.

But the Bobcats (22-3) – recent champions of the Sheetz Holiday Christmas Classic at Southwest Guilford who were led by Sheetz tournament MVP Richard Goods with 24 points – went on a seven-point run to lead 72-65 with 1:02 left.

Piedmont Classical, ranked No. 30 in the state overall, sank five of eight free throws and added a layup while the Trojans committed a pair of turnovers and missed a 3-pointer to fall off the pace.

“Some costly turnovers hurt us down the stretch,” Adams said. “Guards are thinking, ‘Oh, we got the ball inbounds. They’re going to pressure, so let me leak out.’ No, guards still have to be guards, go get the ball, do what you need to do. Those turnovers and lack of rebounding.”

Wesleyan, which erased an early nine-point hole to lead by one at the end of the first and stayed within 37-31 at halftime, whittled its deficit to four with 23 seconds left and to three with 12 seconds left.

The Bobcats, members of the Carolina Athletic Association for Schools of Choice, sank enough free throws in the final seconds to hang on. But the Trojans left feeling positive about their performance.

They look to carry it into tonight’s game at Charlotte Christian.

“It’s definitely a huge boost,” Adams said. “We’ve said it’s not over till the fat lady sings. And we’re thinking in our minds that the fat lady hasn’t even woken up and gotten out of bed yet. So, we’re definitely taking this as a confidence boost and trying to push through the final weeks of the regular season.”

mlindsay@hpenews.com | @HPEmichael

Former Greenfield star Murphy transfers to Mount Olive, makes college debut in Wilson
By Andrew Schnittker
aschnittker@wilsontimes.com

Wilson County basketball fans in attendance for Wednesday night’s showdown between Barton College and Mount Olive at Wilson Gymnasium saw a familiar face – wearing a familiar set of colors – check into the game for the Trojans in the first quarter.

Aaron Murphy, who starred for Greenfield School during the last two seasons of his high school career, made his collegiate debut for Mount Olive.

“It was amazing,” Murphy said. “So many wins here in high school, so many memories, relationships. I’ve seen some old people in the crowd that used to come to my games at Greenfield that just showed love.”

Murphy signed with NCAA Division I Queens University out of high school, but said he simply didn’t feel a fit there.

So, last semester, Murphy decided to enter the transfer portal, and look to play closer to his family’s home in Greenville.

“A lot was going on at Queens,” Murphy said. “I wanted to stop playing basketball for a few months and wanted to come back home. Green looked better on me anyway. The love there is not what I believed in and what I represent. … I’m just happy now.”

As he looked for a good fit closer to home, Murphy said that he quickly found that with the Trojans and head coach Dory Hines.

He said he already loves his new Mount Olive teammates, and feels there’s a bright future for the Trojans program.

“When I went into practice, I had another coach tell me that he believed in me,” Murphy said. “And I had my teammates tell me tonight that they believed in me. So I know this is the program for me.”

Murphy used to train with Dory Hines’ brother, Curtis, and Mount Olive’s bench boss was happy to add the former Knights star to his program.

“I’ve known Aaron for a long time,” Hines said. “He used to train with my brother, Curtis. When he hit the transfer portal, he called me and said, ‘Coach, I want to be there.’ I was excited, glad to have him. He’s an A-1 kid on and off the court.”


In addition to being a good fit for him on and off the court, Murphy said he was pleased that playing at Mount Olive would allow him to help his family.

“Being at Mount Olive, I’m going to be able to pay my Mom back for all the sacrifices she made,” Murphy said.

As fate would have it, Murphy would get to play his first college game a shade over four miles from the high school gym in which he made so many memories.

Murphy only arrived at Mount Olive at the start of this semester, and hadn’t had much practice time going into Wednesday night’s game.

Hines said he left the decision of whether or not he wanted to play up to Murphy, and Murphy himself was unsure. But, arriving in Wilson Wednesday, the decision became easy.

“Driving through Wilson, it energized me,” Murphy said. “I remembered the memories from last year.”

With a game under his belt, Murphy said he’s ready to keep growing into a bigger and bigger role for the Trojans as the season goes on.

