The stars were out as it was going to be a battle between two of the top teams in the state of North Carolina; Lake Norman Christian and The Burlington School took it too the floor to battle it out.
The energy level was off the charts for both teams, for the fans and for the players. Both teams traded blows and started to get a feel for each other, with the Burlington School holding a 20-16 lead after the first quarter.
The Burlington School kept that energy in the second half, eventually earning a double-digit lead by getting to the free throw line. Mikey Williams though started to heat up to pull Lake Norman Christian back into it and the Ospreys were able to take a two-point lead into halftime 39-37.
Second half began and Lake Norman Christian was started to create a small cushion heading into the third but the Burlington School came charging back to cut it to one in the fourth. That is when Mikey and the rest of Lake Norman stepped up one more time to create the last cushion they needed to secure the win.
Final: Lake Norman Christian 91 – The Burlington School 79
Stat Leaders:
Lake Norman Christian:
– Mikey Williams 40 points
– Trey Green 25 points
– AJ Allenspach 14 points
Burlington School:
– Jamarii Thomas 25 points
– Kuluel Mading 22 points
– Shane Peterson 14 points
Standouts:
2023 Mikey Williams (Lake Norman Christian): You know the name; you know his game… so it is hard to tell you more about his game. However, Williams has such an elite feel for the game in how to create and get his own shot, and there aren’t many defenders can do about it. He does a tremendous ability in creating contact but simply is a bucket on every level, and can be an elite playmaker on the floor for his team.
2021 Jamarii Thomas (Burlington School): A big stage for the point guard and he didn’t disappoint, as he brought his dog-like mentality and lunch pail and went to work. He has tremendous body control getting downhill, giving us a little athleticism and aggressive nature that allows him to attack and not settle, but also distribute to his teammates.
2021 Kuluel Mading (Burlington School): Mading looked tremendous as the long forward was all over the rim, rising above over defenders and showing tremendous timing in his ability to get the rebound and a strong putbacks. Extremely active on both ends, ran the floor and created havoc on both ends of the floor with his length.
2023 Trey Green (Lake Norman Christian): Sign me up for Trey Green, as this man is not afraid of the big lights and his recruitment should take off. In this game, he hit big shot after big shot, especially from behind the arc but he continues to be a pest on the defensive end.
2021 AJ Allenspach (Lake Norman Christian): Allenspach is just an all-out hustler, a grinder on the court, and makes winning plays for this team. He has the strength and bounce but also plays a versatile role for this team on both ends. He does what the team needs, which really helps them in a big way along with his leadership.
2022 Shane Peterson (Burlington School): Peterson stepped up BIG for this team, really being that perimeter threat, hitting big shot after big shot, especially in big moments that were needed. Finished with four 3-pointers.