QUICK HITS: Gaston Christian hoops goes cold in loss;
Joe L Hughes II The Gaston Gazette
Much like the ability to dribble, pass and shoot, Gaston Christian boys basketball coach Aaron Waters is quick to remind his players that winning is a skill that must be learned as well.
“I tell them all the time,” he said. “We’re learning how to win. With the schedule we’re playing, there is never an easy one … ever.”
Up 18 at halftime Thursday against reigning NCISAA 3A champion Concord Academy, it seemed the Eagles were well on their way to earning a key Metrolina Athletic Conference win in emphatic fashion.
Unfortunately, the second half proved to be a different story.
An aggressive Concord Academy team turned up the heat on Gaston Christian, limiting it to 20 total points in the final two quarters and erasing a double-digit deficit to take a 73-63 win in Gastonia.
“I think the biggest thing in the third quarter was they ramped things up, while we relaxed,” Waters said. “We got out to a lead in the first half, that third quarter they outscored I believe they outscored us 24-9. That was definitely the difference in this game.”
Concord Academy closed the third on a 15-2 run, trimming an 18-point Gaston Christian halftime advantage to 52-49 after three quarters. The quarter would change, but the spurt for Concord Academy continued into the fourth, as Tyler Fearne’s lay-up gave his team the lead, with a 3-pointer tacked on for good measure.
Gaston Christian would not recover, unable to find the recipe that brought it much success in the first half.
“We’re learning, we’re growing … we just have to finish,” Waters said. “We’re hanging in there with just about everyone. We just half to play a full game and finish.”
Will Kelly led Gaston Christian with 30 points to go with five rebounds on Thursday. Joe Rhyne (12 points) and Greg Brockington (11 points) joined Kelly in double figures in a losing effort.
Gaston Christian is now 5-14 overall, 3-6 in the NCISAA MAC.
CONCORD ACADEMY 74, GASTON CHRSITIAN 63
CA: 14 11 24 24. 73
GCS: 22 21 9 11 63
Gaston Christian: Brreckington 11, Elliot 4, Rhyne 12, Bradley 6, Kelly 30
Concord Academy: Javian Cannady 10, Trae Benham 27, Tyer Fearne 7, Langston Boyd 13, Logan Threatt 8, Sergij Cvetkovic 4, Nikola Mircic 4
Notable: Concord Academy was down 43-25 at half; Trae Benham 27p 10r 3a, (Fresh) LA Boyd 13p 5r 3a, (Soph) Nikola Mircic 4p 11r 3b...CA moves to 16-5. Gaston Christian’s Will Kelly had 30pts (65% FG) 5reb 2ast
Joe L Hughes II The Gaston Gazette
Much like the ability to dribble, pass and shoot, Gaston Christian boys basketball coach Aaron Waters is quick to remind his players that winning is a skill that must be learned as well.
“I tell them all the time,” he said. “We’re learning how to win. With the schedule we’re playing, there is never an easy one … ever.”
Up 18 at halftime Thursday against reigning NCISAA 3A champion Concord Academy, it seemed the Eagles were well on their way to earning a key Metrolina Athletic Conference win in emphatic fashion.
Unfortunately, the second half proved to be a different story.
An aggressive Concord Academy team turned up the heat on Gaston Christian, limiting it to 20 total points in the final two quarters and erasing a double-digit deficit to take a 73-63 win in Gastonia.
“I think the biggest thing in the third quarter was they ramped things up, while we relaxed,” Waters said. “We got out to a lead in the first half, that third quarter they outscored I believe they outscored us 24-9. That was definitely the difference in this game.”
Concord Academy closed the third on a 15-2 run, trimming an 18-point Gaston Christian halftime advantage to 52-49 after three quarters. The quarter would change, but the spurt for Concord Academy continued into the fourth, as Tyler Fearne’s lay-up gave his team the lead, with a 3-pointer tacked on for good measure.
Gaston Christian would not recover, unable to find the recipe that brought it much success in the first half.
“We’re learning, we’re growing … we just have to finish,” Waters said. “We’re hanging in there with just about everyone. We just half to play a full game and finish.”
Will Kelly led Gaston Christian with 30 points to go with five rebounds on Thursday. Joe Rhyne (12 points) and Greg Brockington (11 points) joined Kelly in double figures in a losing effort.
Gaston Christian is now 5-14 overall, 3-6 in the NCISAA MAC.
CONCORD ACADEMY 74, GASTON CHRSITIAN 63
CA: 14 11 24 24. 73
GCS: 22 21 9 11 63
Gaston Christian: Brreckington 11, Elliot 4, Rhyne 12, Bradley 6, Kelly 30
Concord Academy: Javian Cannady 10, Trae Benham 27, Tyer Fearne 7, Langston Boyd 13, Logan Threatt 8, Sergij Cvetkovic 4, Nikola Mircic 4
Notable: Concord Academy was down 43-25 at half; Trae Benham 27p 10r 3a, (Fresh) LA Boyd 13p 5r 3a, (Soph) Nikola Mircic 4p 11r 3b...CA moves to 16-5. Gaston Christian’s Will Kelly had 30pts (65% FG) 5reb 2ast
