Prep notebook: Hilltop Christian wins boys’ basketball NCCSA title
Fuquay-Varina’s Hilltop Christian won the N.C. Christian Schools Association 2A boys’ basketball state championship Tuesday at Fellowship Baptist in Durham with a 60-46 victory against Alamance Christian.
The past two years, the Chargers were eliminated on a buzzer-beater and in overtime after a buzzer-beater in regulation forced the extra period. But there was no heartbreak this time.
The Chargers ended the season on a 24-game winning streak, the last loss coming against Alamance Christian on Nov. 17. Its only other loss came in two overtimes to Fellowship Baptist on Nov. 13.
“Those two early season losses in November taught us what we needed to improve as a team to become our best,” coach Bobby Floars said.
Christian Crawford had 21 points in the championship and was joined in double-figures by Cody Alonso (13), Justin Scott (12) and Zeke Lee (10). Scott had a double-double in a 64-62 semifinal win against defending champion Vandalia Christian of Greensboro and 22 points in an opening-round 67-43 win against Lexington’s Sheets Memorial.
Scott (more than 1,300 career points), twin brother Andrew Scott and Alonso, first-team all-state point guard, are graduating. Lee and Crawford are juniors.
Floars has watched his team grow into champions, coaching them since seventh grade on JV and varsity. The core group has gone 109-21 over that span.
“This state championship is a representation of a team coming together as a family and putting six years of blood, sweat, and tears to reach our goal,” Justin Scott said.
NCISAA wrestling: Ravenscroft was the state runner-up to Charlotte Latin in N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association wrestling on Saturday at Arden’s Christ School.
Ravens senior D.J. Washington won the state 220-pound title. He was also a star player on the school’s championship football team. Heavyweight Calvin Atkeson was runner-up at 285.
Seniors Blake Sanders (132) and Bradley Conley (160) and junior Ian Conley (152) were third. Juniors Emmanuel Baende (195) and Nathan Lamb (182) and sophomores Weldon Dement (138), Bryson Wicker (145), Ben Schwarz (170) were fifth.
Cary Academy freshman Christian Sodano won the 120-pound title. The Chargers had runners-up in freshman Cade Spector (113), sophomore Chapman Fitzgerald (126) and sophomore Julian Sodano (145). Sophomore Isiah Hoile (170) finished in sixth place.
The tied-for-sixth-place finish tied the best performance by the Chargers. CA’s Kevin Rokuskie was voted the NCISAA assistant coach of the year.
NCISAA all-state basketball: The following Triangle and eastern N.C. players were named all-state by the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association:
(1A girls) Maria Albiero, Neuse Christian; Sydnee Neal, Greenville’s Pope John Paul II; (1A boys) Coby White, Wilson’s Greenfield School; Jeremiah Green, Henderson’s Crossroads Christian; Quentin Jackson Jr., Erwin’s Cape Fear Christian; Tyrique McLain, Wayne Christian; (2A girls) Tiffany Bartholomew, St. David’s; Carol-Anne Obusek, Grace Christian Raleigh; Grace Smith, Cary Christian; (2A boys) Robbie O’Han, St. David’s, Elijah McCadden, Rocky Mount Academy; (3A girls) Liz Roberts, Durham Academy; Andy Gassaway-Smithey, Saint Mary’s; Madison Taylor, Ravenscroft; (3A boys) Mike Okauru, Ravenscroft.
Drive, Chip and Putt: Daniel Adkins II, a 13-year-old from Holly Springs, has qualified for the national Drive, Chip and Putt finals on April 3 at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. The finals will be televised on the Golf Channel the Sunday before the Masters.
Adkins started playing golf at 2 and has won many events, including the U.S. Kids Golf Carolinas state title in 2013.
Adkins won the local qualifier at UNC’s Finley Golf Course in July, placed second at the Greensboro National Golf Club on Aug. 8, then won his qualifying event at the Congressional Golf Club in Bethesda, Md.
Bunn players: Another player from Bunn’s NCHSAA 2AA runner-up football team has signed to play in college, Justin Holder, a 6-foot-3, 285-pound offensive tackle, will play at Mars Hill. Ian Land, a 6-4, 265-pound blocking tight end, is going to UNC Pembroke.
New record: Cary Academy’s Lauren Callihan set aschool record for 3-pointers in a season with 61, breaking the mark of Liberty University player Mickayla Sanders. Callihan, a junior, tied Sanders’ career record of 136 3-pointers.
Powerade coaches: Several area baseball coaches will lead different regional teams at this summer’s Powerade State Games June 15-19 at the USA Baseball Complex in Cary. The games feature the 20 best underclassmen players from eight N.C. regions. The coaches from the Triangle and eastern N.C. are:
(Region 1) Corey Skinner, Ayden-Grifton; Greg Clifton, Faith Christian Rocky Mount; Ryan Meadows, North Pitt; (Region 2) Jackson Massey, Southern Wayne; (Region 3) Pete Tuck, Roxboro Community; Guy Civitello, Leesville Road; Joey Worley, West Johnston; Mike Carroll, J.F. Webb; (Region 4) Joey Miriello, Triton.
Making news in college: Former Bunn High star Whitney Bunn broke the Furman women’s basketball all-time assist record last week. The record of 427 had stood since 1988. Bunn has one more season left.
Raleigh native and Kestrel Heights product Tray Leonard, a 6-10, 265-pound senior center, recorded the first triple-double in Barry University (Fla.) history Saturday. He had 13 points, 17 rebounds and 12 blocks as Division II Barry beat Tampa 73-67.
He spent two years at Division I Fordham before transferring to Barry a year ago.
J. Mike Blake: 919-460-2606, @JMBpreps
This story was originally published February 22, 2016 at 7:23 PM with the headline "Prep notebook: Hilltop Christian wins boys’ basketball NCCSA title."