Gaston Christian boys to play for title
The Gaston Gazette
Gaston Christian's Will Kelly drives to the basket during Tuesday's NCISAA 3A boys hoops playoff game against Cape Fear Academy. [JOE L. HUGHES II/Gaston Gazette]
Gaston Christian waited a long time for a breakthrough. Now the Eagles find themselves a win away from their end goal.
For the first time in program history, Gaston Christian (9-18) will play for a state basketball championship after dismantling Cape Fear Academy 85-56 in Gastonia. It will host Asheville Christian (10-16) on Saturday at 6 p.m. for the NCISAA Class 3A title.
“Tonight, everything came together, it’s the way we want to play,” said Gaston Christian boys basketball coach Aaron Waters. “Everything clicked. We want to be solid on defense, run when we can and execute in space on offense when opportunities are available This is the type of game we’ve waited for from our guys and we got it (Tuesday night).”
Brenton Elliott established the tone from the outset, the Eagles getting multiple offensive rebounds before the sophomore finally got his shot to go. Cape Fear Academy would take a brief 4-3 lead after Gavin Guion hit one in a pair of free throws, but that was the last time it would be in front as Will Kelly and an efficient Gaston Christian heated up from the field.
Seven Eagles scored in the opening half, helping them build a lead of 20 points. Cape Fear Christian didn’t go down without a fight, however, going on a 16-4 run from the final minute of the first half to the 6-minute mark of the third.
The Hurricanes cut the Gaston Christian lead to as few as seven, but not any closer.
Kelly knocked down three of his five 3-pointers in the final stanza, with Elliott earning a pair of 3-point plays to turn the NCISAA 3A semifinal into a rout.
“They were more athletic, more aggressive,” said Cape Fear Academy boys basketball coach Tony Martin. “We hoped they didn’t shoot the ball as well as they did tonight, not that we didn’t have them scouted well but they played at a high level.
“They hurt us on the boards, we turned it over early, didn’t box out well, but all in all we probably reached our potential with this group.”
Kelly finished with a game-high 23 points, with Elliott earning a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Greg Brockington added 13 of his own with Derek Bradley contributing 12, often making timely shots to stymie Cape Fear Academy efforts to get back in the game.
Guion and K.J. Kernan each finished with 14 points in a loss for the Hurricanes.
The Gaston Gazette
Gaston Christian's Will Kelly drives to the basket during Tuesday's NCISAA 3A boys hoops playoff game against Cape Fear Academy. [JOE L. HUGHES II/Gaston Gazette]
Gaston Christian waited a long time for a breakthrough. Now the Eagles find themselves a win away from their end goal.
For the first time in program history, Gaston Christian (9-18) will play for a state basketball championship after dismantling Cape Fear Academy 85-56 in Gastonia. It will host Asheville Christian (10-16) on Saturday at 6 p.m. for the NCISAA Class 3A title.
“Tonight, everything came together, it’s the way we want to play,” said Gaston Christian boys basketball coach Aaron Waters. “Everything clicked. We want to be solid on defense, run when we can and execute in space on offense when opportunities are available This is the type of game we’ve waited for from our guys and we got it (Tuesday night).”
Brenton Elliott established the tone from the outset, the Eagles getting multiple offensive rebounds before the sophomore finally got his shot to go. Cape Fear Academy would take a brief 4-3 lead after Gavin Guion hit one in a pair of free throws, but that was the last time it would be in front as Will Kelly and an efficient Gaston Christian heated up from the field.
Seven Eagles scored in the opening half, helping them build a lead of 20 points. Cape Fear Christian didn’t go down without a fight, however, going on a 16-4 run from the final minute of the first half to the 6-minute mark of the third.
The Hurricanes cut the Gaston Christian lead to as few as seven, but not any closer.
Kelly knocked down three of his five 3-pointers in the final stanza, with Elliott earning a pair of 3-point plays to turn the NCISAA 3A semifinal into a rout.
“They were more athletic, more aggressive,” said Cape Fear Academy boys basketball coach Tony Martin. “We hoped they didn’t shoot the ball as well as they did tonight, not that we didn’t have them scouted well but they played at a high level.
“They hurt us on the boards, we turned it over early, didn’t box out well, but all in all we probably reached our potential with this group.”
Kelly finished with a game-high 23 points, with Elliott earning a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Greg Brockington added 13 of his own with Derek Bradley contributing 12, often making timely shots to stymie Cape Fear Academy efforts to get back in the game.
Guion and K.J. Kernan each finished with 14 points in a loss for the Hurricanes.
