Category: Carolina Christian

BLC Survives CCC 98-94, Advances to Tournament Semis

APEX, N.C. – Blue Lights held off an upset-minded Carolina Christian squad Tuesday night 98-94 in the New South men’s basketball tournament quarterfinals and will advance to face top seed Apprentice on Saturday.

Down to just six players with forwards Randy Freeman (personal reasons) and Victor Ngong (season-ending hand injury) unavailable, the Thoroughbreds (9-6 overall, 2-3 NSAC) faced a tremendous challenge against a motivated Carolina Christian team, looking to avenge a November 22nd loss to BLC. The Centurions had depth and rotated players often so they could press the Thoroughbreds into turnovers. The Thoroughbreds were able to avoid costly mistakes and held a 43-32 halftime lead, thanks in part to a 29-22 rebounding edge, including 13 offensive boards.

Carolina Christian (3-16 overall, 0-7 NSAC), inspired by a large contingent of traveling fans from Winston-Salem, wiped out the deficit with a 17-5 run to take the lead early in the second half. Despite outscoring BLC 62-55 in the final 20 minutes, the Centurions could not take sustainable advantage of the undermanned Thoroughbreds. The Centurions had no answers for Keyshawn Bryant. The BLC big man scored 17 points in the second half after a 1-of-9 shooting slump in the first, and made clutch free throws to fend off Carolina Christian.

The Centurions lost their composure often in the second half, getting technical fouls after being visibly frustrated with the officials. The Thoroughbreds scored 17 points from the charity stripe in that time, including six technical free throws off of 14 combined fouls for CCC.

Two Thoroughbreds recorded double-doubles against Carolina Christian. Forward Wol Yak lead all scorers with 30 points while grabbing 14 rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks. Bryant had a monster game, snatching 18 rebounds to go along with his 19 points, four assists, and two blocks. Sam Benton, Jr. scored 26 points (15 in the second half), leading the Herd with five assists and adding three steals of his own. Guard Miigwaanhs Barrientoz added 17 points and five rebounds. Guard/forward Malek Ngong stuffed the stat sheet with six points, including a clutch basket in the final two minutes, eight rebounds, a team-high three blocks and two assists.

Prior to tip-off, NSAC commissioner Mike Davis presented All-NSAC awards to Yak (first team), Benton, and Bryant (second team). Centurions guard Robert Murdock (second team) was also recognized.

With the victory, BLC will travel to the Apprentice Athletic Center in Newport News, Virginia this Saturday at 4pm to face top-seed, USCAA nationally-ranked Apprentice for the third time this season. The Builders (11-0 NSAC) handed the Thoroughbreds their only home defeat on December 6th, 90-74, in a game where Yak was suspended for the first half. BLC dropped an 80-73 decision to the regular season champions in the Thoroughbreds’ season opener on November 8th in Newport News.

Story courtesy Craig Green/bluelightsthoroughbreds.com

Gators’ Win Finalizes MBB Playoff Picture

Virginia’s Peninsula’s 79-70 win over Mid-Atlantic Christian in the final regular season conference game of the year pushes the Gators into the third seed for next week’s NSAC Basketball Tournament.

Fourth-seed Blue Lights College and Carolina Christian, which tied Christendom for the 5th seed, will open the tournament Tuesday night in Apex, North Carolina in a quarterfinal game. VPCC will host Christendom Thursday night in the other opening round matchup in Newport News, Virginia. The two winners will advance to Saturday’s semifinals at the Apprentice Athletic Center, also in Newport News.

Thanks to Joe Dotson/Christendom Athletics for the bracket graphic

Gators Playing for Third Seed Today vs MACU

Today’s game featuring Mid-Atlantic Christian at Virginia Peninsula will be the 23rd and final New South Conference men’s basketball game of the season, and still there is something to play for besides pride.

The VPCC Gators enter the contest at 2-4 in NSAC play (9-9 overall) and holding down the 4th seed for next week’s conference tournament. A Gator win would propel them into the 3rd seed ahead of Blue Lights College. This would not have an impact on the quarterfinals, which are locked in, but it does impact the semifinal bracket.