Being at Mount Olive has rekindled his love for basketball, and he reiterated that he feels there’s a bright future for him in the program.

“It’s felt amazing,” Murphy said. “A few months ago, I wanted to quit playing basketball and withdraw from school. Now I’m happy. I’ve got a jersey on, and I’m happy.”

Lady Chargers lock down Bulldogs for fourth straight win

By Andrew Schnittker
aschnittker@wilsontimes.com
\
Behind a stout, well-executed defensive effort, the Wilson Christian girls basketball team cruised to a 38-22 win over visiting Wake Christian Thursday evening.

The Lady Chargers, who won their fourth straight game and improved to 14-2 on the season, gave the Bulldogs (6-12) fits with their zone defense throughout the night.





“Defensively is where we’re starting,” said Wilson Christian head coach Brian Trull. “We played great defense and executed on offense. We were very patient in getting the right look, not the good shot but the better and the best shot. And we did go inside-out tonight, which I thought was very effective.”

Wilson Christian held Wake to just eight points in the first half and 12 through the game’s first three quarters. The Lady Chargers also pulled down 23 rebounds and came away with 10 steals.

“I feel like everyone boxed out and was very aggressive tonight,” said Wilson Christian senior Jocelyn Bailey.

Trull distributed playing time evenly, with eight players finding the scoresheet and every healthy player on the roster seeing minutes.


“You hear the girls, they’re enjoying each other and they’re cheering for each other,” Trull said. “So that’s nice. Tuesday night was a much tighter game, it was closer, so we didn’t play as many players. But tonight, we were able to get everybody involved in a game like that and get them experience, which is important.”

Bailey led Wilson Christian with 12 points, followed by Kate Hoskins with nine. It was an all-hands-on-deck effort, with Bailey, point guard Chloe Villaverde and Bri Little combining for the team lead in rebounds with four apiece.


“I felt like we played defense very well and were very patient on offense,” Bailey said. “We’ve gotten better at that recently.”

The Lady Chargers got off to a strong start in this one, zipping out to a 15-4 lead after eight minutes. WCA used its sharp ball movement through and around the paint to set up open shots, and Hoskins scored all nine of her points in the opening frame on a pair of treys and a three-point play.

“If you look at percentages, the paint to the 3-point shot is way better than just a side to side or just a step-in 3,” Trull said.

Wilson Christian continued to flummox the Bulldogs with its zone defense in the second quarter, limiting Wake to just two made field goals to take a 27-8 lead into halftime.

“We’re doing a much better job in our rotation getting Sophia (Nesbit) down from the top down,” Trull said. “She’s so long, so we get deflections and just make it difficult for teams to get good shots off.”

With the Lady Chargers up around 20 points throughout the third quarter, Trull was able to rotate lineups and get valuable experience throughout the roster for some of the Lady Chargers’ young players.


The Lady Chargers know that playing experience throughout the team could prove valuable down the line or in future seasons, and the starters, in their turn, enjoyed getting to watch the younger players get some time.

“That’s so much fun,” Bailey said. “I love when we can do that and cheer for them. They cheer for us all the time, so it’s nice to give back.”


WCA’s lead never dipped below 16 in the final frame, as the Lady Chargers cruised to their 14th win of the season.

WCA will visit Faith Christian of Rocky Mount on Friday, ahead of a looming NCCSA 2-A East Region showdown with Greenville Christian on Tuesday, Jan. 17.

“That first group is really confident right now, which is good,” Trull said. “You want to be confident, you want to know when you step on the court that you have an opportunity to beat anybody you play, and I think they feel like that right now.”

WAKE CHRISTIAN (22)

Mercedes 15, Morgan 3, Frazier 2, Caruso 2.

WILSON CHRISTIAN (38)

Bailey 12, Hoskins 9, Nesbit 5, Villaverde 5, Farmer 3, Hurteau 2, Little 2.

Score by quarters:

Wake 4 4 4 10 — 22

WCA 15 12 7 4 — 38

Wake Forest commit Bryson Cokley's 25-points helps Christ School beat Asheville School
Zachary Huber
Asheville Citizen Times

Asheville School’s Nic Herakovic received the ball from the referee to inbound the ball with 5.4 seconds left in the game with his team trailing Christ School by three.

