Phenom Hoops was in for a treat on Friday night, as two premier programs matched up; West Charlotte hit the road to North Meck and we ended up having a fantastic battle in this one. North Meck and West Charlotte traded baskets back and forth early on but it wasn’t until the second quarter until North Meck started to create separation behind the play of Jordan Crawford, leading 28-19 mid-way through. But West Charlotte answered with a 16-0 run to take a 35-29 halftime lead.
Second half, West Charlotte was able to increase their lead a little but North Meck’s seniors stepped up when called upon, answering the bell and tying it up at 50 at the end of the third. Chris Ford and Tony Waters continued to play well and step up, as there was just too much firepower in the end. But West Charlotte, led by Chance Morrow, really competed and was there until the end, as North Meck eventually took home the hard-fought 67-61 win over West Charlotte.
Stats:
North Meck:
Tony Waters 16 points
Jordan Crawford 16 points
Jeremy Gregory 13 points
Chris Ford 12 points
West Charlotte:
Chance Morrow 18 points
Donovan Raymond 11 points
Ollie Alford 10 points
Josiah Dow 9 points
Standouts:
2021 Tony Waters (North Meck): Waters at times may be overlooked with all the talent North Meck has but the seniors stepped up when they needed. He scored 11 of his 16 points in the second half, started to be more aggressive and attack in transition but also get to the free-throw line, going 7-for-7 in the game from the line. Also knocked down a big three in the third quarter. Waters just stepped up when his team needed it in this battle.
2022 Jordan Crawford (North Meck): Crawford started the game off exceptional, giving everyone a glimpse of how much of a threat he can be from outside, knocking down three 3-pointers early on. He also is such a shifty, quick-changing guard, it gets defenders off-balanced and did have a strong And-1 in the game. Played well on his way to 16 points.
2022 Chance Morrow (West Charlotte): What can I say about Morrow… you could tell he wanted this game as he left it all out there and put his body on the line on multiple occasions. Played with such heart but with his 6’6 long frame, along with his ability to create for himself and score over defenders, he can really be a tough matchup for anyone.
2023 Donovan Raymond (West Charlotte): Put this young man on your list for the class of 2023 if you haven’t already. Loved his 6’9 body and made himself even bigger and longer down in the post, as he was active on the boards, blocked shots, and finished well at the rim and around the paint.