Like we said… what a weekend for teams in the HoopState; it is why NC should be regarded as one of the top states when it comes to high school basketball. Phenom Hoops had two tremendous events going on in the state with so many teams and premier talents from NC on display. But, down in the Outer Banks was the Good Guys vs. Cancer, sponsored by Albermarle Landscapes. There were several impressive performances but the team that showed and proved the most was Word of God, as they defeated The Burlington School and Moravian Prep to go 2-0 on the weekend. Clearly, two of the best matchups in the event and in the state, Word of God made a statement in both and as they were chanting after, it is time to 'put some respect on their name.'
Friday night, in a high-profile, back-and-forth type game, it was Word of God that came up big late to make plays, eventually taking home the 69-65 hard-fought victory against The Burlington School. '23 Freddie Dilione led the charge with 22 points, while Jakwon Moore finished with 18 and Truman Claytor had 13 in the win.
With no time to celebrate or take in the win, Word of God had to quickly focus their attention on the No. 1 team (at that time) in Moravian Prep, led by their guards and ability to knock down threes. Again, it was another a game of runs and both teams fought incredibly hard but it was Word of God who had the last laugh, eventually building their lead late and taking home the 86-76 victory. It was a balanced attack for Word of God in the win, with Dilione and Claytor leading the charge with 19 points each, while Moore had 14 points and Mike Best/Brandon Gardner both finished with 10 points each.
Taking down two Top-5 teams in the state of North Carolina certainly should have the attention of many around the nation. Word of God has a ton of talent and bring a ton of athleticism to the court and with two very strong performances and wins at the Good Guys vs. Cancer this weekend, the Holy Rams put everyone on notice!
One thing is for sure… The teams in the HoopState are proving themselves this year and the HoopState Championship is going to be an absolute SHOW!