Cardinal Gibbons tops Sanderson to win first Cap Six 4A regular-season conference title

Cardinal Gibbons senior guard Alex Fanney has practiced the deep corner 3-pointer endlessly during before-school workouts. Fanney realized the fruits of his efforts by netting a career high 22 points — including six 3-pointers — during the Crusaders’ 71-64 Senior Night win over Sanderson on Friday, a win that brought with it a historic first.

A packed Father Thomas Frederick Price Gymnasium was on hand to witness history for either team, actually. The visiting Spartans, representing another Raleigh school that opened in 1968, were seeking their first conference championship since the 1995-96 season. The host Crusaders, with more than 100 years of history, though, secured their first 4A regular season conference championship in their eighth season competing in the state’s largest classification.

“It’s just the type of group that they are,” Cardinal Gibbons coach Brent Nolan said. “They’re able to go on and move forward and grow.”

Nolan, a 2005 graduate of the school, led his alma mater to a second-half sweep of the Cap Six 4A Conference with five consecutive wins after a 6-13 start.

Crusaders junior Chet Yardley banked home a deep 3-pointer as the first quarter expired to put the home team ahead 20-18. Cardinal Gibbons (11-13) led from there until a basket by Sanderson (18-6) guard Patrick Dalton put the Spartans ahead 48-47 with 7:35 remaining in the game.

The No. 3 — that on Dalton’s and Fanney’s jerseys — would prove to be a foil for the visitors. Sanderson coach Roy Roberson did not need the scorebook to explain.

“Every time they needed one, miraculously, he (Fanney) found himself wide open,” Roberson said. “And we paid for every mistake. And he hit every big shot.”

Fanney converted the first of his three fourth-quarter trifectas within 20 seconds after Dalton’s basket. A second straight Fanney 3-pointer stretched the Crusaders’ lead, which the home team held the rest of the way.

Fanney’s third 3-pointer in the stanza — set up by middle penetration and a kickout by Ronny Turner — extended Cardinal Gibbons’ lead to three possessions (63-56) inside of two minutes to play.

“I have to give credit to Ronny (Turner) and Aiden (Smalls) for finding me in the right spot,” Fanney said. “It was just so surreal. I was just living in the moment and I loved it.”

Nolan has loved the blending of the Crusaders’ experience and youth — the latter which was displayed in the title-clinching win.

Cash McSweeney, a 6-foot-7 sophomore, earned a double-double with 10 points and rebounds each.

Point guard Smalls, a 6-1 freshman, nearly tallied a triple-double with eight points, seven rebounds, and nine assists. Nolan’s postgame praise was effusive.

“The freshman guard has learned, ‘I always have this great exit valve,’” Nolan said of the Smalls-Fanney relationship.

“That’s his guy now,” Nolan continued. “He hits him on target, with pace, rolling. You hit Alex Fanney with a pass like that, more than likely, he’s going to knock it down.”

Fanney, who made one three-pointer in the first, second, and third quarters, converted a pair of free throws that cemented the game’s final score.

“They’ve learned how to win,” Nolan said. “They’ve learned where to find each other, how to be available. It’s all the credit to them.”