Point guard Derin Saran set a backscreen that freed forward Murathan Kocaman for a shot to tie the game.
The Greenies, however, had 6-foot-10 big man Anthony Robinson guarding the inbound.
Herakovic attempted to hurl the pass to Kocaman, but it hung in the air too long. Christ School forward Jozohn Price recovered from the Saran screen and deflected the pass to point guard Keenan Wilkins to seal the 61-57 win over its biggest rival Asheville School (10-3, 1-1) on Tuesday at home.

But the Greenies (20-1, 2-0) would have never been in that position without a 25-point career high from junior wing and Wake Forest commit Bryson Cokley and their new transfers, Wilkins and Jamari Briggs, who both added 13 points.

Cokley averaged only 8.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game heading into Tuesday’s contest.

He did most of his damage from beyond the arc. He took what the defense gave him and bagged four 3-pointers in the first half while adding one more in the second.

He said he had to pump-fake and drive to his spots and pull up because the Blues guarded the 3-point line better in the second half.

Wilkins said there were times when he felt like Cokley wasn’t ever going to miss.

“I went back to him every time,” Wilkins said. “I felt like he needed the ball. He’s on a hot streak.”

Coach Josh Coley said he and the coaching staff were hard on Cokley in the days leading up to the game. They were because they weren’t sure if Longwood signee Emmanuel Richards would be available after sustaining a concussion.

“We thought that he could' he can always do more like there’s a whole 'nother level to him,” Coley said.

Christ School didn’t have Richards on Tuesday nor Lleyton Thomas-Johnson, who is recovering from a broken wrist.

Coley credited Cokley for rising to the occasion.

He believes he has also turned a corner defensively, too. Saran hauled in a long rebound near half-court and darted toward the rim in the final minute of the fourth quarter.

Cokley was standing near the rim guarding Kocaman. He left his man and drew a pivotal charge on Saran.

“He’s not a charge guy,” Coley said. “That’s not who he is. We challenged him. ... And if it requires a charge, take it; and he did.”

Wilkins and Briggs have also played a pivotal role in the Greenies' strong start. Wilkins transferred from Hendersonville this offseason. Briggs came from Hartsville, South Carolina.

They lead the team in scoring, averaging 13.5 and 12.5 points per game, respectively. Wilkins is the team leader in assists, too, with 4.7 per contest.

Cokley said the addition of Wilkins and Briggs put a lot of stress on defense because it’s hard to defend four guards and one big.

Coley complimented the steadiness that they’ve brought to the team. Wilkins does it by leading the offense. Briggs accomplishes it on the defensive end. Coley said the coaching staff tasks him with guarding the other team’s best guy every time out.

He said the transition has been seamless for Wilkins and Briggs because of how welcoming everyone is on campus.

Coley added that Christ School needs to keep working and not get complacent even though it just beat Asheville School, which is likely its main competition for a conference title.

“Bringing a hard hat every day and coming to work in practice,” Coley said. “Keep doing what’s gotten us here. Like there are no shortcuts. We take the stairs always.”

Crossroads extends winning streak in record-setting season

By Bryant Baucom bbaucom@hendersondispatch.com; 252-436-2840 Jan 11, 2023 Updated 12 hrs ago


HENDERSON — Returning to both their home floor and conference play, Crossroads Christian swept the varsity twinbill on Tuesday as they played host to Cresset Christian Academy.

The Colts girls basketball team improved to 14-1 on the season and extended their winning streak to seven games with a 75-30 victory over the Eagles.

It was a wire-to-wire win for Cammy Simmons’ squad, who began the game on an 18-0 run and never looked back. Their full-court press combined with their speed on the fast-break created high-percentage looks and pressured Cresset Christian into turning over the basketball.

The key for Crossroads was the ability to share the basketball and pass up good looks for great ones.

“I thought we moved the ball well to get the shots we wanted,” said Simmons. “We had nine players score and three scored [in] double digits.”

