APA picks up victory over Wayne Christian
Arendell Parrott coach Kelly Johnson talks to his players during a timeout Tuesday against Wayne Christian.

Arendell Parrott made the right plays late to snap a skid.

The Patriots defeated Wayne Christian 45-39 Tuesday as a 2-game losing streak was broken. APA (14-5) defeated the Eagles 52-43 on Dec. 9, but needed a second-half push to emulate the result.

Wayne Christian (8-7) jumped out to a 6-2 lead, but APA jumped back in front as Caroline Ouano banked in a 3-pointer in the waning seconds of the first four the 9-8 advantage. The second quarter was tightly contested, with eight lead changes and a pair of ties. Neither team had an advantage higher than two and the game was tied at 19 going into the break.

The Patriots never trailed in the second half, getting a big pushl off the bench in the third from Ashley Hill, as she scored six points in the frame. Hill's final bucket have the Patriots a 29-23 lead late in the third.

"Coming in fresh, I was able to come in and score the ball to help out," Hill said.

A steal and layup by Ella Fox brought Wayne Christian within 32-31 with 6:25 left, but APA responded with seven unanswered. Caroline Ouano hit a 3-pointer, followed by a Rachel Okonkowo basket. When Okonkowo found Ouano for a basket, the Patriots led by eight with 4:35 to go.

"I was able to switch it up and play more in the post, which helped me out," Okonkowo said.

Wayne Christian wouldn't get closer than five the rest of the way.

Okonkowo finished with 13 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks for APA. On the other side, Fox had a game-high 23 points.

ARENDELL PARROTT 45, WAYNE CHRISTIAN 39

WC 8 11 8 12 — 39
APA 9 10 12 14 — 45

WAYNE CHRISTIAN — Ella Fox 23, Hayli Verne 13, Huffman 3
ARENDELL PARROTT — Rachel Okonkowo 13, Ouano 9, Wooten 8, Hill 6, Dawson 6, Hille 2, Myers 1

Three-pointers: WC — Fox. APA — Ouano 2

Kirby leads Knights past Tigers in double overtime

The Greenfield School boys basketball team overcame a lion’s share of adversity in a showdown with Trinity Academy of Raleigh on Monday evening, coming away with an 81-65, double overtime home win behind a 31-point night from senior guard Matt Kirby.

The 2-A Knights of the NCISAA 2-A/3-A Coastal Plain Independents Conference climbed to 22-7 overall in a game that they led for most of regulation before a bad bounce late allowed the 2-A Tigers (14-5) of the 2-A/3-A Conference to tie the game. Greenfield and Trinity battled back and forth throughout the first overtime before the Knights ran away with a 19-3 second overtime period.

“Our guys stepped up,” said Greenfield head coach Rob Salter. “When we did make a couple mistakes, we kept on saying next play, move on. I thought we did a good job of refocusing and getting to the next play when we did make a mistake.”

The victory did not come without a cost for Greenfield, as leading scorer Hampton Evans was concussed by an accidental elbow to the head within the game’s first few minutes.

Salter said he anticipated Evans missing at least a week, perhaps longer.

In Evans’ place, several other players stepped up.

Kirby led the Knights with 31 points and seven assists, hitting big shot after big shot and going 14-for-15 from the free-throw line.

“He completely controlled the game,” Salter said. “He made big-time plays, big-time shots. He was great.”

Kyshon Atkinson posted 15 points, followed by freshman point guard Kobe Edwards with 10. Jack Adair posted eight points and 14 rebounds.

After leading for most of the game, the Knights, up by two, inbounded the ball to Kirby with about three seconds left, but his dribble went off his foot and right to a Trinity Academy player, who tied the game and was fouled in the process, but missed the free throw, sending proceedings to overtime at 56-56.

“It was a very unlucky play,” Salter said. “It was a really good high school game. It was a very physical game. We showed a lot of toughness and we stayed together to win that game.”

With Greenfield trailing 60-59 with a minute left in overtime, Kirby buried a 3 to put the Knights up by two. Trinity then tied the game, and Greenfield missed a shot at the win before dominating the second overtime.

“We’ve lost a couple close ones to some unlucky situations,” Salter said. “…For us to be down in the first overtime, our guys just stayed together and believed. We still made a couple of bonehead mistakes, but they scrapped and stayed together. I thought our togetherness won the game.”

