Saturday’s prep basketball rewind: A big win for Ambassador Christian
Ambassador Christian doesn’t get many chances to play against Charlotte-Mecklenburg public school teams.
So the Lions seem to make the most of their limited opportunities.
Saturday evening, Ambassador Christian capped the daylong Phenom Hoops Ambassador Classic with a 77-60 romp over East Mecklenburg.
The Lions, in their second year of varsity basketball, are now 3-0 all-time against Mecklenburg public school teams. They beat Independence and Hopewell on back-to-back nights last January.
Saturday’s game was the only scheduled meeting with a Mecklenburg public school team this season.
The Lions (11-10) won behind the offense provided by 6-7 junior forward R.J. Moore.
Moore, who led Corvian Community to the N.C. High School Athletic Association’s 1A state championship last season, transferred to the Huntersville school in the offseason.
He was at his best Saturday night, scoring 28 points and grabbing five rebounds.
Nick Haney, a 6-2 senior guard, added 12 points, and 6-8 junior forward Tyler Brown scored 10.
The Lions are coached by Scott Taylor, who guided Myers Park to the 4A state title in 2023.
Taylor’s team suffered through a five-game losing streak in mid-December but has bounced back. Saturday’s victory was the Lions’ sixth in a row and improved their record to 11-10.
East Mecklenburg (9-7) was coming off an overtime victory Friday over Providence.
Zavion Funderburk, a 6-2 sophomore guard, led the Eagles with 20 points. Nixon Wright and Braylen Caldwell each added 13.
Saturday’s #BIG5 top performers
Kevin Crockett, Charlotte Lab School: A 6-6 senior, Crockett scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds in his team’s 63-60 come-from-behind victory over Phoenix Montessori at the Phenom Hoops Ambassador Classic.
Zavion Funderburk, East Mecklenburg: Funderburk, a 6-2 sophomore guard, scored 20 points as the Eagles lost 77-60 to Ambassador Christian in the Phenom Hoops Ambassador Classic.
R.J. Moore, Ambassador Christian: Moore scored a game-high 28 points and added five rebounds, as his team downed East Mecklenburg 77-60 in the nightcap of the Phenom Hoops Ambassador Classic.
Sean Nix, Cannon School: Nix, a 6-4 junior shooting guard, scored 34 points in the Cougars’ 75-65 victory over Northwest Guilford in the Phenom Hoops Ambassador Classic.
Charlotte Tune, Charlotte Latin: Tune scored a game-high 15 points, as the Hawks routed St. David’s School 47-20 and ran their record to 15-2.
Saturday’s roundup, scores
BOYS
Charlotte Christian 72, Durham Academy 61: The Knights ran their winning streak to seven games with a road victory. The Knights (15-5) open CISAA play Tuesday at home against Charlotte Latin.
Charlotte Country Day 56, Ravenscroft School 46: The visiting Buccaneers (10-9) raced to a 19-5 first-quarter lead and completed a weekend trip to the Triangle area with a split of their two games.
Peter Richardson led the Bucs with 12 points, and Hunter Blythe and Nolan Lowery each added 10.
Charlotte Lab School 63, Phoenix Montessori 60: The Lions opened Saturday’s Phenom Hoops Ambassador Classic by rallying for a victory. Charlotte Lab outscored Phoenix 20-15 in the final quarter, erasing a two-point deficit.
Esmond Thomas and Boulis Ker each scored 16 points for the Lions, and Kevin Crockett added 12 points and seven rebounds. Junior guard Malik McCotter scored a game-high 18 points for Phoenix Montessori.
Paul VI (VA) 56, Davidson Day 52: The Patriots came up short in the Capitol Hoops Challenge at DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, Maryland. Facing one of Virginia’s top schools, Davidson Day trailed through most of the fourth quarter but challenged several times.
The Patriots (14-8) closed to 52-50 on two free throws by Justyn Whitfield with 1:04 left, but Lawrence Brown hit a 3-pointer for the Panthers (14-1), from Chantilly, Virginia, for a 55-50 lead. Sherod McCormick made two free throws for Davidson Day with 16.2 seconds left, cutting the deficit to 55-52, but the Patriots were unable to get the ball back again.
Cannon School 75, Northwest Guilford 65: Sean Nix scored 34 points and added 10 rebounds and four steals, as the Cougars (7-9) triumphed in the Phenom Hoops Ambassador Classic at Ambassador Christian.
D.J. Rogers added 18 points for Cannon School.
Charlotte Latin 67, St. David’s School 56: The Hawks completed a weekend sweep of their Raleigh-area opponents, breaking open a tight game with a big third quarter. Charlotte Latin (12-5) led 33-31 at halftime but outscored the Lions 22-15 in the third period.
Alex Dauska led the Hawks with 19 points, and Landon Spicer added 14.
Mooresville 57, Ballantyne Ridge 22: The Blue Devils (12-2) surged to a 22-5 first-quarter lead and built the margin to 40-13 at halftime in an easy Phenom Hoops Ambassador Classic victory.
Nolan Ericson, a 6-foot senior guard, scored a game-high 12 points. Senior forward Tauren McKinnon added 11 points and three rebounds. Nobody scored more than five points for Ballantyne Ridge (8-7).
