John Wall Holiday Invitational crowns champions. Here’s who won boys’ and girls’ finals
Reidsville earned a perfect 10 with its 68-61 win over St. Anne’s-Belfield of Virginia in Monday’s championship game of the eight-team Day’Ron Sharpe bracket of the John Wall Holiday Invitational in Broughton’s Holliday Gymnasium.
The Rams, unbeaten through 10 games, won the eight-team Devonte’ Graham bracket in 2023, when the Saints did likewise in the four-team Coby White bracket.
Reidsville, after trailing by as many as seven in the first and second quarters, used a 14-6 run to take a 27-26 lead three minutes before halftime. Kendre Harrison — a 6’8” junior pivot man committed to Oregon basketball and football — and Johnniyus Sharpe scored five points each, while junior Dionte Neal netted the other four in the Rams’ run. Reidsville, which led 33-31 at halftime, never trailed by more than one possession the rest of the game, and led by as many as eight (41-33).
Neal, named Tournament MVP, scored 18 of his 32 points in the second half. Harrison, last year’s MVP, finished with a double-double (12 points, 14 rebounds) and was selected for the all-tournament team. Sharpe, who joined Neal on the 2023 all-tournament team, finished with 21 points. Neal went 16 of 19 at the free throw line, and secured seven rebounds.
St. Anne’s-Belfield (6-5) had three double-figures scorers — Chance Mallory (17 points), D.Z. Bullock-Coles (15), and Austin Williford (13). Both the Rams and Saints committed just eight turnovers.
Reidsville is the first team to repeat as an eight-team bracket champion since Ravenscroft did likewise in 2010 and 2011.
PRINCESS ANNE REIGNS AS QUEEN
Princess Anne of Virginia turned in a dominant performance to conclude its first Holiday Invitational appearance with a 93-57 win over Grace Christian of Sanford, a 2023 tournament champion. The Cavaliers outscored the Crusaders, 29-16, in a decisive second quarter, after which Princess Anne led by 18. The Cavaliers scored 48 points in the paint, 36 points off Grace Christian’s 21 turnovers, and 20 fast break points. Princess Anne’s Micah Ojo, named Tournament MVP, scored 36 points (13-22 field goals, 8-9 free throws) and pulled 16 rebounds.
The Cavaliers’ offensive output was among the most prolific the girls’ tournament has seen since its earliest days. In 1995, the girls’ tournament’s inaugural year, Hillside of Durham defeated Terry Sanford of Fayetteville, 101-92, in the championship game. Princess Anne’s Jizelle James, Tristan Rickenbacker, and Bahaar Grewal scored 19, 16, and 13 points respectively.
The Crusaders were paced by Jordan Speller (17 points) and Isa Roman (14).
GLADDEN TIME, AGAIN
Ravenscroft guard Chance Gladden, a 6-4 senior bound for Boston University, won his second consecutive Most Outstanding Player award after a record-setting 2023. Gladden, while playing in the Day’Ron Sharpe bracket, led the tournament in scoring (91 points). Last year, Gladden’s single-game, 57-points performance bettered a tournament record that stood since 1997 (Mike Miller; Mitchell, SD; 54).
Gladden joins two repeat Most Outstanding Player award recipients — Freddie Dilione (2021-22) of Word of God, like tournament namesake John Wall (2007-08), who was in attendance for Monday’s finals. Ravenscroft’s Anton Gill earned back-to-back MVP distinctions for the Ravens’ 2010 and 2011 tournament champions.
WILLIAMS JOINS LESLIE, THREE TIMES
Farmville Central guard Mykal “M.J.” Williams became just the second player named to three Holiday Invitational all-tournament teams (2022-24). Williams, a four-year Invitational participant, scored 70 points (31, 20, 19) among three games. C.J. Leslie (Word Of God, Raleigh) earned all-tournament distinctions from 2007-09.
This story was originally published December 31, 2024 at 5:30 AM.