Tuesday’s prep rewind: Independence makes the most of a break in its tough schedule
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- SouthLake used a tough early schedule, then won the Charlotte Latin title.
- SouthLake forced turnovers and a 28-10 surge to beat Charlotte Catholic 60-49.
- Charlotte Latin girls dominated Indian Land 61-25; Charlotte Tune earned tourney MVP.
There haven’t been many breaks in the schedule so far this season for the Independence boys’ basketball teams, so when the Patriots got a break, they made the most of it.
Facing a Blythewood (SC) team that is a shell of the squad that reached the South Carolina 5A Division finals a year ago, Independence steamrolled to a 71-25 victory Tuesday night in the finale of the two-day Border Challenge.
The Border Challenge, hosted by the Patriots, featured a Charlotte-area school facing an out-of-state team in a 16-game event.
On Monday night, Independence handed Virginia Beach’s Landstown its first loss in 10 games this season. Tuesday night, things were a bit easier.
Blythewood (4-6) lost its top three scorers and rebounders from a year ago, and the Bengals are rebuilding. Coach Preston Davis’ Independence team feasted on the inexperience, racing to a 22-10 first-quarter lead and a 39-15 halftime margin.
The Patriots have faced a series of state title contenders from across the Southeast this season and have managed an 8-3 record.
“I still think some people are under-estimating us,” Davis said. “We set up our schedule with the idea that we would play very good competition, and use that to improve. I think we’ve done that.”
In two weeks, the Patriots open play in the Mecklenburg Power Six 7A/8A Conference, facing teams like defending state champion North Mecklenburg, powerhouse West Charlotte, Chambers, neighborhood rival Butler, and Mallard Creek.
“We’ve got to be ready for what will be a very difficult grind in the conference,” he said.
Typical Preston Davis-coached teams are very good defensively but often don’t score a lot. This Patriot squad is different.
“We do a good job of moving the ball, and we can certainly score,” he said. “The big challenge is to make stops on the defensive end.”
Immediately preceding the Independence game, South Mecklenburg rallied in the late going but fell to Butler (GA) 60-53. Like Independence, the Sabres have played a very challenging nonconference schedule.
“I want the challenge,” South Mecklenburg coach Christopher McDonald said. “People don’t realize how incredibly young we are. We’re playing four freshmen, and two of our juniors had never played varsity until this season.”
Butler, the defending Georgia 2A state champion, led 48-38 after three quarters, but South Meck battled back. Jim Gatehouse drove the lane for a layup with 2:45 left, putting the Sabres on top 51-50.
But a series of mistakes and missed shots enabled Butler go finish the game on a 10-2 run.
Ben Houpt led the Sabres with 18 points.
Lake Norman takes 3rd in Cherokee event
Lake Norman led the way Tuesday, as Charlotte-area teams went four-for-four in the final day of the Cherokee Invitational girls’ high school basketball tournament.
One day after losing a battle of unbeatens, Lake Norman came back with a 52-29 romp over Campbell (GA) in the third-place game of the Warrior Bracket.
The Cherokee Invitational, played at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino, is among the nation’s premier girls’ prep basketball tournaments.
Also winning Tuesday were the teams from Cannon School, Hickory Ridge and Weddington.
Lake Norman (8-1), the defending North Carolina 4A state champion, lost 71-64 Monday in the semifinals to defending 1A state champ Cherokee.
But the Wildcats bounced back in a big way Tuesday, racing to a 16-5 first-quarter lead and then outscoring Daniel Boone 26-4 in the second quarter for a 42-9 halftime lead. Lake Norman hit three straight 3-pointers in the opening 70 seconds of the second quarter.
Cannon School took fifth place in the Warrior Bracket, rolling over Newton (GA) 53-37. The Cougars (10-4) built a 32-17 halftime lead and were never threatened.
And in the Honor Bracket, Hickory Ridge won the fifth-place game, while Weddington took the seventh-place contest.
Hickory Ridge (8-4) downed Military Magnet (SC) 50-39. The Charleston-area team closed to within five points early in the fourth quarter, but Hickory Ridge pulled away.
Weddington downed Lanier (GA) 57-47 in its contest.
Monday: SouthLake wins tourney title
When former ACC basketball legend Rodney Monroe filled his SouthLake Christian Academy 2025-26 basketball schedule, he knew his team would be challenged; the Eagles’ six early-season losses were evidence to back that up.
