Saturday’s Roundup: Royce Jarrett’s 3 eliminates Independence in NCHSAA playoffs
Elevator
↑DJ Horne, Fayetteville Trinity Christian: Illinois State recruit had game-high 21 points to lead the East All-Stars to a 136-115 win over the East in the annual NCISAA all-star game at Providence Day. Fayetteville Academy’s Emmanuel Izunabor had 20 points for the East. The West got 21 points from Carmel Christian’s Myles Pierre. Pierre’s teammates DeAngelo Epps (19) and Donovan Gregory (16) plus Charlotte Christian’s JC Tharrington (15) were in double-digits for the West.
↑Isabel Varejoa, Neuse Christian: game-high 17 points for the Michigan recruit in the N.C. Independent Schools girls all-star game at Providence Day. Varejoa led the East All-Stars to an 83-61 win. Fayetteville Village Christian’s Makayla Kimble had 16 points for the East. Gloria Smith (Fayetteville Trinity Christian, 17 points) and Kathryn Vandiver (Charlotte Latin, 12) led the West.
↑Union County: three teams moved to the Elite 8: Waxhaw Cuthbertson girls, Union Academy girls and reigning N.C. 2A state champ Marshville Forest Hills.
↓Independence free throws: Patriots missed 3-of-4 free throws in the last 40 seconds of overtime in a 65-64 loss to Ardrey Kell. Ardrey Kell’s Royce Jarrett hit a buzzer-beater for the win.
↑Community School of Davidson: beat Pine Lake Prep 93-74 to advance to the Elite 8. It was the team’s fourth meeting of the season. The first three were decided by 11 total points. CSD is in the regional semifinals for the first time.
Quick Links
Saturday’s NCHSAA Sweet 16 boxscores
Saturday’s NCHSAA/SCHSL playoff results, pairings
West Charlotte holds Olympic, advances to Elite 8
Observations
▪ Ardrey Kell is going to the regional round for the fifth time in school history. Ardrey Kell, which opened in 2006, has never had West Charlotte or Providence Day or North Mecklenburg or Independence type of talent. But, nearly every year the Knights seem to win 20 games and make a state title run.
This year, they are two games away from going back to the state finals for the second time in five years. And in 2015, the Knights got to the finals with some last-second heroic shots, kind of like the one Royce Jarrett hoisted up to beat Independence at the buzzer Saturday.
But the real reason why “AK” keeps winning so much? Coach Mike Craft can do more with less than any coach I see out there.
I wonder what he would do with a supremely talented team, and I often think he’s a college coach working the high school sidelines (he has coached in college before as an assistant). We’re blessed with a lot of great coaches in this area, and any time I start a list, I get calls about folks I left off. When you whittle it down, everybody can’t be on there. But if you ever ask me for my top five, now or in the 30 years I’ve covered high school sports here, Mr. Craft will be on it.
▪ His father was an NBA player, Vernon Maxwell of the World Champion Houston Rockets, and North Meck’s Tristan Maxwell is turning into one of the region’s best scorers, a strength his father certainly had. In defeat Saturday, Maxwell poured in 45 points on Winston-Salem Reynolds’ 2-3 zone. And he’s been up around 40 a few times this season. Bad news for Vikings’ opponents? Maxwell will be back for a senior year, and he’ll be mad about how this one ended.
▪ Twenty years ago, West Charlotte won the N.C. 4A state championship, led by 6-foot-8 senior post Jason Parker, one of the top high school basketball players ever from Mecklenburg County. That Lions team is the best-ever from the Charlotte Observer’s coverage zone. This year’s West Charlotte team is led by another unicorn -- 6-8 wing Patrick Williams.
Where Parker was just an unstoppable brute inside with King Kong-sized hands and King Kong-sized dunks, Williams plays inside (a little) and out, shooting 3s and handling the ball like a point guard. Williams is one of the nation’s best players and can cement a legacy at one of the nation’s all-time winningest schools. He knows to be remembered at West Charlotte, to really be remembered, you’ve got to win a ring.
