Archbishop Spalding vs. North Meck
It was an intense battle between these two teams and a fun one to watch. It was a pretty close battle all throughout but Archbishop was able to hold the lead for nearly the entire game. 2022 Cam Whitmore was the real deal. Yes, he has incredible athleticism and he put that on display but his ability to score in a variety of ways, use his body well, put on the deck to score, his rebounding ability, and his unselfish feel to find teammates really impressed us. 2022 CJ Scott was strong as well, especially getting downhill, attacking the basket, and getting to the line.
North Meck had some chances but it just wasn't enough to overcome. 2022 Jordan Crawford certainly got his shots up, finishing with 27 points but just couldn't find enough success from beyond the arc. 2022 Maxwell Coles just seemed to be all over the place, recording a double-double with 13 points, 14 rebounds, and 2024 Isaiah Evans, one to really watch down the road, had some moments as well.
Brewster vs. The Burlington School
Two powerhouses collided in this one but it was The Burlington School that came up big to secure the big win in their home state, ultimately winning 75-66. 2022 Kheni Briggs continues to be one of the hottest topics with his role on this team, being the sixth man but his production was off the charts today, scoring 27 points, attacking the basket and scoring in a variety of ways, including going 4-for-5 from three. Also liked what 2023 Avion Pinner showed, as he really has found his rhythm with this team and made plays on both ends of the court.
For Brewster, many thought they would get a show from 2023 Matas Buzelis but it was 2022 Reed Bailey who led the charge with 19 points, going 7-for-11 from the floor and using his size effectively. At 6'10, he was a tough matchup to go along with the rest of the size for Brewster and 2023 Reid Ducharme showed his impact from outside, really being a threat from the three.
Broughton vs. Life Christian
It was certainly a game that had the attention of the crowd coming in and it was a battle for much of the game. Broughton was able to get the lead at halftime but we had ourselves a showdown in the second half, that eventually went into overtime, with Life Christian securing the 70-64 victory. For Broughton, 2023 Will Otto led the charge with 18 points but was impressed with their other players that stepped up in 2023 McCallum Wright, who attacked the basket and got to the line and other players like 2022 Charles Denning, who also had 12 points on 5-for-6 shooting.
Life Christian came up big in the second half and the play of 2022 Breylin Garcia was off the charts, as he just seemed to be everywhere, was extremely active, all over the boards, and really produced offensively as well as get to the line. He finished with 20 points, 16 rebounds while 2022 Angel Montas also showed his ability to get buckets and find ways to score, going for 21 points.
Word of God vs. JL Chambers
The final game of the night, fans got a treat between two premier teams in the state going at it in Word of God and JL Chambers. It was certainly a late one and at times, it showed but Chambers was able to jump out early in the first but it was all Word of God from then on, as they slowly pulled away and eventually won 82-67. 2023 Freddie Dilione continues to make his case for Player of the Year in NC, going for 24 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists; he simply can and does it all for this team and his feel and balance makes him one of the top prospects in the state and quickly rising up the rankings nationally. 2022 Po'Boigh King started to heat up in the second half, knocking down shots and eventually finishing with 19 points while Truman Claytor had 13.
JL Chambers was led by 2022 Daniel Sanford. He was extremely effective inside the arc, showing his physical presence and athleticism as a versatile forward, ultimately finishing with 19 points and 9 rebounds. Jaylen Curry almost finished with a double-double, scoring 16 points and recording 8 assists. His shot didn't quite fall but he was weaving through the defense, found his teammates well, and created steals as well.