The Knights will host CPIC foe Parrott Academy for Senior Knight on Friday.

COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN 67 BETHEL CHRISTIAN 50
BCA 18 7 16 9 — 50
CCS 19 11 20 17 — 67
BCA--Hill 10, Overman, Strickland, Wade 3, Spellman, Holmes 18, Banks, Gurley 3, Sanderson 16.
CCS--Pittman 7, Smith 12, Gay 4, Harris, Pierce 3, Huston 21, Williams 12, Kovach 8.
BCA 5-13 CCS 12-3

COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN 45 BETHEL CHRISTIAN 37
BCA 10 9 11 6 — 37
CCS 10 6 8 21 — 45
BCA --Gates 2, Davenport, Morrison 1, Salazar 2, Lanning, Manning, Baker 6, Donoho 4, Devine, Fulcher 22.
CCS--Jackson 26, C. Carter, O. Carter 10, Ventura 6, Holmes 2, Mangum, Whitley 1.
CCS 1-10

The best high school boys basketball team in Fayetteville? New Life Christian makes its case
Rodd Baxley
The Fayetteville Observer

Monarchs is a fitting moniker for New Life Christian Academy boys basketball.

With an 84-79 win against Seventy-First at the third annual MLK Dream Jam showcase on Monday, the Monarchs strengthened their case as the kings of the court in Fayetteville.

In a matchup that featured the squads with the best resumes in the city, New Life (22-9) and Seventy-First (14-2) lived up to the hype with a back-and-forth battle in the top game at Terry Sanford’s two-day event.

Both teams earned trophies at the Cumberland County Holiday Classic and the Falcons rode a 12-game winning streak into Monday’s matchup.

But the Monarchs have the most victories, including wins against Seventy-First and E.E. Smith (11-3) – another Fayetteville team in contention for a conference championship.


“We proved that we can hoop with anybody. We can hoop with anybody, especially in the city,” said senior guard Malachi Travis, who had 14 points against the Falcons.

“I think we’re the top school in Fayetteville and I stand by that.”


Overall, Cumberland County’s public schools had a 6-3 advantage in the showcase to earn bragging rights over private schools for the second year in a row. But the boys split six games Monday.

After earning a 61-44 win against New Life Christian last season in the Holiday Classic, Seventy-First ended the season with a state championship appearance as Fayetteville’s top program.

New Life coach Aaron Parker has respect for the Falcons and what they’ve accomplished, but he wanted his team to embrace the opportunity that Monday presented. The Monarchs didn’t let him down, particularly senior wing Jakwon Moore, who scored 29 points for the event’s top performance.

New Life Christian's Jakwon Moore (11) had 29 points in the top performance at the MLK Dream Jam showcase.
“We had to come in and get the job done,” Moore said. “They said we’re the best in Fayetteville if we win that game, so we’re the best, for sure.”

As a member of the Carolina Athletic Association for Schools of Choice, New Life has the benefit of playing a college-like schedule. Winston-Salem Christian, Quality Education Academy and Piedmont Classical are among the other CAASC programs.


“We do have rules – I know people think we don’t. … The main difference that I see is the number of games and who we’re allowed to play,” Parker said.

“Other than that, we have the age limits, we have conference and state championships. We have grade requirements, all of that.”

In addition to high-profile teams in North Carolina, the Monarchs have traveled to Georgia, Maryland and Virginia this season.

“One of the biggest advantages is we can play whoever we want, whenever we want, wherever we want,” Parker said. “We’ve played 30 games and it’s January. We’ll probably end up playing close to 40-45 games. We play public, private, it doesn’t matter.”

And New Life’s goals go beyond challenging for the top spot in Fayetteville. With six players averaging double figures, the Monarchs could challenge for their first CAASC state championship since 2018.

“I still don’t feel like we’re playing our best basketball right now, and that’s the scary part for a lot of schools we may see in the future,” Parker said.

“We’re not gelling yet like we should be … but we’ll get there.”

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on Twitter.

HPCA sweeps crosstown rival Westchester
Michael Lindsay | Enterprise Sports Writer Jan 20, 2023 Updated 5 hrs ago

HIGH POINT – High Point Christian finally found a rhythm and pulled away to beat crosstown rival Westchester Country Day.

