In our final matchup of the day, we saw a matchup between Gaston Christian and Metrolina Christian.
Gaston Christian jumped out to an early lead. Greg Brockington and Will Kelly led the way for Gaston Christian, combining for nine points. Brockington was getting to the basket and making plays for himself and his teammates. Gaston Christian held a 16-6 at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Gaston Christian continued to build upon their lead. They were sharing the ball really well as a team and finding the open man. Gaston Christian extended the lead to 36-14 heading into halftime.
Metrolina Christian continued to compete and fight their way back into the game. They started to pick up the defensive intensity and force turnovers. CJ Harrist started the run knocking down a three-pointer. Camden Johnson also chipped in six point during the run. Metrolina cut the deficit to 10 points at 39-29.
Then the underclassmen for Metrolina made their presence felt. Dylan Deluca cut the deficit to six points after an offensive rebound and foul on the put-back, where he knocked down the two free-throws. Then sophomore Michael Wilson scored seven straight for Metrolina Christian to tie the game up at 40.
Gaston Christian held onto a 46-42 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Metrolina Christian would make a run to cut the deficit to two, but each time Gaston Christian would answer. Gaston Christian eventually extended the lead to 10 points with a 56-46 lead with 3:58 remaining to play.
But once again, Metrolina Christian fought their way back. Camden Johnson forced a steal and converted the And-1 on the other end to make the score 58-55 with 2:45 remaining. The game wasn’t over yet.
Metrolina Christian continued to make a push, but ultimately wasn’t able to take the lead. Gaston Christian held on to win 70-61.
Final
Gaston Christian – 70
Metrolina Christian – 61
Gaston Christian Scoring Leaders
Will Kelly – 22 points
Greg Brockington – 16 points
Joe Rhyne – 13 points
Derek Bradley – 7 points
Brenton Elliott – 5 points
Cody Chapman – 4 points
Steph Soutzos – 3 points
Metrolina Christian Scoring Leaders
Camden Johnson – 19 points
Michael Wilson – 11 points
Blair Crumbie – 10 points
Blake Harold – 8 points
CJ Harrist – 5 points
Eli Clark – 2 points
Dylan Deluca – 2 points
Standouts
Will Kelly 6’3 2022 (Gaston Christian)
Will Kelly has started to make a name for himself on the recruiting scene, and it’s easy to see why. He is a gifted scorer who does so within the framework of the offense. He did a really good job of attacking the paint and finishing at the basket. In addition, he attacked the basket strong, drawing fouls and scoring at the line. He went 14-17 from the line. Kelly finished with a game-high 22 points and 4 rebounds.
Greg Brockington 5’10 2022 (Gaston Christian)
Greg Brockington set the tone for Gaston Christian from the start on both ends of the floor. The quick point guard made a living getting into the paint. He was able to attack the basket and finish over length. He also made great reads once he got into the paint, where he would kick out to shooters or drop off to post players for layups. He finished the game with 16 points and 5 assists.
Camden Johnson 6’2 2021 (Gaston Christian)
Camden Johnson is a tough, strong guard who impacts the game on both ends of the floor. Offensively, he attacks the basket strong. He gets into the paint and finishes well through contact. On the defensive end, he is a good on-ball defender, keeping his chest in front of his man. He finished with a team-high 19 points.