West Charlotte 64, Gaston Day 31: The Lions (11-2) jumped out to a 19-7 first-quarter lead and routed the Spartans (11-6) in the Phenom Hoops Ambassador Classic at Ambassador Christian.
Chacho Womack, a 6-4 senior, scored 20 points and added five rebounds. Kaharri Coleman had five rebounds and two assists. Guard Dyson Britt led Gaston Day with 12 points.
Winston-Salem Christian Regional 53, Jackson Day 50
GIRLS
Charlotte Country Day 52, Ravenscroft School 23: The Buccaneers completed a weekend road sweep of two Triangle opponents, running their record to 9-11. Charlotte Country Day, which beat Durham Academy on Friday night, led the Ravens 18-10 after the first quarter Saturday afternoon but outscored Ravenscroft 12-1 in the second quarter and pulled away.
Malina Bharti scored a team-high 14 points, and Olive Bigham added 10.
Charlotte Latin 47, St. David’s School 20: The Hawks ran their record to 15-2 by routing St. David’s School in Raleigh. It capped a 2-0 weekend trip to the Triangle area for coach Giavonni Mack’s team, which beat Cary Academy by 27 points Friday night.
The Hawks are led by seniors Charlotte Tune and Lanie Edwards, and that duo played a big role in Saturday’s victory. Tune scored a game-high 15 points, about three points over her season average. Edwards, averaging 18.6 a game this season, contributed 14. The Hawks raced to a 15-4 first-quarter lead and were never in trouble.
Jackson Day 50, Northwood Temple 26
Saturday’s box scores
BOYS
Charlotte Lab School 63, Phoenix Montessori 60
Phoenix Montessori 17 13 15 15 — 60
Charlotte Lab 17 13 13 20 — 63
PHOENIX MONTESSORI 60 — Damon Ellis 11, Fisher 5, Malik McCotter 18, Jossiah Johnson 12, Shouse 4, Pickett 2, Jenkins 8
CHARLOTTE LAB SCHOOL 63 — Payne 8, Esmond Thomas 14, Dancy 4, Boulis Ker 16, Deng 4, Kevin Crockett 12, Anderson 2
Charlotte Country Day 56, Ravenscroft 46
Charlotte Country Day 19 15 12 10 — 56
Ravenscroft 5 13 9 19 — 46
CHARLOTTE COUNTRY DAY 56 — Roberts 8, Hunter Blythe 10, Nolan Lowery 10, Richardson 12, Mulford 4, Youakim 4, Spruill 8
RAVENSCROFT 46 — Podger 3, Gilbert 7, Moore 11, Habbart 7, Diggs 2, J Stewart 4, Nathani 6, Carroll 4, Ward 2.
West Charlotte 64, Gaston Day 31
Gaston Day 7 3 12 9 – 31
West Charlotte 19 23 13 9 – 64
GASTON DAY 31 – Fields 2, Kuruko 3, Spillman 3, James 0, Kimrey 0, Dyson Britt 12, Bowden 9, Simpson 2.
WEST CHARLOTTE 64 – Coleman 5, Chacho Womack 20, Pressley 7, Wade 4, McLeod 0, Major Cross 10, Sullivan 0, Johnson 4, Brown 5, Williams 4, Richardson 2.
Mooresville 57, Ballantyne Ridge 22
Mooresville 22 18 13 4 – 57
Ballantyne Ridge 5 8 9 0 – 22
MOORESVILLE 57 – Walton 5, Q. Bailey 6, Best 6, Nolan Ericson 12, Wilson 5, E. Bailey 5, Tauren McKinnon 11, McDonald 0, White 0, Morrison 5, Ross 2, Cornelius 0
BALLANTYNE RIDGE 22 – Ellerbe 3, Sapon 4, Fiory 0, Sanner 5, Quick 2, King 1, Wortham 0, Camp-Trent 0, Armstrong 3, Landrum 0, Neubauer 4
Charlotte Latin 67, St. David’s School 56
Charlotte Latin 14 19 22 12 – 67
St. David’s 15 16 15 10 – 56
CHARLOTTE LATIN 67 – Alex Dauska 19, Landon Spicer 14, Chaney 9, Diaz 6, Smith 6, Warren 5, White 5. Brunnemer 2
ST. DAVID’S SCHOOL 56 – Marcus Green 20, Giorgios Panagos 12, Will Migdal 11, Simpson 5, Godwin 4, Wadsworth 3, Monsey 1
GIRLS
Charlotte Country Day 52, Ravenscroft School 23
Charlotte Country Day 18 12 7 14 — 52
Ravenscroft 10 1 3 9 — 23
CHARLOTTE COUNTRY DAY 52 — Malina Bharti 14, Olive Bigham 10, Hill 8, Vanderhave 4, Little 4, Starnes 3, Keane 2, Nelson 2, Turner 2
Ravenscroft scoring not available.
Charlotte Latin 47, St. David’s School 20
Charlotte Latin 15 10 6 16 — 47
St. David’s School 4 5 8 3 — 20
CHARLOTTE LATIN 47 — Lanie Edwards 14, Charlotte Tune 15 , Snyder 6, Martin 4, Burns 4 , Amin 2, McLaughlin 2
ST. DAVID’S SCHOOL 20— Driggens 6, Wilder 5, Hales 3, Martin 4, Hauser 1, Starling 1
This story was originally published January 10, 2026 at 3:45 PM.