Williams and the Lions are three wins away.
Saturday’s #BIG5 Boys Top Performers
John Bean, East Lincoln: career-high 35 points in a 81-63 win over Wheatmore. Bean made 5-of-7 3-point shots and had four assists. Sidney Dollar (25 points, eight rebounds, four assists) had a big game for the Mustangs (28-1) who tied a 3-year-old school-record for wins and won their sixth 2A sectional championship in 12 years.
Bryson Childress, North Stanly: 32 points in a 72-53 win over Lincoln Charter. Childress is averaging 25.4 points, 5.1 steals, 4.6 rebouds and 2.7 assists.
Brandon Ellington, Community School of Davidson: 33 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, two blocks and two steals in a 93-74 win over rival Pine Lake Prep.
Tristan Maxwell, North Mecklenburg: junior had a career-high 45 points in a 98-96 overtime loss to Winston-Salem Reynolds.
Drake Maye, Duwe Farris, Myers Park: Maye had 16 points, 20 rebounds in a 74-65 win over Davie County. Farris added 10 points, 13 rebounds. Myers Park is two wins away from reaching its first N.C. 4A state championship game since 1966.
Saturday’s boys recaps
Myers Park 74, Davie County 65: after the Mustangs’ football team made a run to the state semifinals, as deep into the 4A playoffs as any Myers Park team had ever been, the Mustangs boys are enjoying a similar run.
The Mustangs beat No. 5 seed Northwest Guilford on the road Thursday and then upset No. 4 Davie Saturday. Next up is a regional semifinal date at No. 9 seed Winston-Salem Reynolds. Reynolds upset No. 1 overall west seed North Meck in overtime Saturday.
In the Davie win, Myers Park trailed early but rallied to get a three-point halftime lead and the Mustangs went onto lead by as many as 14. Besides Maye and Farris, Kameron Mack had 22 points, Caleb McReed had 15 and Xavier McKelvy added 11.
“Obviously,” Myers Park coach Scott Taylor said, “it’s just special; special for a group of guys to be able to find a way to keep going. I enjoy looking back at the history and seeing success of other (Mustangs’) teams, but in the moment, you get caught up in what this group is doing, and they seem to be enjoying being around each other and it finds ways to show itself in games. It seems like every time we play, I have a different (lineup of) five (players) to finish games.”
Winston-Salem Reynolds 98, North Mecklenburg 96 (OT): Reynolds outscored North Meck 26-18 in the fourth quarter to force overtime. Devin Ingram (24 points), Mysta Goodloe (22), Tyrek Leach (20), Caden Davis (15) and Tobias Johnson (12) led Reynolds. Maxwell had 45 for North Meck. Chris Ford (17) and Trayden Williams (16) were also in double figures.
Saturday’s #BIG5 Girls Top Performers
Brooke Arney, East Burke: 25 points in a 77-56 win over Newton-Conover. Newton-Conover’s Chyna Cornwell finished with 21 points, 18 rebounds.
Blaikley Crooks, Morganton Freedom: 24 points in a 72-67 win over Asheville.
Sierra McCullough, Rock Hill South Pointe: had 13 points, five blocked shots and two steals in the S.C. 4A state final.
Hailey Nance, Butler: team-high 15 points in a 54-48 win over Ardrey Kell.
Carleigh Perry, China Grove Carson: team-high 17 points in a dominant 56-31 win over Charlotte Catholic. Perry and the Cougars held Catholic to 11 points in the second half, just two in the fourth quarter.
Saturday’s girls recaps
Butler 54, Ardrey Kell 48: The Bulldogs led 23-21 at halftime but outscored Ardrey Kell 23-12 in a decisive third quarter. Hailey Nance had 15 for Butler. Ashlynn Dotson had 12 and Payton Sutton 11. Michelle Ojo led Ardrey Kell with 20 and Evan Miller added 18.