Sophomore Elysaa Phillips powered the Colts’ offense with a game-high 17 points. Senior Isreal Thorpe (15 points) and sophomore Mattie Grissom (12 points) aided the offensive attack in Henderson.

With 50 or more points in all 15 games and averaging 62 points per contest, Crossroads has turned into a dynamic two-way team.

For a roster that allows just 24 points a game, Simmons credits their defensive performance in the victory, as they turned in another impressive outing.

“Our defense was on point as far as keeping Cresset out of the paint,” said Simmons. “They have a girl that can drive to the basket very well and score, so I thought we did a good job making her shoot jumpers.”

As the Colts lose the book on their mid-week victory, they turn their attention to a heavyweight non-conference matchup on Thursday.

Oak Forest, based out of Wake Forest, will visit Henderson with a 13-2 record and an eight-game winning streak on the line.

Oak Forest is “a good team and very well coached. We played them last year and it didn’t go so well for us, but this year is different,” said Simmons. “We are more confident this year, we are more disciplined; we are playing great team basketball.”

The Warriors are a stellar 7-1 on the road and 9-2 away from home this season.

Sitting at 14 wins on the year, Crossroads, who is tasked with a high-powered opponent, is presented with the opportunity to cement themselves as a state championship contender with a win.

As Simmons eyes Thursday’s matchup, it’s a reminder of who the Colts are now and how their past is influencing their future.

“We are changing the way girls’ basketball is played at CCS,” said Simmons. “It stems from the ‘COLTure,’ as we like to call it, that we have been building here in the last several years. It’s going to be a good game and it will help us in the long run getting ready for the postseason.”

Tip-off is set for 6:45 p.m.

Bethel Christian falls to Faith Christian after fourth-quarter run
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A big run late turned out to be the difference between rivals.

Faith Christian had a late 13-0 spurt to pick up a 42-41 road win over Bethel Christian Monday. The Conquerors (4-7) found a way in a close game to take control, then withstood an attack from the Trojans (3-10) at the end.

Bethel Christian jumped out to a 9-2 lead, aided by a 3-pointer, followed by a steal and layup from Josh Holmes. Faith Christian fought back to take a 13-12 lead early in the second after a steal and layup from

Jacob Garner, who ended up scoring the last 11 points for the Conquerors in the first half. The teams went into the break tied at 20.

Neither team could get separation in the third quarter, with Bethel Christian ending it with a 26-24 advantage. The Trojans scored the first basket of the fourth, compliments of Carter Overman, but Faith Christian forced a 4:10 streak without a point. Meanwhile, the Conquerors scored 13 unanswered to take control.

Bethel Christian staunched the bleeding with a Holmes basket with 2:55 remaining and Asher Strickland hit a trio of 3-pointers. It wasn't enough as Ben Reese hit three clutch free throws down the stretch and

Strickland's final 3 came as time wound down.

"We got outhustled late, didn't execute our some and couldn't keep control of the ball," Bethel Christian coach Bert Potter said.


FAITH CHRISTIAN 42, BETHEL CHRISTIAN 41
FC 7 13 4 18 – 42
BC 12 8 6 15 — 41
FAITH CHRISTIAN — Jacob Garner 14, Alex Tillman 11, Pendergraft 8, Reese 7, Kelly 2
BETHEL CHRISTIAN — Asher Strickland 16, Holmes 9, Overman 8, Speelman 5, Gurley 3
Fouled out: FC — Tillman
Technical fouls: None
Three-pointers: FC — Garner 3, Tillman. BCA — Strickland 4, Holmes, Speelman.

NORTH HILLS 80 ROCKWELL CHRISTIAN 66
RCA : 15-17-16-18---66
NHC : 29-22-10-19---80
NHC—Champ Hayden 25, Michael Brown 23, Malachi Strong 12, Drye 7, Lawson 0, McInnis 0, Hager 0, K.Talbott 1, Merrell 6, R.Talbott 6, Doan 0, Wippenbeck 0
ROCKWELL 16-3 NORTH HILLS 8-8

CAROLINA MUSTANGS 60 CRESSET CHRISTIAN 42
CCA : 9-9-13-11---42
CAR : 6-24-15-15---60
CAR—Abigail Faison 22, Joyce Reynolds 16, Rivkah Lloyd 16, Alexander 2, Mah 0, McKinney 0, Winn 0, Mericle 4, O’Briant 0
CCA 5-6

Depth, rebounding leads Knights past rival Chargers
By Andrew Schnittker
aschnittker@wilsontimes.com

Behind a red-hot second quarter and deep, balanced attack, the Greenfield School boys basketball team picked up a huge NCISAA 2-A/3-A Coastal Plain Independents Conference win Tuesday evening, knocking off visiting rival Wayne Country Day 84-77.