If Peninsula gets past MACU and claims the third seed, then the winner of Thursday’s VPCC/Christendom quarterfinal will play #2 MACU, and Tuesday’s BLC/Carolina Christian winner will face top seed Apprentice in next Saturday’s tournament semifinals. If The Gators lose to the Mustangs today, then VPCC and Blue Lights will keep their 3rd and 2nd seeds, respectively.

Still confused? Check back after today’s game.

Today’s game tips at 2pm at Warwick High School in Newport News, Virginia.

Tournament Implications Loom Large Tuesday Night

Tuesday’s Blue Lights home game against Virginia Peninsula Community College will play a major factor in determining first round matchups in the 2023 New South Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament.

After this weekend’s results, here are how things stand (NSAC W-L):

Apprentice 9-0*
Mid-Atlantic Christian 5-1*
Virginia Peninsula 2-3
Blue Lights 1-3
Christendom 0-3
Carolina Christian 0-6

*Clinched first round bye

Remaining NSAC games:
Apprentice: 2 (vs Christendom, vs MACU)
MACU: 3 (vs. CCC, at Apprentice, at VPCC)
VPCC: 2 (at BLC, vs MACU)
BLC: 1 (vs VPCC)
Christendom: 1 (at Apprentice)
Carolina Christian: 1 (at MACU)

Both Apprentice and MACU have clinched a bye into the semifinals.

A BLC win against Virginia Peninsula on Tuesday will lock up an opening round game for the Herd at Hope Community Church Arena, taking place during the week of February 21st. If the Gators win, it will clinch a home game for themselves as well as a guaranteed third place finish.

A Thoroughbreds loss – combined with a Christendom win at Apprentice – would secure the Crusaders a home playoff game, forcing BLC to play on the road.

The Thoroughbreds-Gators game tips off at 6:30pm EST, airing LIVE on the Thoroughbreds Sports Network on YouTube. Christendom-Apprentice tips off 30 minutes later at 7pm EST, also on YouTube.

The NSAC Basketball Tournament final four will be held February 25 and 26 in Newport News, Virginia.

Story and image courtesy Craig Green/BLC Media

Builders Survive Upset Attempt by CCC, 81-78

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Carolina Christian led twice in the final three minutes but could not close the deal as Apprentice survived the upset-minded Centurions 81-78 Saturday afternoon.

The Builders took their largest lead of the game on a Jayden Eason layup at 54-44 with 12:48 to play in the second half, but the Centurions would not fold and started to chip away at the lead. Daishaun George gave CCC a 74-73 lead off a layup with 3:08 remaining, but a Caleb Mielewski shot returned the favor for Apprentice just 12 seconds later. Two free throws by the Centurions’ Antonio Baldwin gave them a 76-75 advantage at the 1:57 mark, but another Eason bucket flipped the lead again 11 seconds later.

The teams traded buckets once again before Shawn Eley put an exclamation point on the game with a Builder dunk at :17. A George 3-point attempt missed with 2 seconds to play for the final score.

Adrion Wall came of the bench with 19 points for Apprentice, and Eley recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 boards. Reserve Eli Faybain led the Centurions with 19.

Apprentice remains undefeated in conference play at 9-0 and 14-7 overall. Carolina Christian moves to 0-5 and 3-12.

Image courtesy gobuilders.com

Mustangs Hold Off Centurions, 84-72

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – Mid-Atlantic Christian shot 56.5 percent from the field in the second half today to hold off Carolina Christian 84-72 in New South men’s basketball.

The Mustangs (7-7 overall, 3-1 NSAC) led by 15 at the half, 42-27, but the Centurions kept is close with their fast-break in the second half. MACU used a balanced attack and got all players in the scoring column, led by Talik Totten’s 22 points.

“This was definitely a full team effort,” said MACU coach Charles Sims. “It was a times challenging due to the uptempo game play of Carolina Christian and that took us out of our style of playing. But we managed to overcome and get our rhythm to secure the victory.”

CCC (3-10 overall, 0-4 NSAC) leaned heavily on its star forward, junior Daishawn George, who recorded a double-double with 31 points and 13 boards.

