Ravenscroft among the first big winners as John Wall Invitational tips off in Raleigh
BY ALEX BASS
RALEIGH Forgive Ravenscroft boys’ basketball coach Kevin Billerman — a two-time Duke hoops captain — for sounding a little like previous North Carolina coach Roy Williams Thursday evening. Then again, Billerman and Williams both have their names on storied courts (in Ravenscroft’s A.E. Finley Center and North Carolina’s Dean E. Smith Center, respectively).
“We played pretty dadgum good basketball today,” Billerman said, using a signature Williams word. Billerman, specifically, called the first half of the Ravens’ 80-60 win over Garner on Thursday to open the John Wall Holiday Invitational at Word Of God Christian Academy “the best we’ve played.”
Ravenscroft’s longstanding commitment to cultivating student leadership — including its “Lead From Here” programming and the Ravens hoopsters’ pre-school day shooting regimens — shone brightly through juniors Comeh Emuobor and Dakota Gordon.
Emuobor and Gordon combined for 29 of their team’s 51 first half points. The tandem converted seven of 12 3-pointers to help Ravenscroft (5-6) to a 32-points halftime lead.
Emuobor finished with a double-double, including 21 points and 10 rebounds, and shared the basketball for four assists. Gordon netted 18. Emuobor and Gordon, individually, shot 50+ percent from two- and three-point range. Collectively, they yielded zero turnovers.
“Tonight, we really made a statement,” Emuobor said. “We showed that at Ravenscroft, we have something going on over here that’s really special.”
The final score put the Ravens in an Invitational championship game for the fifth time since 2008. That team, led by Ryan Kelly (who became a McDonalds All-American before competing at Duke and in the NBA), finished as tournament runner-up. Ravenscroft won titles in 2010, 2011, and 2015.
“I’ve been coming to this tournament as long as I can remember, since I was a toddler,” Gordon said.
“It’s just like a dream come true.” Gordon’s memories recall experiences of Madison Jones — the Ravens’ starting point guard on the 2010 and 2011 Invitational championship teams and eventual 2011-12 N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA) 3A state championship team. Jones served as an Invitational “ball boy” before earning All-Tournament Team distinctions in 2010 and 2011.
Ravenscroft will meet Northside Christian (Charlotte) Monday (December 27) at 1 p.m. for the Chris Clemons Bracket championship. This game will be played on Wake Tech’s North Campus.
Beyond the Ravens’ blistering shooting Thursday — including 71.4 percent (10-14 field goals) in the first quarter (after which Ravenscroft led 26-8) — Gordon found deeper value in Friday’s win.
“Everyone got to get in, and everyone contributed,” Gordon said. Alex Olander added 20 points on 7-14 field goals (50 percent), along with seven rebounds, four steals, and three assists.
“We’ve talked for the last two weeks about getting better every day,” Billerman said. “We’ve tried to coach them up to the things that will get them better every day.”
BY ALEX BASS
RALEIGH Forgive Ravenscroft boys’ basketball coach Kevin Billerman — a two-time Duke hoops captain — for sounding a little like previous North Carolina coach Roy Williams Thursday evening. Then again, Billerman and Williams both have their names on storied courts (in Ravenscroft’s A.E. Finley Center and North Carolina’s Dean E. Smith Center, respectively).
“We played pretty dadgum good basketball today,” Billerman said, using a signature Williams word. Billerman, specifically, called the first half of the Ravens’ 80-60 win over Garner on Thursday to open the John Wall Holiday Invitational at Word Of God Christian Academy “the best we’ve played.”
Ravenscroft’s longstanding commitment to cultivating student leadership — including its “Lead From Here” programming and the Ravens hoopsters’ pre-school day shooting regimens — shone brightly through juniors Comeh Emuobor and Dakota Gordon.
Emuobor and Gordon combined for 29 of their team’s 51 first half points. The tandem converted seven of 12 3-pointers to help Ravenscroft (5-6) to a 32-points halftime lead.
Emuobor finished with a double-double, including 21 points and 10 rebounds, and shared the basketball for four assists. Gordon netted 18. Emuobor and Gordon, individually, shot 50+ percent from two- and three-point range. Collectively, they yielded zero turnovers.
“Tonight, we really made a statement,” Emuobor said. “We showed that at Ravenscroft, we have something going on over here that’s really special.”
The final score put the Ravens in an Invitational championship game for the fifth time since 2008. That team, led by Ryan Kelly (who became a McDonalds All-American before competing at Duke and in the NBA), finished as tournament runner-up. Ravenscroft won titles in 2010, 2011, and 2015.
“I’ve been coming to this tournament as long as I can remember, since I was a toddler,” Gordon said.
“It’s just like a dream come true.” Gordon’s memories recall experiences of Madison Jones — the Ravens’ starting point guard on the 2010 and 2011 Invitational championship teams and eventual 2011-12 N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA) 3A state championship team. Jones served as an Invitational “ball boy” before earning All-Tournament Team distinctions in 2010 and 2011.
Ravenscroft will meet Northside Christian (Charlotte) Monday (December 27) at 1 p.m. for the Chris Clemons Bracket championship. This game will be played on Wake Tech’s North Campus.
Beyond the Ravens’ blistering shooting Thursday — including 71.4 percent (10-14 field goals) in the first quarter (after which Ravenscroft led 26-8) — Gordon found deeper value in Friday’s win.
“Everyone got to get in, and everyone contributed,” Gordon said. Alex Olander added 20 points on 7-14 field goals (50 percent), along with seven rebounds, four steals, and three assists.
“We’ve talked for the last two weeks about getting better every day,” Billerman said. “We’ve tried to coach them up to the things that will get them better every day.”