The Knights, the third-ranked team among MaxPrep’s NCISAA 2-A rankings, improved to 19-5 overall and 4-0 in CPIC play with their fifth straight win. Greenfield’s ability to work the ball through and around the paint for 3-point shots, force turnovers and get out in transition and pull down rebounds at both ends of the court proved to be too much for the Chargers (18-3, 3-1), the second-ranked team, to handle.

“I just thought offensively, we were really unselfish, but we attacked,” said Greenfield head coach Rob Salter. “We were really good in transition. I thought Matt (Kirby) and Kobe (Edwards) were in constant attack mode all night. Matt was phenomenal tonight. I thought we made a lot of hustle plays. I just thought we did the intangible plays we needed to to win. … I knew it would be a battle all the way, and our guys showed a lot of toughness.”

The Knights led by four at halftime, pushed that to 14 with a strong third quarter and held off a late push from Wayne Country Day.

Greenfield’s depth proved to be a key factor as well, with seven players finding the score sheet. Hampton Evans led the way with 20 points, followed by Matt Kirby with 18, Nik Edwards with 15 and Kyshon Atkinson with 11.

“We’ve got guys coming off the bench just as good as the starting five, ready to come in off the bench and also play hard,” Kirby said.

Nayshin Waller led Wayne Country Day with 17 points, followed by Jordan Cooper with 16.

Salter did see room for improvement defensively.

“I thought we didn’t do a very good job in transition at times,” Salter said. “We could not keep Cooper out of the lane. They made some 3s. I think some of our guys kind of freaked out and forgot to get the help side because they were shading towards the shooters. But they’re a good team. Cooper’s been doing that to us for a long time. He’s electric in the open court in getting to the lane.”

The Knights jumped out to a 22-16 lead after one quarter, aided by a hot start from downtown as they knocked down four 3-pointers in the opening frame.

The Chargers started hot in the fourth quarter and took a four-point lead on a 3 and dunk from Waller, prompting Salter to call a timeout with 4:18 left in the half. Micah Sherrod buried a 3 to bring the Knights within one, and that sparked a 9-0 run that allowed the Knights to reclaim a 41-36 lead. Greenfield found itself ahead by four at the break.

The Knights took control in the third quarter, outscoring the Chargers 30-20 to take a 14-point lead into the fourth.

“I thought we really did a good job of getting in the paint,” Salter said. “That’s what we always say. Attack, get a foot in the paint, and good things will happen. I thought we did a good job of getting to the rim and finishing. I thought we did a good job of kicking it out when we needed to. We knew we were a little deeper than they are, so we wanted to put pressure on them most of the night. And then rebounding, when we got the rebounds in the second half, it led us to running and getting in transition.”

Nik Edwards helped the Knights extend their lead midway through the frame, dropping in 3s on back-to-back possessions to make it 55-48, and then a slick move to the basket through contact by Kirby, followed by a steal and layup by Sherrod, pushed it to nine with under four minutes left in the frame.

“I knew my team needed me to get some buckets to get going,” Kirby said.


The Knights depth began to tell on the Chargers as the third quarter went along, as, even with starters such as Evans, Kirby and Atkinson resting, the Knights continued to force turnovers with their pressure defense and attack in transition, as well as pull down offensive rebounds, pushing their lead into double digits.

“That’s what we want to do,” Salter said. “And Matt said it, we’ve got guys coming off the bench just as good as our starters. There’s lineups you just go with in certain games. Micah (Sherrod) comes off and he’s so athletic and can shoot the cover off the ball. Cole (Evans) has been electric from the 3-point line. Bryson (Wall) is just Mr. Everything, intangible for us, he doesn’t have to score to impact the game. We’ve got so many different pieces that help us win. They’re starting to really buy into their roles.”

