Prep Basketball Roundup: No. 4 Concord holds off No. 10 Ardrey Kell
Concord High’s boys basketball team, ranked No. 4 in the Observer’s Sweet 16, gave first-year coach Jason Stowe a successful debut Monday night.
The Spiders stopped Ardrey Kell 70-63, largely on the strength of a 28-18 second quarter spurt. Ardrey Kell (0-1), ranked No. 10 in the Observer’s preseason Sweet 16 poll, played with five new starters after reaching the N.C. 4A state championship game last season.
The 3A Spiders (1-0) got 20 points from Southeast Missouri State signee Ray Kowalski, 17 from sophomore Rechon Black and 15 points from Dubby West. Ardrey Kell got 16 points from junior Wes Morgan.
Elevator
↑Season starting: Ball is back (and lots of great athletes, too)
↑Butler’s Fairen Sutton: Needs 23 points to reach 1,000 for her career. Sutton and Butler’s girls, ranked No. 12 in the Observer’s preseason Sweet 16, open the season Tuesday at Olympic.
↑Myers Park at Ardrey Kell girls Thursday: Two of the state’s best programs meet early. Myers Park is No. 2 in the Observer’s Sweet 16. Longtime rival Ardrey Kell is No. 4. The two met in the 2014 N.C. 4A semifinals, and Ardrey Kell will – again – try to snap Myers Park’s long Mecklenburg County win streak. That streak is now 89 games and nearly five years old.
Monday’s Girls Roundup
No. 3 Rocky River 56, No. 9 Charlotte Catholic 48: Ariana Nance, in her first game back from a knee injury, had 20 points to lead the Ravens (1-0) to the close win. Hannah Samuelson had 13 for Catholic.
No. 5 Davidson Day 65, Woodlawn School 3: Davidson Day (1-0) held Woodlawn scoreless in the first and third quarters. Davidson Day led 42-0 after the first quarter. Parker Thompkins had 15 points and Alexis Bradford had 13 to lead the Patriots.
No. 13 Hough 57, Harding 33: Hough (1-0) held Harding to 14 points in the second and third quarters. Renee Alquiza (14 points) and Alex Denny (11) led Hough. Shareika and Shameka Mitchell combined for 29 of Harding’s 33 points.
Monday’s Boys Roundup
No. 13 Charlotte Catholic 82, Rocky River 65: Catholic (1-0) got 23 points from Sam Smith and 14 from Josh Brodowicz and Jimmy Abate. The Cougars also got off to a hot start, leading 22-11 after the first quarter and 48-28 at halftime.
Hough 78, Harding 58: Hough sophomore Cooper Crawford had 17 points in the win for Hough (1-0). Hough led 23-13 after the first quarter and 37-24 at halftime. Qon Murphy and Ben Topp had 13 for Hough and Ryan Friday added 12. Yakim Jenkins of Harding (0-1) had 23.
Monday’s Top Performers
Rechon Black, Concord: 17 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and two steals in a 70-63 win over Ardrey Kell.
Qon Murphy, Hough: 13 points, 10 rebounds, four assists in 78-58 win over Harding.
Erica VanDusen, Covenant Day girls: 12 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, two blocks in 45-31 loss to Greensboro Day.
Keon Wesley, Rocky River: 6-8 senior forward had 25 points, three blocks and three rebounds in an 82-65 loss to Charlotte Catholic.
Tuesday’s Key Games
No. 13 Charlotte Catholic at No. 12 Charlotte Latin, 7:30: Two south Charlotte rivals tip off the season. Watch the big man battle between Latin senior Parker Julian and Catholic freshman B.J. Mack, who already has multiple high-major Division I offers. Mack had 10 points and five rebounds in his high school debut Monday against Rocky River.
No. 1 Providence Day at Wesleyan Christian, 7:30: A game heavy with Division I recruits also matches teams with designs on winning a N.C. Independent Schools 3A state title. These may be two of the best 10 teams in North Carolina, regardless of class.
South Meck girls at No. 3 Rocky River, 6 p.m.: Rocky River has the best team in school history and designs on making the regionals and states. South Meck returns four starters from last season’s SoMeck 8 runner-up and looks to spring a big early season upset.
Tuesday’s schedule
Ardrey Kell at Marvin Ridge
Bessemer City at Hunter Huss
Berry at East Mecklenburg
Butler at Olympic
Carmel Christian at Asheville Christian
Carolina Christian at First Assembly Monroe
Central Academy at Cannon School
Central Academy at Lake Park at Charlotte United Christian
Charlotte Catholic at Charlotte Latin
Christ the King at Calvary Baptist
Comenius at Lincoln Charter
Community School of Davidson at Charlotte Country Day
Crossroads Charter at Greater Cabarrus Stallions
Gaston Christian at Victory Christian
Hickory Grove at Forsyth Country Day
Highland Tech at Stuart Cramer
Hopewell at Garinger
Mallard Creek at Independence
Metrolina Christian at Arborbrook Christian
Mount Pleasant at Central Cabarrus
Parkwood at Weddington
Piedmont Charter at Gaston Day
Pine Lake Prep at Gray Stone Day
Providence Day at Wesleyan Christian
Queens Grant at Mountain Island Charter
South Mecklenburg at Rocky River
Tri-City Christian at Statesville Christian
Westchester Country Day at Davidson Day (Boys only)
Westminster Catawba at United Faith (Boys only)
York Prep at Northside Christian
This story was originally published November 16, 2015 at 10:52 PM with the headline "Prep Basketball Roundup: No. 4 Concord holds off No. 10 Ardrey Kell."