The Cougars scored the final nine points of the first half to lead by double digits, pushed their lead past 20 in the third and defeated the Wildcats 48-29 in PTAC boys basketball in front of a sizable crowd Friday evening at Westchester.

In the girls game, HPCA, capitalizing on its size and experience, raced to a 63-12 victory.

“Our defense was definitely ahead of our offense tonight,” Cougars boys coach Joseph Cooper said. “We’ve got to clean up some things on offense, but I liked our defense a lot.

“We had a tough shooting night last night at Concord (Academy), and I think that carried over a little early. Then we started to see a couple go through. Of course, that’s what you need as far as confidence goes as a shooter.”

Toot Clay and Taft Johnston each scored 10 points to lead HPCA (13-11 overall, 2-2 conference), ranked No. 96 in the state overall and No. 8 among NCISAA 3A teams. Adam Grier added seven points as eight players scored.

With both teams struggling early, the score remained close midway through the second – with the Cougars leading by four with three minutes left. But HPCA, which scored on five straight possessions, closed the half on a run to lead 24-11 into halftime.

The Cougars – who outscored the Wildcats 22-5 over a nine-minute span – then pulled away early in the third to lead by 21 with two minutes left in the quarter. HPCA shot 47% from the field for the game, including 58% in the third, while Westchester finished at 29% with 15 turnovers.

“We played defense,” said Clay, a freshman. “We got deflections, ran the floor and got easy layups. It felt good because, even though we still played hard, it wasn’t as stressful.”

Jalen Umstead scored eight points for the Wildcats (7-8, 0-4), who are 2A members of the PTAC.

“We were outhustled, we were outplayed,” Westchester coach Brook Patterson said. “We played very tentative. We had trouble catching the ball early. We went from attacking to being attacked.

“We played so hard and so well Tuesday (against Calvary Day). We really felt confident and we just struggled being who we’ve been. I’m sure a lot of credit goes to them for putting us in spots where we weren’t comfortable tonight.”

Wesleyan girls defeat Forsyth Country Day
Michael Lindsay | Enterprise Sports Writer Jan 19, 2023 Updated 7 hrs ago

HIGH POINT — Wesleyan Christian went up a gear and put away Forsyth Country Day.

The Trojans, upping the tempo, went on a run to close the second quarter, doubled their lead in the third and defeated the Furies 51-33 in girls basketball Thursday evening at Wesleyan.

“We want to run as fast as God will allow us to,” Wesleyan coach Daniel McRae said with a laugh. “I think teams struggle with just long-term pressure. And I don’t mean defensive pressure — I just mean: If you have to sprint back every single possession, it’s exhausting. And I just told the girls at halftime, ‘Second half, I think we’re just going to wear them down.’ ”

Taylor Hawley scored 14 points to lead the Trojans (15-9), who have won five in a row and eight of their last nine games. Lily Pereira had 13 points while Blythe Cunningham added eight points as eight players scored for Wesleyan.

“I think we’ve really established we’re one of those teams that has to lock in,” said Pereira, a senior wing and a Florida Southern recruit. “We’re not one of those teams that can just walk in and not bring up energy and get wins. We have to bring effort, we have to focus. I think we’re all starting to really realize we have to do those things. And when we do those things, it results in wins.”

The score was tied with 2 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter before Wesleyan — which shot 44% for the game, including 50% in the second — went on a 10-2 to close the half with a 23-15 lead. It scored on its final five possessions.

The Trojans opened the third with a 12-4 run to lead by 16 with 1:33 left in the third — outscoring Forsyth 22-6 over a nine-minute span. Wesleyan highlighted its defense with a stretch of blocks on four consecutive possessions.

“I think the biggest thing is our in-game conditioning in practice,” Pereira said. “And we always practice pitch-aheads. We always practice moving the ball really well and just running and running and running. I think what helps us is that, when we get past the first half, we still have energy. We’re not going to put on the brakes — we’re going to come out guns blazing.”

Wesleyan, rotating in its reserves, stretched its advantage to 21 twice in the fourth and maintained a double-digit lead throughout the final 13 minutes of the game.

Parker Childress scored 12 points for the Furies (11-7), who shot 32% for the game.

