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.”
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.”
