In the third matchup of the day, we had Moravian Prep Regional and New Creation Christian. The first quarter we saw a tight matchup as New Creation Christian held onto a 15-14 lead at the end of the first. New Creation Christian was led by senior guard, Alex Reives, who led the way with seven points. Moravian’s Isaac Ellis knocked down two three-pointers and also added two more points to lead the way with eight points.

The second quarter continued with both teams trading baskets. But New Creation Christian was able to extend their lead led by the play of Alex Reives and Avante Nichols. Alex Reives was able to get back-to-back baskets in transition to extend the lead. But just when you thought New Creation Christian was about to pull away, Moravian Prep Regional fought back and narrowed the gap. New Creation Christian entered halftime with a 36-33 lead.

The third quarter started with New Creation controlling early on. Moravian’s Hamilton Campbell knocked down a three-pointer with 5:00 remaining to give them the 45-44. New Creation Christian’s Alex Reives quickly responded on the other end with a three-pointer of his own to regain the lead 47-45. Campbell continued his play, knocking down back-to-back three-pointers later in the quarter to give them the lead. But New Creation Christian didn’t fold. New Creation Christian found ways to regain the lead, going into the fourth quarter up 59-57.

The fourth quarter was close throughout. Moravian Prep Regional went on their own 6-0 run to take the lead at 71-67, but once again New Creation Christian responded with a 9-0 run of their own to regain the lead 76-71 with an Alex Reives three-pointer, back-to-back layups for Avante Nichols, and another assisted basket from Nichols.

With 35 seconds remaining, Moravian’s Jacob Morgan buries a corner three-pointer to tie the game at 83-83. Moravian got the stop on the defensive end to force overtime.

Final
Moravian Prep Regional – 93
New Creation Christian – 91

Moravian Prep Regional Scoring Leaders
Hamilton Campbell – 30 points
Jacob Morgan – 25 points
Ahmad Johnson – 11 points
Isaac Ellis – 8 points

New Creation Christian Scoring Leaders
Alex Reives – 29 points
Avante Nichols – 21 points
Phillip Gaye – 15 points
Mark Goode – 8 points

Standouts

Hamilton Campbell 6’0 2023 (Moravian Prep Regional)

Hamilton Campbell makes this Moravian Prep Regional team go. He is so crafty with the ball in his hands. He is an exceptional passer, making beautiful no-look passes seem easy. He plays with emotion, intensity, and confidence. He excels with the ball in his hands in the open court where he can find rim runners or drive and kick to shooters. He plays with poise when attacking off of the bounce. He gets into the paint, and under control, he makes the right read. From the perimeter, he can really fill it up with his shooting ability. He had a huge third quarter, scoring 13 points and knocking down three three-pointers. He continued his stellar play during the fourth quarter and in overtime. Campbell finished with a game-high 30 points.

Jacob Morgan 6’6 2021 (Moravian Prep Regional)

Jacob Morgan is known for his ability to put the ball in the basket. At any moment, he has the ability to get hot. The Emory & Henry commit finished with 25 points. He has the ability to attack and finish above the rim. He is also a threat from beyond the arc. With 35 seconds remaining, he buried a corner three-pointer to tie it up and eventually send the game into overtime. He puts a lot of pressure on the defense to guard him from multiple spots on the floor. In addition, he crashes the offensive glass and creates second chance opportunities for his team. From the free throw line, he was automatic, going 4-4 in overtime to seal the win.

Alex Reives 5’9 2021 (New Creation Christian)

Alex Reives led the way for New Creation Christian. He set the tone on both ends of the floor. As he goes, so does New Creation Christian. The quick point guard showed the ability to create for himself and others. He got into the paint and finished at the basket. He knocked down the perimeter shot. Every time that Moravian would make a run, Reives would answer. In the third quarter, as soon as Moravian Prep Regional took the lead, he answered with a three-pointer of his own to regain the lead. Again in the fourth quarter, when his team needed a basket, he answered with critical three-pointers or finishes at the rim. Reives finished with a team-high 29 points.

Avante Nichols 6’3 2023 (New Creation Christian)

Avante Nichols immediately stood out with his effort and high motor. He played with so much intensity and made an impact on both ends of the court. Defensively, he was protecting the rim. He was crashing the glass on both ends of the floor. Offensively, he was attacking the basket strong, where he was able to finish above the rim and get to the foul line. In addition, he would grab the rebound on the defensive end and start the break, putting pressure on the opposing team’s defense. He was crucial to the team’s 9-0 fourth quarter run with back-to-back layups then assisting on another. Then later, he drove and finished another tough basket. Nichols finished with 21 points and a handful of rebounds to go along with it.