Trojans take two from Cougars
Michael Lindsay---HIGH POINT ENTERPRISE
Trojans take two from Cougars
HIGH POINT — Wesleyan Christian felt like it was due for a big win, and it came through.
The Trojans rallied late in the fourth quarter after losing a big first-half lead and held on in a wild finish to beat rival High Point Christian 65-63 in PACIS 2A/3A boys basketball Tuesday on Senior Night at Wesleyan.
In the girls game, Shaniya Jones eclipsed 1,000 points for her career as she helped lead Wesleyan Christian past High Point Christian 49-7.
“It was a great win for our seniors,” Wesleyan boys coach Keith Gatlin said. “We’ve been due for a win. We haven’t protected our home court well all year. But better late than never. It was the same way at their place. They got the big lead, we came back and it was nip-and-tuck. But they’re a great team, and we know it’s never going to be easy. Just thank God for the win.”
Brandon Childress scored 20 points, hitting four 3-pointers, to lead Wesleyan (19-8 overall, 5-3 PACIS), ranked No. 5 among NCISAA 3A teams. David Caraher followed with 17 points,
hitting three 3-pointers, while Kwe Parker added 10 points.
The Trojans, who led by 14 in the first half but trailed by three early in the third quarter, broke free from a tied game with an 8-0 run — fueled by a key driving layup by Parker and six free throws by Parker, Childress and Jalen Johnson — to lead 65-57 with 45.6 seconds left.
But the Cougars scored got a 3 and three free throws by Michael Hueitt Jr. to pull within two with 26.9 seconds left. After Wesleyan missed two free throws, HPCA called timeout with 9.3 seconds left. It got the ball inside to their top player, Bam Adebayo, for two close looks inside that somehow didn’t fall.
“It was Senior Night, so it was a very emotional game for all of us,” said Childress, a Wake Forest recruit. “I think we all just came together throughout the entire game. Our main focus in the fourth quarter was just to win the quarter and win the game, and that’s what happened. … We just stayed together through the adversity, and we came out victorious.”
Adebayo finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds to lead the second-ranked Cougars (21-5, 5-2), who pulled within 35-32 at halftime and scored the first six points out of the break. Hueitt added 14 points, while Michal Seals and Jalen Seegars each had 10 points.
HPCA coach Brandon Clifford struggled throughout the game with what team personnel described as vertigo, and assistant coach J.D. Johnson filled in when necessary.
“We fought pretty hard,” Johnson said. “It’s their Senior Night, so they came out with a lot of passion and intensity. We dug ourselves a whole, but I was really proud of how we fought back from there. It was tough there at the end because Coach wasn’t really feeling well at all. So, we were kind of caught in between. We were just in a difficult spot. But that’s not to take anything away from Wesleyan. Their kids played great. ...
“They just got on a little run there at the end,” he said of the difference late. “But we got a couple good looks. At the end of the game there, we wanted to get Bam the ball. I don’t know how that one didn’t go in. I’ll take the ball in Bam’s hands next to the hoop 100 times out of 100. He’s the ultimate competitor, and it killed him that he missed. But I have a feeling the next time he’s in there, he’s not going to miss.”
HPCA plays again Thursday at Davidson Day, while Wesleyan will prepare for the next week’s state playoffs. The seeding meeting will be Sunday, followed by the first-round games Tuesday for the lower eight teams in the 12-team bracket.
Michael Lindsay---HIGH POINT ENTERPRISE
Trojans take two from Cougars
HIGH POINT — Wesleyan Christian felt like it was due for a big win, and it came through.
The Trojans rallied late in the fourth quarter after losing a big first-half lead and held on in a wild finish to beat rival High Point Christian 65-63 in PACIS 2A/3A boys basketball Tuesday on Senior Night at Wesleyan.
In the girls game, Shaniya Jones eclipsed 1,000 points for her career as she helped lead Wesleyan Christian past High Point Christian 49-7.
“It was a great win for our seniors,” Wesleyan boys coach Keith Gatlin said. “We’ve been due for a win. We haven’t protected our home court well all year. But better late than never. It was the same way at their place. They got the big lead, we came back and it was nip-and-tuck. But they’re a great team, and we know it’s never going to be easy. Just thank God for the win.”
Brandon Childress scored 20 points, hitting four 3-pointers, to lead Wesleyan (19-8 overall, 5-3 PACIS), ranked No. 5 among NCISAA 3A teams. David Caraher followed with 17 points,
hitting three 3-pointers, while Kwe Parker added 10 points.
The Trojans, who led by 14 in the first half but trailed by three early in the third quarter, broke free from a tied game with an 8-0 run — fueled by a key driving layup by Parker and six free throws by Parker, Childress and Jalen Johnson — to lead 65-57 with 45.6 seconds left.
But the Cougars scored got a 3 and three free throws by Michael Hueitt Jr. to pull within two with 26.9 seconds left. After Wesleyan missed two free throws, HPCA called timeout with 9.3 seconds left. It got the ball inside to their top player, Bam Adebayo, for two close looks inside that somehow didn’t fall.
“It was Senior Night, so it was a very emotional game for all of us,” said Childress, a Wake Forest recruit. “I think we all just came together throughout the entire game. Our main focus in the fourth quarter was just to win the quarter and win the game, and that’s what happened. … We just stayed together through the adversity, and we came out victorious.”
Adebayo finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds to lead the second-ranked Cougars (21-5, 5-2), who pulled within 35-32 at halftime and scored the first six points out of the break. Hueitt added 14 points, while Michal Seals and Jalen Seegars each had 10 points.
HPCA coach Brandon Clifford struggled throughout the game with what team personnel described as vertigo, and assistant coach J.D. Johnson filled in when necessary.
“We fought pretty hard,” Johnson said. “It’s their Senior Night, so they came out with a lot of passion and intensity. We dug ourselves a whole, but I was really proud of how we fought back from there. It was tough there at the end because Coach wasn’t really feeling well at all. So, we were kind of caught in between. We were just in a difficult spot. But that’s not to take anything away from Wesleyan. Their kids played great. ...
“They just got on a little run there at the end,” he said of the difference late. “But we got a couple good looks. At the end of the game there, we wanted to get Bam the ball. I don’t know how that one didn’t go in. I’ll take the ball in Bam’s hands next to the hoop 100 times out of 100. He’s the ultimate competitor, and it killed him that he missed. But I have a feeling the next time he’s in there, he’s not going to miss.”
HPCA plays again Thursday at Davidson Day, while Wesleyan will prepare for the next week’s state playoffs. The seeding meeting will be Sunday, followed by the first-round games Tuesday for the lower eight teams in the 12-team bracket.