But as Monroe noted after his team won all three games it played to win the 2025 Charlotte Latin Invitational over the past four days, the difficult schedule helped get his team ready for an event that saw SouthLake Christian knock off an out-of-state team, the host, and a perennial local power to take the title.
Monday night’s 60-49 win over Charlotte Catholic gave the Eagles the title at Latin’s Jerry Faulkner Court.
Earlier, a veteran Charlotte Latin team rolled to a 61-25 victory over Indian Land, S.C., in the girls’ tournament final.
Monroe, who remains N.C. State’s all-time leading scorer with 2,551 points from 1987 to 1991, saw his team start this season 0-2 and 3-4 against that challenging schedule.
“I think my players didn’t understand why we played so many good teams,” Monroe said. “But I scheduled them so that we would be ready for games like this.”
The Eagles are 8-2 in their past 10 games, including a 69-49 win over Bronx, N.Y., Cardinal Spellman, and a 68-60 victory over Charlotte Latin in their first two games of the tournament last Friday and Saturday.
Against Catholic (11-2), which entered with a nine-game winning streak, SouthLake Christian fell behind 9-2 in the first six minutes. But Monroe said he had scouted Catholic “a couple of times,” and noticed no one had ever pressed the Cougars.
And from the 2:29 mark of the first quarter to 1:06 left in the opening half, the Eagles forced nine Catholic turnovers and went on a 28-10 surge that gave them a 30-19 lead.
The Cougars nudged within six late in the third quarter and early in the fourth, but could get no closer.
“This is a great tournament to win,” Monroe said. “We’ve been a pressing team all year since we’re a such small team.”
SouthLake Christian’s starts 6-foot-5 Dillon Mason, 6-4 Jalen Paige, 6-1 Jackson Robateau and 5-10 guards Anderson Johnson and Cal Stubbs, with 6-2 Iker Remesal the Eagles’ top reserve.
Paige and Stubbs led the way Monday with 15 points each, and Remesal had 13, Johnson nine and Mason eight.
Joseph Kopsiak had 14 points to lead Catholic.
Paige was named tournament MVP and joined on the all-tournament team by teammates Mason and Johnson, Catholic’s Kopsiak and Jack Siegel, Charlotte Country Day’s Hunter Blythe and Joseph Youakim, Latin’s Emory Chaney, and Hickory Grove Christian’s Micah Bradley.
Charlotte Latin girls roll
In the opener, the veteran hosts made quick work of Indian Land.
The Hawks (11-2) scored the game’s first seven points and were ahead by 10 at the 2:49 mark of the first quarter, by 20 at the 5:32 mark of the second quarter, and by 30 at the 5:31 mark of the third quarter.
Eighth-grader Claire Martin led Latin’s balanced offense with 16 points. Senior future collegians Lanie Edwards (13 points, Rollins College), Charlotte Tune (11 points, Washington & Lee) and Mollie Snyder (8 points, Grove City College) were other top scorers.
“It means a lot to win this,” said second-year Latin head coach Giovanni Mack, whose team has eight seniors on its roster. “It’s good to keep building momentum as we prepare for conference games.”
The Hawks, who have been eliminated in four straight N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association Class 4A quarterfinals, begin play in the always challenging Charlotte Independent Conference on Jan. 13.
Tune was named tournament MVP and joined on the all-tournament team by teammates Edwards and Snyder, Indian Land’s Yarielus Vega-Soto and Taylor Harris-McKnight and Monroe’s Janiyah Boyd.
No. 1 North Meck girls lose
A fourth-quarter rally came up short Monday, and North Mecklenburg dropped a 48-39 decision to Hebron (GA) Christian in the championship game of the Beach Ball Classic’s United Bank bracket in Myrtle Beach.
The loss was the first in 12 games this season for North Mecklenburg. Hebron Christian, ranked No. 3 nationally by Maxpreps in the preseason poll, improved to 10-0.
The Lions built a 39-23 lead after three quarters, before the Vikings battled back.
North Mecklenburg outscored Hebron Christian 29-15 off turnovers, but the Vikings were hurt by poor shooting. They shot 27.5 % from the floor for the game, hitting 14 of 51. Meanwhile, Hebron Christian shot 47.1 %.
The Lions held North Meck standout Lenise Joseph to six points, about 13 below her average. The Vikings’ top scorer was SaRuan Newton, with eight points.
Alanna Beckham scored 14 points and Nariah Nelson added 10 for Hebron Christian, which had a 33-25 rebounding edge.
