We continue to watch teams around the state of North Carolina, checking in on the talent around. Thursday, we headed towards Raleigh as we were on deck for Cardinal Gibbons showdown with Leesville Road. It was a great atmosphere and fans were out and about, as they got a great game.
Early on, it was the road team that found success early as Leesville Road found their rhythm offensively behind freshman Hayes Oxendine, who really shot the ball well early. It helped Leesville earn a 20-13 first-quarter lead but from then on, Cardinal Gibbons started to chip away and eventually secured the lead for good in the second quarter. It was due to the play of 2022 Matthew Field, who was tremendous in the first half, scoring 17 points and really changing the game around. Behind his play, Cardinal Gibbons led 32-27 at halftime.
Second half, Gibbons continued to extend their lead, as they got everyone involved. It helped extend their lead to double-digits in the third quarter and ultimately secure the victory. The guard play was strong for Cardinal Gibbons and shots fell from the perimeter, while Leesville Road used a balanced offensive attack. It just wasn’t enough in the end, as Cardinal Gibbons secured a strong 64-52 victory at home.
Final: Cardinal Gibbons 64 – Leesville Road 52
Stats:
CG: Matthew Field: 19 points/ Xavier Deberry 11pts/ Connor Higginbotham 11pts
LR: Hayes Oxendine 16 points/ Grady Whitt 12pts
Standouts/ Notes:
- 2022 Matthew Field (Cardinal Gibbons) was off the charts in this one, scoring 15 of his 19 points in the first half. He really showed nice footwork as a forward, played strong on the boards, displayed nice feel around the basket and played extremely hard. Also was able to put the ball on the deck and get to the basket to score. He led the charge for his team and really helped them secure the win.
- It was a balanced attack from Cardinal Gibbons but liked the Xavier Deberry and Connor Higginbotham, both leaders for this team. DeBerry was a nice presence on both ends, created steals, and scored in a variety of ways. Higginbotham found most of his success in the win with his jumper, hitting the mid-range shot and from three.
- 2025 Hayes Oxendine at Leesville Road is one to really take note of if you haven’t already. We have seen him on multiple occasions this summer and continues to play at a high level, especially as a shot-maker. He is a big-time threat from deep, showing a confident and fluid release from three but also a guard with a great IQ and one that displayed his craftiness with the ball in his hands.