Knights use 3s to win state title
By Eli Pacheco
Correspondent
CHARLOTTE — DeKari Johnson’s 3-point barrage came right on time for Village Christian on Saturday.
Johnson connected on five 3-pointers in an early secondhalf onslaught, and the Knights rallied past Carmel Christian 73-61 at Charlotte Latin for the NCISAA 2-A boys’ basketball state championship. Village Christian (27-5), the tournament’s fifth seed, played the second half without a single substitution.
“When they’d miss a shot and we’d get a rebound, we’re good in transition,” said coach Kurtis Darden, among the parents and fans celebrating on the court after the awards ceremony. “We just kept running the ball down their throats, but we were getting 3s. They were tired, and we had the momentum.”
Jordan Ratcliffe led Village with 20 points, and Johnson added 19 off the bench. Johnson’s third-
period run fell short of his first-period performance in a semifinal victory Friday against top seed Gaston Day. He hit six 3-pointers in that one.
“All year, our team has lived on 3-pointers,” said Johnson, joined in doubledigit scoring for Village by Omari Wilson (13) and Jarvez Ellis (10). “That’s what keeps us in the game. We live and die by the 3.”
Village Christian wrested the lead back with an 18-6 run to start the second half. While Carmel Christian, seeded third, didn’t score a basket until the 5:39 mark of the third period, Village crept closer, tying it on a Ratcliffe 3-pointer with 4:37 to play in the third.
A 16-7 run ensued for Village, including a stretch in which the Knights scored on six straight possessions. Four straight baskets were 3-pointers, and five of six, all by Johnson. Devoid of its effective perimeter game in the second half, Carmel Christian could draw no closer than 10 the rest of the way.
“Our youth showed,” said Cougars coach Byron Dinkins, who starred collegiately at nearby UNC Charlotte. “That’s on me as a coach not to make the adjustments. They just got better at what they did, and we didn’t match it.”
Martin Maide led the Cougars with 21 points and Donovan Gregory added 18.
Carmel Christian led 4132 at the half, building a lead it took early in the first period. Maide scored 10 of the Cougars’ first 18 points, including two 3-pointers in the first quarter. Carmel Christian turned up the heat from the perimeter to end the half.
For a while, Village Christian matched the firepower. During one secondquarter run, neither team missed a basket for nearly trhee minutes. Village Christian got seven points from Wilson during the run, on two 3-pointers and a jumper inside the arc.
The Cougars connected on three 3-pointers in the first half, including baskets on consecutive possessions during the can’t-miss run by both teams in the second period. Zach Prevette’s 3-pointer from the right wing closed scoring for the first half and put Carmel up 41-32, its biggest lead of the half.
Things changed in the second half.
“After halftime, my team decided to wake up, and find (Maide),” Darden said. “He was on our scouting report, but for some reason, he kept finding open shots.”
Maide found the going much tougher then, connecting just once more for the game on 3-point attempts for Carmel Christian. Missed shots became transition buckets for Village, and the rally was on.
When you have momentum like that, and we’re rebounding,” Darden said, “we’re pretty tough to beat.”
Village Christian 73, Carmel Christian 61
VILLAGE CHRISTIAN — Jordan Ratcliffe 20, DeKari Johnson 19, Omari Wilson 13, Jarvez Ellis 10, Nassyr Daniels 9, Josh Haymer 2.
CARMEL CHRISTIAN — Martin Maide 21, Donovan Gregory 18, Shawn Morrison Jr. 6, Greg McDonald 6, John Bryan 4, Zach Prevette 3, Ford Cooper 3.
By Eli Pacheco
Correspondent
CHARLOTTE — DeKari Johnson’s 3-point barrage came right on time for Village Christian on Saturday.
Johnson connected on five 3-pointers in an early secondhalf onslaught, and the Knights rallied past Carmel Christian 73-61 at Charlotte Latin for the NCISAA 2-A boys’ basketball state championship. Village Christian (27-5), the tournament’s fifth seed, played the second half without a single substitution.
“When they’d miss a shot and we’d get a rebound, we’re good in transition,” said coach Kurtis Darden, among the parents and fans celebrating on the court after the awards ceremony. “We just kept running the ball down their throats, but we were getting 3s. They were tired, and we had the momentum.”
Jordan Ratcliffe led Village with 20 points, and Johnson added 19 off the bench. Johnson’s third-
period run fell short of his first-period performance in a semifinal victory Friday against top seed Gaston Day. He hit six 3-pointers in that one.
“All year, our team has lived on 3-pointers,” said Johnson, joined in doubledigit scoring for Village by Omari Wilson (13) and Jarvez Ellis (10). “That’s what keeps us in the game. We live and die by the 3.”
Village Christian wrested the lead back with an 18-6 run to start the second half. While Carmel Christian, seeded third, didn’t score a basket until the 5:39 mark of the third period, Village crept closer, tying it on a Ratcliffe 3-pointer with 4:37 to play in the third.
A 16-7 run ensued for Village, including a stretch in which the Knights scored on six straight possessions. Four straight baskets were 3-pointers, and five of six, all by Johnson. Devoid of its effective perimeter game in the second half, Carmel Christian could draw no closer than 10 the rest of the way.
“Our youth showed,” said Cougars coach Byron Dinkins, who starred collegiately at nearby UNC Charlotte. “That’s on me as a coach not to make the adjustments. They just got better at what they did, and we didn’t match it.”
Martin Maide led the Cougars with 21 points and Donovan Gregory added 18.
Carmel Christian led 4132 at the half, building a lead it took early in the first period. Maide scored 10 of the Cougars’ first 18 points, including two 3-pointers in the first quarter. Carmel Christian turned up the heat from the perimeter to end the half.
For a while, Village Christian matched the firepower. During one secondquarter run, neither team missed a basket for nearly trhee minutes. Village Christian got seven points from Wilson during the run, on two 3-pointers and a jumper inside the arc.
The Cougars connected on three 3-pointers in the first half, including baskets on consecutive possessions during the can’t-miss run by both teams in the second period. Zach Prevette’s 3-pointer from the right wing closed scoring for the first half and put Carmel up 41-32, its biggest lead of the half.
Things changed in the second half.
“After halftime, my team decided to wake up, and find (Maide),” Darden said. “He was on our scouting report, but for some reason, he kept finding open shots.”
Maide found the going much tougher then, connecting just once more for the game on 3-point attempts for Carmel Christian. Missed shots became transition buckets for Village, and the rally was on.
When you have momentum like that, and we’re rebounding,” Darden said, “we’re pretty tough to beat.”
Village Christian 73, Carmel Christian 61
VILLAGE CHRISTIAN — Jordan Ratcliffe 20, DeKari Johnson 19, Omari Wilson 13, Jarvez Ellis 10, Nassyr Daniels 9, Josh Haymer 2.
CARMEL CHRISTIAN — Martin Maide 21, Donovan Gregory 18, Shawn Morrison Jr. 6, Greg McDonald 6, John Bryan 4, Zach Prevette 3, Ford Cooper 3.