Tuesday’s boys’ roundup
Berry Academy 63, Morrow (GA) 57 — The Cardinals built a 32-25 lead, then held off several second-half challenges by the Mustangs. This game was part of the Border Challenge event at Independence. Berry Academy improved to 5-4, while Morrow is 7-4.
Queen’s Grant Charter 59, Landstown (VA) 49 — Bobby Montgomery and Mekhi Allen each scored 13 points in leading the Stallions in the Border Challenge at Independence. Queen’s Grant bolted to a 20-6 first-quarter lead over the visitors from Virginia Beach, then pulled away again in the fourth quarter after Landstown had narrowed the gap.
Victory Christian 65, James Island (SC) 55: Deshawn Coulter’s 21 points, four assists and four rebounds carried Victory Christian to victory in the third-place game of the National Bracket of the Magic City Classic at Florence, S.C.
The Kings (7-14) outscored James Island 15-5 in the fourth quarter. Carlos Marshall had 13 rebounds to go with his eight points, and Keysanne Massengo and Landon Johnson each added five rebounds.
West Mecklenburg 48, East Ridge (TN) 32 — The Hawks took the nightcap of the West Mecklenburg Christmas Classic, behind Nasir White’s 18 points. Ryan Leak added 13 points and four rebounds, and Kamaree Grantham had 11 points and five rebounds.
Tuesday’s boys’ box scores
Queen’s Grant Charter 59, Landstown (VA) 49
Queen’s Grant Charter 20 9 16 14 — 59
Landstown 6 17 18 8 — 49
QUEEN’S GRANT CHARTER — Bobby Montgomery 13, Mekhi Allen 13, Smith 9, McSweeney 4, DeBerry 6, Preston Scott 13.
LANDSTOWN — Law 15, Robinson 14, Johnson 9, Walker 6, Shaw 6.
Victory Christian 65, James Island (SC) 55
Victory Christian 21 16 13 15 — 65
James Island 11 16 23 5. — 55
VICTORY CHRISTIAN — Deshawn Coulter 21, Marshall 8, McKennon Showers 11, Massengo 9, Johnson 8.
JAMES ISLAND — scoring unavailable.
West Mecklenburg 48, East Ridge (TN) 32
West Mecklenburg 12 10 14 12 — 48
East Ridge 7 10 6 9 — 32
WEST MECKLENBURG — Colbert 4, Ryan Leak 13, Nasir White 18, Morris 0, Pratt 0, Kamaree Grantham 11, Liggins 4, Hoffman 0.
EAST RIDGE — scoring unavailable
Tuesday’s scoreboard
BORDER CLASSIC (boys)
(at Independence High)
Palisades 56, East Ridge (TN) 38
Rocky River def, Andrews (SC), score unavailable
Berry Academy 63, Morrow (GA) 57
Crest 64, Dreher (SC) 50
Corvian Community vs. Brookland-Cayce (SC)
Queen’s Grant Charter 59, Landstown (VA) 49
Butler (GA) 60, South Mecklenburg 53
Independence 71, Blythewood (SC) 25
WEST MECKLENBURG HOLIDAY CLASSIC (boys)
East Mecklenburg def. Seventy-First, score not available
West Mecklenburg 48, East Ridge (TN) 32
UNION ACADEMY HOLIDAY CLASSIC (boys)
Third place: Piedmont 57, Union Academy 53
Championship: Sun Valley vs. Central Pageland
CHEROKEE INVITATIONAL (girls)
(at Cherokee Convention Center)
(Honor Bracket)
Seventh place: Weddington 57, Lanier (GA) 47
Fifth place: Hickory Ridge 50, Military Magnet (SC) 39
Third place: Hazel Green (AL) 61, South Forsyth (GA) 38
Championship: Luella (GA) 50, McDowell 45
(Warrior Bracket)
Seventh place: William Fleming (VA) 51, Page (TN) 44
Fifth place: Cannon School 53, Newton (GA) 37
Third place: Our Lady of Good Counsel (MD) 52, Atlanta Holy Innocents 37
Championship: Sanford Grace Christian 63, Montverde Academy (FL) 62
(Brave Bracket)
Seventh place: Caruthers (CA) 37, Creekside (GA) 33
Fifth place: Archer (GA) 45, Tocoi Creek (FL) 38
Third place: Lake Norman 52, Daniel Boone (TN) 29
Championship: Cherokee 73, Campbell (GA) 62
This story was originally published December 22, 2025 at 10:16 PM.