WIth seven regular-season games left to play over the next three weeks, the Trojans — ranked No. 6 among NCISAA 4A teams — play again tonight at Metrolina Christian.

“Sometimes you can just sense it that they’re starting to figure things out,” McRae said. “I told them two, three weeks ago that I think we’re getting ready to go on a run. That’s not to say we’ll win everything, but we’ll start playing at a higher level. Kids who’ve struggled a little bit are starting to come around. … They’re starting to mature and grow up and understand the speed of the game.”

Intense second half keys CCS victory
By Tom Ham

By halftime, the host Community Christian School varsity boys basketball team had seen enough of being matched basket-for-basket by the guest Bethel Christian of Kinston in Eastern N.C. School for the Deaf’s Barney Williamson Gym on Thursday night.

Triggered by 6-foot-7 senior Seth Huston, the Cyclones of the North Carolina Christian Athletic Association 2-A division turned up the intensity in the second half and pulled away to a 67-50 non-conference win. Huston supplied 21 points and 15 rebounds.


The Cyclones of head coach Derrick Atkinson posted their 12th win against 3 losses and return to NCCAA 2-A action on Monday at New Bern Christian Academy.

“We realized we were slacking a little bit,” Huston explained, “and we had to step up our game. We underestimated them. They came out strong and we knew we had to come back stronger.”

Leading 30-25 at halftime, CCS constructed a 41-31 working margin in the third quarter on successive field goals from Huston, 6-0 junior Tavares Williams and 6-1 senior Ayden Smith. A 3-pointer from sophomore Jared Kovach propelled the Cyclones to a 50-41 margin after three quarters.

The Trojans (5-13) of the North Carolina Christian Schools Association 2-A ranks drew no closer than seven points in the fourth quarter, despite the efforts of senior Josh Holmes.

Another bucket from Kovach staked CCS to a 56-43 margin, and the 13-point bulge would be again matched before a Huston-led tear in the closing minutes – when the Cyclones were conscious of the clock and slowed the pace.

“The intensity was high and I was happy with the performance,” Atkinson said. “We had to step up the intensity and limit the turnovers. We picked up on defense and started making cuts on offense. We started getting easier baskets.”

CCS’s size advantage troubled the Trojans.

“We quit moving the basketball,” commented 24th-year Bethel head coach Bert Potter. “We tried to press to turn up the tempo, but they threw over the press and got 3-on-2 and 2-on-1 matchups.

“They went to the offensive glass really strong and got a bunch of second-chance points. They’re a nice team.”

Huston’s performance drew praise from his coach.


“Seth played really well,” Atkinson remarked. “He always gives us good minutes, but he played to a different level tonight. He got a little meaner and a little tougher.”

Smith and Williams each tossed in 12 points for CCS, and Williams wound up with a double-double by virtue of pulling down 10 rebounds. The Cyclones ruled the backboards 41–22.

“We were a little bit bigger, and I felt like we could wear them down,” Atkinson said.

Abigail Jackson leads CCS girls to first win
By Tom Ham

For the first time after 10 games, no dread accompanied the return of Abigail Jackson, the only senior member of the Community Christian School varsity girls basketball team, to the locker room following the game.

Not only was Jackson’s career-best performance of 26 points and 18 rebounds not in vain, but the Lady Cyclones won for the first time during the 2022-23 season, stinging visiting Bethel Christian of Kinston, 45-37, Thursday evening in Eastern N.C. School for the Deaf’s Barney Williamson Gymnasium.

“I was really excited,” exclaimed Jackson, whose dad, Andy, is the team’s head coach. “There was not a bad word to say. We were all happy, and it gave us hope for the rest of the season.”

A promising sign flashed early when CCS led in a game for the first time this season. A pair of free throws from sophomore Olivia Carter boosted the Cyclones to a 12-10 edge with 7:41 left in the second quarter. CCS owned a 19-16 halftime lead and expanded the margin to 30-24 after three quarters. The Cyclones of the North Carolina Christian Athletic Association 2-A ranks did not trail again after snapping a 30-30 tie.