Morganton Freedom 72, Asheville 67: Freedom won a close game to advance to Tuesday’s regional semifinal. Freedom will host China Grove Carson. Amber Redmond had 34 for Asheville.
SC State finals recaps
North Augusta 3-peat ends South Pointe’s title hopes
COLUMBIA Rock Hill South Pointe fell behind early Saturday and dropped a 50-39 decision to North Augusta in the 4A South Carolina girls’ high school basketball championship game.
It was the third straight 4A girls’ title for North Augusta. South Pointe, with only two seniors in the lineup, was making its first girls’ basketball championship appearance.
The Yellow Jackets got off to a fast start at Colonial Life Arena, building a 28-12 lead over South Pointe at halftime. The Stallions closed the gap at times in the second half but couldn’t make up the deficit.
North Augusta’s defense limited the Stallions to 26 percent shooting from the floor. J’Mani Ingram led the Yellow Jackets (23-2) with 17 points. South Pointe, which tied a school victory record in its 26-5 campaign, was led by Sierra McCullough, with 13 points, five blocked shots and two steals.
Andrew Jackson falls
West Columbia Gray Collegiate outscored Kershaw Andrew Jackson 45-12 in the second half on route to a 79-38 victory Saturday in the 2A boys’ championship game.
It was the second straight 2A title for the War Eagles (20-10), who were led by Tommy Bruner’s 19 points. D.J. Ealey led Andrew Jackson (17-5) with 15 points. It was the Volunteers’ first boys’ basketball state title appearance in 39 years.
Other championship results
5A boys – Roebuck Dorman 46, Moncks Corner Berkeley 39: Dorman (27-3) captured its third straight 5A boys’ championship, with Myles Tate scoring 19 points. Defense dominated this Friday night game, with each team shooting less than 37 percent from the floor. It was only the second loss in 28 games this season for Berkeley.
5A girls – Goose Creek 52, Columbia Spring Valley 51: In a game played Friday, the Gators rallied from a nine-point deficit early in the fourth quarter and finally took the lead with nine seconds remaining. Goose Creek finished 23-1, with Spring Valley finishing 26-4.
4A boys – Columbia Ridge View 65, Florence Wilson 52: Ridge View outscored Wilson 38-21 in the middle two quarters Saturday and won a rematch of last year’s 4A boys’ state championship. Ridge View won the state title a year ago 74-70.
Ridge View (24-7) got 16 points from Walyn Napper. Wilson finished 17-9.
3A boys – Columbia Keenan 70, Ridgeland-Hardeeville 40: The Raiders (30-1) outscored Ridgeland-Hardeeville (26-4) 51-20 in the second half Saturday and captured their eighth boys’ state basketball championship. Keenan’s only loss this season was to 5A champ Roebuck Dorman.
3A girls – Charleston Bishop England 54, Columbia Keenan 46: Kate Brooks led Bishop England (29-1) with 20 points and five steals Saturday. She made 12-of-13 free throws. Keenan finished 19-8.
2A girls – Greenville Christ Church Episcopal 41, Mullins 36: The Cavaliers (26-4) won Saturday despite foul troubles, with two of their seven players fouling out. Jarell Sindab had 14 points and six steals. Mullins finished 18-8.
1A boys – Spartanburg High Pointe 70, Hemingway 55: Jayden Byrd’s 29 points Friday evening led High Pointe (24-6) to its first boys’ basketball state title. High Pointe has been a member of the S.C. High School League for only three years. Isayah Owens added 17 points and 10 rebounds for the victors. Hemingway finished 16-10.
1A girls – Summerton Scott’s Branch 63, Spartanburg High Pointe Academy 49: Taniah Wilkins led the Grizzles with 22 points and 14 rebounds in this Friday evening game. Each team finished with a 20-3 record.
This story was originally published March 2, 2019 at 11:44 PM.
