Patriots cruise in playoff opener
• Freedom Christian avenges last year’s loss to Harrells.
By Jaclyn Shambaugh FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER
Staff writer
Call Freedom Christian’s fast start against Harrells Christian on Tuesday, in which the Patriots built a 15-point lead in the first quarter, a strategy.
Say it was by design.
Just don’t say it’s new.
“It’s exactly what we try to do every game,” Patriots’ coach Dan Pruessner said. “That start looked so good because of all the offense, but it was really our defense that made it happen.”
The Patriots (20-10) made plenty of stops and took advantage of a terrible shooting night by the Crusaders to win 66-48 and advance to the second round of the NCISAA 1-A state playoffs.
The win avenged last year’s loss, when Freedom, then a No. 5 seed, fell to then-No. 12 Harrells in the first round.
Instead, it’s the Patriots who move on this year. They’ll face No. 2 Carolina Day (22-5) in the quarterfinals Thursday at host school North Raleigh Christian.
Carolina Day beat Freedom in a tournament Dec. 29.
“We lost to them by 14 up in Asheville,” Pruessner said. “We weren’t ready for them, but I think we’ll be ready this time.”
Freedom, the No. 7 seed in the bracket, outscored No. 10 Harrells 21-6 in the first quarter of Tuesday’s game.
To end the night, Freedom held off a late run by the Crusaders, who scored 23 points in the final quarter. “It was just executing our plays, really,” Patriots’ guard Jayson Nash said. “We were just trying to bring intensity to the game.”
Nash and fellow guard Jamari Harvey both came off the bench and scored a team-high 13 points apiece.
“We weren’t really trying to score,” Nash said. “We were just trying to get it to our main guys, but it’s great when all of us can score.”
Nash made a pair of 3point goals in the first quarter, including one at the buzzer as he fell away to avoid contact at the 3-point line.
“It’s tough to come off the bench, firing, but Jayson did,” Pruessner said. “He’s had a tough season, but we know he can score.”
Harvey scored nine of his total in the fourth quarter to help stave off any potential Crusaders’ comeback.
Harrells struggled to generate offense with any consistency across the first three periods and ended up with its second-lowest game total of the season. It’s lowest scoring game, a 38-point finish, was against Freedom in the Greenfield Christmas tournament.
The Crusaders finally came alive in the fourth when Freedom went deep into its bench.
Point guard Marcus Scarborough scored nine of his game-high 18 points then, and teammate C.J. Kirchoff added 10 in the frame. He finished with 12.
Staff writer Jaclyn Shambaugh can be reached at 609-0651 or shambaughj@fayobserver.com.
Freedom Christian 66, Harrells Christian 48
Harrells Christian 6 9 10 23—48
Freedom Christian 21 17 12 16—66
HARRELLS CHRISTIAN — Jones 2, Pruitt 2, Marcus Scarborough 18, C.J. Kirchoff 12, Quate McKinzie 14
FREEDOM CHRISTIAN — Todd Smith 11, Jayson Nash 13, Sapica 7, Jamari Harvey 13, Jenkins 3, Williams 9, Thank God Avar 10
• Fouled out: none • 3-point goals: HC — Scarborough, Kirchoff 3; FC — Smith, Nash 2, Jenkins
• Records: Harrells Christian 15-11, Freedom Christian 20-10
• Freedom Christian avenges last year’s loss to Harrells.
By Jaclyn Shambaugh FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER
Staff writer
Call Freedom Christian’s fast start against Harrells Christian on Tuesday, in which the Patriots built a 15-point lead in the first quarter, a strategy.
Say it was by design.
Just don’t say it’s new.
“It’s exactly what we try to do every game,” Patriots’ coach Dan Pruessner said. “That start looked so good because of all the offense, but it was really our defense that made it happen.”
The Patriots (20-10) made plenty of stops and took advantage of a terrible shooting night by the Crusaders to win 66-48 and advance to the second round of the NCISAA 1-A state playoffs.
The win avenged last year’s loss, when Freedom, then a No. 5 seed, fell to then-No. 12 Harrells in the first round.
Instead, it’s the Patriots who move on this year. They’ll face No. 2 Carolina Day (22-5) in the quarterfinals Thursday at host school North Raleigh Christian.
Carolina Day beat Freedom in a tournament Dec. 29.
“We lost to them by 14 up in Asheville,” Pruessner said. “We weren’t ready for them, but I think we’ll be ready this time.”
Freedom, the No. 7 seed in the bracket, outscored No. 10 Harrells 21-6 in the first quarter of Tuesday’s game.
To end the night, Freedom held off a late run by the Crusaders, who scored 23 points in the final quarter. “It was just executing our plays, really,” Patriots’ guard Jayson Nash said. “We were just trying to bring intensity to the game.”
Nash and fellow guard Jamari Harvey both came off the bench and scored a team-high 13 points apiece.
“We weren’t really trying to score,” Nash said. “We were just trying to get it to our main guys, but it’s great when all of us can score.”
Nash made a pair of 3point goals in the first quarter, including one at the buzzer as he fell away to avoid contact at the 3-point line.
“It’s tough to come off the bench, firing, but Jayson did,” Pruessner said. “He’s had a tough season, but we know he can score.”
Harvey scored nine of his total in the fourth quarter to help stave off any potential Crusaders’ comeback.
Harrells struggled to generate offense with any consistency across the first three periods and ended up with its second-lowest game total of the season. It’s lowest scoring game, a 38-point finish, was against Freedom in the Greenfield Christmas tournament.
The Crusaders finally came alive in the fourth when Freedom went deep into its bench.
Point guard Marcus Scarborough scored nine of his game-high 18 points then, and teammate C.J. Kirchoff added 10 in the frame. He finished with 12.
Staff writer Jaclyn Shambaugh can be reached at 609-0651 or shambaughj@fayobserver.com.
Freedom Christian 66, Harrells Christian 48
Harrells Christian 6 9 10 23—48
Freedom Christian 21 17 12 16—66
HARRELLS CHRISTIAN — Jones 2, Pruitt 2, Marcus Scarborough 18, C.J. Kirchoff 12, Quate McKinzie 14
FREEDOM CHRISTIAN — Todd Smith 11, Jayson Nash 13, Sapica 7, Jamari Harvey 13, Jenkins 3, Williams 9, Thank God Avar 10
• Fouled out: none • 3-point goals: HC — Scarborough, Kirchoff 3; FC — Smith, Nash 2, Jenkins
• Records: Harrells Christian 15-11, Freedom Christian 20-10