After re-entering the game, Kirby ignited the crowd by draining a 3 at the third-quarter buzzer to put the Knights up 14 heading into the fourth.

“It felt good,” Kirby said. “We have a lot of confidence when we’re hitting shots.”

Some sloppy play from the Knights midway through the second quarter allowed Wayne Country Day to start to creep back in, but Greenfield’s lead didn’t dip below double digits until there were under four minutes to play, and never dipped below five (and that wasn’t until there was under a minute left). The Knights will host conference foe Epiphany on Friday.

“They were ranked No. 2 in 2-A, and we were ranked No. 3,” Salter said. “We’re battling for a conference title. They have a chance to win a state championship, just like we feel we do too. They’ve got a really good team. We’ll see them a couple more times, so we know it’s not going to be easy any of those times.”


Greenfield’s Kyshon Atkinson, who posted 11 points on the night, drives between two defenders during a home win over Wayne Country Day. Carl Copeland | Special to the Times
WAYNE COUNTRY DAY (77)

Waller 17, Cooper 16, Coles 11, Vazquez 9, Williams 9, Jones 7, Cogdell 6.

GREENFIELD (86)

Evans 20, Kirby 18, N. Edwards 15, Atkinson 11, Sherrod 9, K. Edwards 8, Adair 4.

Score by quarters:

WCD 16 22 20 19 — 77

GFS 21 21 30 14 — 86

Chargers fall to Heat
The Wilson Christian boys basketball team saw its losing streak hit five games Thursday night in a 65-57 loss to visiting NCCSA 2-A East Region foe Liberty Christian.
The Chargers (4-9, 2-2 East Region) fell behind 33-28 at halftime, and could not close the gap in the second half as the Heat (6-1, 2-0) pulled away.
Titus Batts led WCA with 16 points, followed by Zay Joyner with 10. Tayvion Tangiora led the Heat with 20 points.
Wilson Christian will host Hilltop Christian on Friday.

Wayne Country Day's Ja'Kea Brunson breaks school scoring record as Chargers win over Eastern Wayne
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GOLDSBORO — Wayne Country Day’s Ja’Kea Brunson was honored twice for her scoring prowess Thursday.

Brunson posted 24 points in the Chargers’ 70-32 victory over Eastern Wayne to improve to 12-0 on the season. The senior now has 2,117 points in her storied career at WCDS, setting the girls’ record for points and has 10 more regular-season contests to add to the total.

“I tried not to think about it, but it was kind of hard not to,” Brunson said. “It feels good, but I’m just glad I have teammates who trust me — points are points.”

Before the game, there was a special ceremony for Brunson on the court as she was presented a basketball commemorating her 2,000th point for the Chargers.

“It’s been an amazing career,” Brunson said, as she made Varsity in the eighth grade. “I feel special breaking the record, but I hope someone in the future can break mine.”

As far as the game, Wayne Country Day never trailed, getting out to a 10-2 start. Eastern Wayne (7-3) kept its close for a quarter and a half, but the Chargers used a 6-2 run to close the half and jump out to a 34-21 advantage.

Eastern Wayne never got within 12 from there and Brunson scored the record-breaking baskets with 2:29 remaining in the third. The Chargers pushed their advantage to as many as 39.

“In the second half, we really locked in and played our style of basketball,” Brunson said.
Wayne Country Day coach Zeara McDuffie said she couldn’t ask for any more with a strong start to the 2022-23 campaign.

“This is my first year coaching, so to still be undefeated and Je’Kea getting her accolades, it’s a blessing,” Chargers coach Zeara McDuffie said. “I knew she was going to get it in this game.

For Wayne Country Day, Syrah Davis and Jada Vanderhorst each had 15 points and Jayla Hicks added 11. Brunson also had seven rebounds, six assists and six steals

Three of a kind beats a pair.