CCS players were aware Bethel had won just once in 11 games and, said the smiling Jackson: “We knew this was going to be the night.“

Be assured the final result was not achieved in picturesque fashion. The teams combined for 46 turnovers – 28 by CCS; 49 fouls – 31 from the Trojans; and shot 60 free throws. Decisive for the Cyclones was a 27-for-49 performance at the foul line, while Bethel, a member of the North Carolina Christian School Association 2-A ranks, sank just 2 of 13.

“We hustled more,” Jackson explained. “We haven’t been hitting free throws, but everybody tonight was at least 50 percent. We rebounded well (a whopping 57-40 advantage); instead of being behind people, we were in front of them. And we played better defense.”

Despite being burdened by four fouls, Jackson responded with a sensational second half. She swished her last 11 free throws and, for the game, was a sizzling 17 of 20. She was a dominant rebounder, triggered the defense and orchestrated the offense.

“I’m the captain,” she reasoned, “and I try to do all I can.”

Jackson got help from teammates that stepped up a level. Olivia Carter netted 10 points. Freshman Aiyana Holmes snared 17 rebounds and freshman Allie Whitley 12. When Jackson wasn’t handling the ball, sisters Claire, a freshman, and Olivia Carter were. Freshman Abril Ventura factored with her defense, free throws and field goals. Sophomore Katie Mangum spelled those in need of a rest.

“I felt a whole lot of pressure at the foul line,” Jackson admitted. “I knew I had to knock them in. I just tried to cancel everything out and act like the score was 0-0.

“I honestly felt like we could win when I hit the free throws back-to-back, and we pressed them and got those turnovers.”


Olivia Carter and Jackson provided the second-quarter spark. However, the Trojans surged into the lead in the third quarter behind junior Olivia Fuleher and Anna Donoho.

In the fourth quarter, CCS forged a 30-30 tie on Olivia Carter’s basket. But Jackson picked up her fourth foul with 5:50 still remaining.


However, Jackson and her supporting cast were not phased in handling the effort of Bethel’s Fulcher, who was determined not to lose.

A string of points from Jackson and Ventura’s two free throws sent CCS to a 43-35 margin. The Cyclones could sense the night was theirs after Jackson’s layup produced a 62-49 margin with 3:25 showing.

CCS’s youth glared in the final minutes, but Bethel’s Fulcher didn’t get any help.

Although in a jubilant mood, Jackson insisted her plight has not been dismal despite the 0-9 start.

“I have enjoyed this season,” she contended, “I have been helping the other girls and I am still learning as well.

“But, now, this feels really good. It was a long time coming.”

CROSSROADS CHRISTIAN 69, GREENE CENTRAL 66

CC 13 18 19 19 — 69
GC 10 14 21 21 — 66

CROSSROADS CHRISTIAN — Shane Anthony 15, Ben Gladieux 12, John Henderson Jr. 12, Jenkins 9, Tucker 7, Pentoney 6, Towels 5, Alston 3
GREENE CENTRAL — Bingo Auston 16, K.J. Harper 16, Branch 8, Coppage 8, Hall 5, Holmes 5, Williams 5, Cobb 3
Three-pointers: . CC — Anthony 5, Pentoney 2, Jenkins, Towels, Alston. GC — Auston 4, Williams, Cobb.
Crossroads

Charlotte Country Day got a big home win over arch rival Charlotte Latin, ending a three-game losing streak. The Bucs won 67-62 in front a big crowd.

“It was great,” Country Day second-year coach David Carrier said.

“Latin is such a good team and so well-coached. The game could’ve gone either way. I’m just really proud of my guys. We had lost three in a row and we had lost to three really good teams. We didn’t play bad. It’s just that, in this league, on any given night, anybody can win or lose to whomever.”

With the win Wednesday, Country Day (16-8, 1-2) got its first CISAA conference win and kept Charlotte Latin (10-7, 2-1) from tying Cannon for first place. Covenant Day, which upset Providence Day Tuesday, is tied with the Chargers, Charlotte Christian and Country Day at 1-2. Cannon is 3-0 in league play.
Wednesday’s game was close throughout. Country Day led 16-11 after the first quarter, 28-23 at halftime and 47-40 at the end of the third quarter. Dallas Garnder led Country Day with 21 points and
Carter Alessi added 20. Ned Hull had 32 for Latin.