Gators Open NSAC Defense with 92-69 Win

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Virginia Peninsula got two double-double performances and a balanced scoring attack in downing Carolina Christian 92-69 Sunday afternoon.

Javion Majette, the 2022 NSAC MVP, scored 23 points and hauled in 12 rebounds to lead the Gators. He was joined by Keshaun Johnson, who posted 16 and 12, respectively. Two other Gators came close to double-squared as Jaquan Majette carded 16 and 9, and Quishaun Brevard added 14 and 9.

It was the conference opener for VPCC, the defending NSAC champs, who improved to 7-3 overall. The Centurions moved to 3-7 overall and 0-3 in league play.

Peninsula continues NSAC action Wednesday night at MACU, while CCC travels to Clinton College for a non-conference game, also on Wednesday.

Image courtesy vpcc.edu

Centurions Win Behind George’s 43

Carolina Christian picked up its third win of the season Sunday 104-97 at Greensboro Prep. The Centurions were led by junior Daishaun George’s 43 points and 16 rebounds.

“Everyone played well in the second half,” said CCC coach William Peay. “We were down 17 with 10 minutes left, but just kept fighting.”

Carolina Christian (3-6 overall, 0-2 NSAC) is next scheduled to host Blue Lights College on December 14 before entering the Christmas break.

MACU Faces “Championship Run” This Weekend

After an extended Thanksgiving break that saw Apprentice as the only team in action, NSAC teams ramp back up with five of the league’s six men’s basketball teams on the floor this weekend. But for Mid-Atlantic Christian, it’s not just a post-turkey exercise.

It’s Championship Weekend.

“I told the guys that this is our championship,” said Mustangs coach Charles Sims. “We have three games in three days, and we want to be 6-1 at the end of it.”

With its only loss at NCAA Division 1 NC Central on November 16, MACU is off to one of the best starts in program history, and with the Mustangs sporting a number 8 ranking in the latest USCAA Division 1 coaches poll, Sims sees this weekend as an opportunity.

“We are 0-12 against NC Wesleyan. We need to fix that,” Sims said. The Mustangs face the D3 Bishops in Rocky Mount, NC on Friday night, but that’s just the start. They host familiar USCAA foe Christendom on Saturday, then return to Rocky Mount to take on D3 Greensboro College on Sunday, a stretch that takes on a resemblance to a national championship tournament.

In other games, USCAA seventh-ranked Apprentice hosts Cheyney and Virginia Peninsula travels to Mountain Gateway, both on Saturday. On Sunday, Blue Lights visits VPCC in the Gators’ conference opener while Carolina Christian rolls down I-40 to take on Greensboro Prep.

Thoroughbreds Weather Centurion Rally, 111-102

APEX, N.C. – Blue Lights College ran out to an early 22-point lead, then survived the anticipated Carolina Christian comeback for its first win of the season, 111-102 in Apex, NC on Tuesday night.

The Thoroughbreds came out of the gate clicking with their fast-break offense scoring at will, and led 28-6 just 7:20 into the game. It was then that CCC settled into its game and began the long, methodical road back, closing the gap to within seven before settling for a 48-38 halftime deficit.

But the Centurions weren’t done. After the break, junior forward Daishawn George led CCC back with his work in the paint and the Centurions took their first lead, 94-93, with 3:40 remaining. The two teams would trade the lead two more times before the Horses would finally manage the clock and claim their first NSAC win.

“This was a really great test for us,” Blue Lights coach Nolan Adams said. “I told the guys this week that Carolina Christian would not go away, whether they were down 20 or 40, up or down, they would keep coming at us, and they did. They’re super well-coached and they work super hard, and they kept coming at us for 40 minutes. We were able to withstand the run and make a bigger run of our own, and we were able to put the game away.”

BLC (1-2 overall, 1-1 NSAC) needed another outstanding performance by freshman forward Wol Yak to get its first conference win. Yak finished with 42 points, including 26 in the second half, along with 8 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 2 assists. Frontcourt mate Keyshawn Bryant recorded a double-double with 22 points and 18 boards. Freshman point guard Sam Benton added 24 points.

Carolina Christian dropped to 2-6 overall and 0-2 in New South play.