Faith Christian School’s trio of Emma Cate Griffin, Aubrey Pittman and Olivia Pannell all reached double figures in scoring as the Lady Patriots pulled away for a 48-33 victory over Fayetteville Academy on Thursday night at home.

FCS improved to 4-6 overall while FCA dropped to 0-5.

The combination of Griffin, Pittman and Pannell combined for 42 of Faith Christian’s points against the Eagles, who had two players in double figures.

Griffin led the way with 15 points while Pittman added 14 and Pannell collected 13.

In addition to being a collective force on defense, Griffin and Pannell were also ball hawks on the boards. With Pittman and Abbie Hooks (six points) playing solid defense along with Sidney Langley and Bobbi Ann Lee, the Patriots were able to overcome a slow start on their way to the win.

The first quarter featured two ties and three lead changes. Faith Christian trailed only once, at 4-2 when Polly Miller (14 points) scored off an offensive rebound and then drove for another bucket at 3:08.

The Patriots responded with a basket by Griffin off a pass from Sidney Langley to tie it. Then Pittman drained a three-pointer with under two minutes remaining in the quarter to give FCS the lead for good, 7-4. Pittman’s shot came after Pannell, Griffin and Hooks came up with offensive rebounds to keep possession alive. Griffin added a pair of free throws to make it 9-6 at the end of the quarter.

Miller and Riley Duchon (15 points) tried to keep FA in the game as the team’s only offensive weapons. But every time they would score, Faith came up with the answer.

Pittman tallied six points in the second quarter while Pannell added a basket and free throw and Griffin had two free throws.

Pannell’s rebound follow late in the quarter put the home team up 20-15 at halftime.

Miller’s jumper with 7:24 left in the third quarter pulled FA within a point (20-19), but Pannell’s rebound follow shot started a 13-4 run over the rest of the quarter as the Patriots started to pull away.


Hooks scored off a steal from Langley and Pannell followed with a blocked shot. Later on, another rebound and basket by Pannell made it 26-19 before the Eagles ended the run on Miller’s two free throws. FCS then collected seven of the last nine points (Pannell had four, Griffin added two free throws and Pittman managed one foul shot) to give the Patriots a 33-23 advantage entering the fourth quarter.

The lead continued to grow in the final stanza behind Pannell, Griffin and Pittman, mainly either as a result of offensive rebounds or, in Pittman’s case, scoring in transition and from the outside.

Pittman’s final basket, a jumper with 2:23 remaining, proved to be the last points for the Patriots. FA tallied the last five points on a bucket by 3 and three points from Duchon.

Lady Chargers breeze past Heat
It didn’t take the Wilson Christian girls basketball team long to bounce back from Tuesday’s disappointing loss to Oak Forest, as the Lady Chargers took down visiting NCCSA 2-A East Region foe Liberty Christian, 48-18, Thursday evening.
The Lady Chargers, who improved to 11-2 on the season and 2-0 in East Region play, zipped out to a 20-3 lead after the first quarter and 33-9 lead at halftime against the Heat (1-5, 1-1).
“We had a much better performance tonight,” said Wilson Christian head coach Brian Trull. “We found our rhythm and took care of the ball. Everybody contributed.” Jocelyn Bailey led the Lady Chargers with 10 points, followed by Kate Hoskins with eight.
The Lady Chargers will host Hilltop Christian on Friday.

CHARLOTTE OBSERVER BOYS’ SWEET 16
Rk. School Record Prvs

1 Myers Park 10-3 7
2 Carmel Christian 17-3 1
3 Central Cabarrus 14-0 2
4 North Mecklenburg 12-1 3
5 Cannon 17-4 4
6 Concord Academy 18-3 5
7 United Faith 16-2 6
8 Olympic 14-0 8
9 J.L. Chambers 10-3 9
10 Charlotte Catholic 11-3
11 11 Robinson 7-4 12
12 East Mecklenburg 12-1 14
13 Hickory 10-1 15
14 West Charlotte 9-4 16
15 Charlotte Country Day 13-5 NR
16 Gaston Day 9-4 13

Dropped out: Providence Day (IND, 10-6). Also receiving consideration: Gaston Christian (IND, 11-6); Richmond Senior (4A, 8-2)