“You know what was cool,” Carrier said? “When I looked into their eyes, they expected to win. I don’t know that Country Day’s had a lot of success against Latin over years, and I’m proud of the guys. They made big big plays down the stretch. That’s a sign of maturity.”

CHARLOTTE COUNTRY DAY 67, CHARLOTTE LATIN 61
Country Day 16 12 19 20 -- 67
Charlotte Latin 11 12 17 21 -- 61
CHARLOTTE COUNTRY DAY 67 -- Dallas Gardner 21, Carter Alessi 20, Amare Bethel 13, Turner 6, O’Neil 4, CHARLOTTE LATIN 61 -- Hull 32, Rose 11, Jones 3, Levy4, Downey 2, Houpt 2, Hendley 4
CCD 16-8 LATIN 10-7

NORTHSIDE 81 ST MARGARETS Va 15
STM : 7-6-0-2---15
NCA : 37-18-19-7---81
STM—Smith 2, Labinska 6, Syzdek 5, Sediqi 2
NCA—Tyler Collins 23, Brianna Carelock 13, Courtney Ashford 13, Womack 9, Clyburn 9, Henderson 6, Vaughn 0, Engle 8
NORTHSIDE 15-8

Cougars outlast Caldwell
Michael Lindsay | Enterprise Sports Writer Jan 17, 2023 Updated 2 hrs ago

HIGH POINT – High Point Christian surged ahead, then held on for dear life.

The Cougars built an 18-point lead in the third quarter before watching it dwindle to five midway through the fourth. But they regrouped down the stretch and defeated Caldwell 61-56 in PTAC boys basketball Tuesday at HPCA.

In the girls game, HPCA – scoring the first 24 points of the game – cruised to a 65-20 victory.

“Hard fought – those are the words,” Cougars boys coach Joseph Cooper said. “Nothing was easy. They gave us everything and more, and it took a lot of guts from our guys in the fourth quarter when we went through that dry spell.

“We missed some layups, missed some open shots. And, of course, they’re not going to stop coming. They’re well-coached, good players. To rebound there and continue to gut it out – this time of year, you’ve got to win any way you can.”

Isaiah Sanders scored 20 points to lead HPCA (12-10 overall, 1-2 conference), which outscored the Eagles 22-8 in the third to build on its 28-24 halftime lead. Adam Grier added 14 points while Elijah Cathcart had 11 points.

“I thought we played well – played as a team,” said Sanders, a junior guard. “We’ve got some young guys and we had to fight back. They made a little run, so it was mostly just staying composed and keeping our heads.”

The Cougars – who shot 47% for the game, including 56% in the third – quickly pulled away when Sanders scored nine straight points to lead 39-28 midway through the third.

HPCA, which forced Caldwell into four turnovers in the third, added nine straight points to close the quarter – sparked by a pair of layups and a banked-in 3-pointer at the buzzer by Grier – to lead 50-32 heading to the fourth.

“We had to make a little run,” Sanders said. “Coming out in the third quarter, we’ve always been slow and every team always comes back and punches us. So we just had to punch first this time.”

Caldwell (12-7, 1-2), which is coached by former Cougars coach Brandon Clifford, answered with a strong fourth quarter. It shot 63% in the quarter while the Cougars struggled at 22%.

The Eagles, led by J3 Swindell with 18 points, pulled within five with 4:02 left in the game. But HPCA, highlighted by a key offensive rebound and later a runner by Taft Johnson, stretched its lead back to 10 with 46 seconds left.

It scored on six of its final seven possessions to hold Caldwell at bay.

“I think it’s huge for our confidence,” Cooper said. “We’re such a young group. To get a close one like this in a conference game against a good team, hopefully we can carry it over to Thursday.”

HIGH-SCHOOL
Fayetteville Academy basketball's Xavier Johnson made a mistake, but moving to a private school wasn’t it
Rodd Baxley
The Fayetteville Observer

Xavier Johnson made a mistake on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Johnson, a junior guard for the Fayetteville Academy boys basketball team, forgot something ahead of the Eagles’ game against Westover at the third annual MLK Dream Jam showcase.

“After our shootaround, I was kind of lollygagging around – we’re supposed to grab our jerseys off the table – and I ended up leaving my jersey,” Johnson said with a laugh after Fayetteville Academy’s 61-51 win against the Wolverines.

“I didn’t realize it until we started getting ready. … It made me kind of nervous, because I knew Coach (Steve Mims Jr.) was gonna be mad at me. It made me play harder.”

The 6-foot-4 point guard forgot his gear, but he brought his game to Terry Sanford High School with 16 points to lead the Eagles (14-6). Johnson capped the game with a two-handed dunk to put an exclamation point on his performance.


It has been quite a turnaround for Johnson, who started his career at Cape Fear High School before deciding to make the move to a private school.

After averaging 8.1 points for the Colts last season, Johnson is averaging 21.9 points this season as the top scorer in the NCISAA Coastal Rivers Conference.


“I’m just so happy he’s finally getting his due, because he played at public school and he just really didn’t get off like he should’ve,” Fayetteville Academy coach Steve Mims Jr. said.

In his first 11 games with the Eagles, Johnson scored 20 or more points eight times, including a career-high 33 points in an 82-66 win against Terry Sanford in November.

“It’s a different environment,” Johnson said. “Public school is way more intense, but private school – I like it – and I’m playing point now, so I’ve got the ball in my hands a lot more. I like the transition.”

In addition to his increased scoring, Johnson is averaging 3.7 rebounds. 2.2 assists, 2.2 steals and just 1.3 turnovers per game.

“It’s definitely more comfortable,” he said. “I got more freedom at private school. At public school, you’re kind of in a set system and you can’t really do all what you want. In private school, I get to call a lot of what I want to do.”

When asked what sets Johnson apart from other players, Mims pointed to the guard’s “leadership, toughness and IQ.”

“He competes, controls all of the pressure and he’s a big-time scorer,” Mims said. “We need him in every aspect.”

Mims doesn’t have a senior on his 13-player roster, so Johnson’s poise has been vital to the team’s success.

“When he comes in, we need his sense of security,” Mims said. “He’s like a security blanket to me. It’s hard for me to take him out of the game, so any experience with him is a great experience.”

That’s why, even if Johnson needs a reminder about grabbing his jersey and shorts on game day, Mims will let it slide as long as his best player brings his best on the court.

“Not being perfect, but still being able to adjust, he’s been very patient with my (young) team,” Mims said.

“. … I think he’s a natural. I’m excited to watch him grow as a point guard – as one of the top point guards in this city.”

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on Twitter.

Poor fourth-quarter defense dooms Knights in MLK Classic
By Andrew Schnittker aschnittker@wilsontimes.com |

FARMVILLE — The Greenfield School boys basketball team had the lead for most of Monday night’s showdown with The Burlington School in Farmville Central’s MLK Showcase, but didn’t have it at the most important time of the game — the end.

The Knights saw a crucial NCISAA contest slip away in a 68-64 loss in a battle of highly ranked 2-A teams.

The 2-A Knights (19-7) of the 2-A/3-A Coastal Plain Independents Conference held the lead after the first, second and third quarters, and held a two-point lead with just over two minutes left, but saw it slip away as the top-ranked Spartans (17-10) outscored No. 3 Greenfield 6-0 in the game’s final two minutes.

“It didn’t slip away,” corrected Greenfield head coach Rob Salter. “It was taken away by them. They were the aggressive team. We were soft. We didn’t show any heart. We didn’t battle in the fourth quarter. We let the guy kill us inside and we didn’t show any toughness in the fourth quarter. We’re not talented enough to not do that. The Greenfield program’s success is based on effort and heart. We’re not talented enough to beat some of these great teams by talent. We’ve got to do it by heart and effort. And we didn’t do it in the second half. I’m very, very disappointed.”

The Knights’ collapse could certainly have playoff seeding implications down the line.

“It’s really frustrating,” said Greenfield forward Hampton Evans. “They’re our competition for the state championship. Coach was saying if we would have won that, we could have had the No. 1 seed. That should have been a big win for us. It’s really frustrating to lose that one.”

With under 30 seconds left and the game tied at 64, Burlington capped a long possession by going inside to Josh Randolph for the lead.


Greenfield struggled to defend the paint in the final frame, with Burlington big man Cam Flippen scoring eight of his 10 points in the fourth.

“Defensively, we were giving up way too many 3s and we were doing terrible on the boards,” Evans said. “I put that stuff on me, because I’ve got to do better on the boards. But I feel like it’s really just defensively, because we were scoring, we were just giving up too many open layups and open shots.”

After Randolph’s big bucket, two Greenfield turnovers and a pair of Burlington free throws sealed the Knights’ fate.

“We’ve had a lot of lessons,” Salter said. “It’s self reflection time. I’m tired of having the same speech in some of these games where we can’t make the winning plays because of heart or a loose ball. It’s time for some of the guys to look in the mirror and are we going to try to get to our max potential or are we going to do what we’ve been doing again when we play the tough teams? I thought we went from having one of the best defensive halves in the first half to one of the worst in the second.”

Greenfield carried a five-point lead into the fourth quarter, but a barrage of 3-pointers (the Spartans knocked down six treys in the second half, four from leading scorer Savion Taylor) allowed Burlington to take its first lead of the game since the first quarter.


“(Taylor) just kept on hitting,” Evans said. “They were running the ball straight to him and he would just hit 3 after 3. We were giving up a lot of easy boards that we should have got.”

Evans and Matt Kirby both drained 3s to give Greenfield its lead back, but, after Kirby’s put the Knights up 64-62 with 2:20 left to play, the Spartans finished the game with a 6-0 run, with a missed layup from Nik Edwards with a chance to put Greenfield up four proving critical.

“Stuff like that happens, but it’s a big moment and we’ve just got to make those plays,” Salter said. “We made the right decision, but we’ve just got to be ready and we’ve got to capitalize on those opportunities. They’re the back-to-back state (2-A) champions for a reason. They were confident the whole game even though they were down, and they found a way to win.”


After trailing 8-2 early in the first quarter, the Knights controlled most of the game until that fateful final frame. Greenfield finished the opening frame on a 10-1 run to take a 12-9 lead after one quarter, and, in the second, used its ability to drive into the paint to take a nine-point lead into halftime.

“I thought we attacked well,” Salter said. “I thought we scrapped. I thought we pushed tempo pretty well, we found the mismatch. I thought we rebounded pretty well for the most part until the fourth quarter.”

The Knights’ lead reached as much as 12 in the third quarter before the Spartans began to march back.

Evans led Greenfield with 22 points, followed by Kirby with 16.

Taylor led the Spartans with 15 points, knocking down four 3-pointers, followed by Kaden Hammond with 14, Jordan Durham with 12 and Flippen with 10.

The Knights will look to bounce back with a visit to CPIC foe Parrott Academy on Tuesday in Kinston.

“If we want to do something, we’ve got to get a lot tougher than we are right now,” Salter said.

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL




Crossroads Christian defeats Greene Central
Greene Central's Bingo Auston hit four 3-pointers in Monday's game against Crossroads Christian.

FARMVILLE | Greene Central made its runs, but Crossroads Christian responded every time.

The Colts defeated the Rams 69-66 in the Hoop State MLK Showcase at Farmville Monday. Crossroads Christian (16-6) jumped out to an early lead and despite being threatened on numerous occasions in the second half, held on to give Greene Central (14-4) its second straight loss.

Crossroads Christian jumped out to an 8-2 lead highlighted by 3-pointers from Shane Anthony and Luke Pentoney. The Rams tied it twice in the first quarter but the Colts went on a 13-2 spurt to take a 23-12 advantage midway through the second. Crossroads Christian maintained a double-digit lead for most of the quarter but a banked 3-pointer by Shayquan Williams in the waning seconds brought Greene Central within 31-24 at the break.

The Colts pushed the lead back up to 10 early in the third, but the Rams tied it at 42 after a Bingo Auston 3-pointer with 3:20 left in the frame. Crossroads Christian got the advantage back up to 57-48 after a John Henderson Jr. slam with 6:54 left in the game, but the Rams scored the next nine. When K.J. Harper hit a pair of free throws with 5:09 left, Greene Central had tied the game for the fourth time.

Crossroads Christian wouldn't allow Greene Central to take the lead. The Rams got within one twice in the last two minutes, but the Colts continued to keep their advantage.

"I think we still have a bit of a hangover from the Farmville game Friday and we didn't come out hungry," Greene Central coach Blue Edwards said. "We started slow and while I'm proud of the guys for fighting, we let this game skip away. The bleeding has to stop and fast."

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)