Wayne Christian guard Jackson Fox gets hemmed in by Wayne Prep defenders Christian Coles (10) and Ty Johnson (3) during first-period play Thursday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne Christian’s Shiquan Ethridge (left) has the ball knocked away by Wayne Prep’s Zachary Golden during first-period play Thursday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne Country Day’s Camden Tyler (1) and Jeremiah Mercer (12) deny James Kenan’s Darius Howard (1) from dribbling into the paint during first-half action Thursday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
James Kenan guard Darius Howard (1) gets to a loose ball between two Wayne Country Day defenders during play in the 2023 Greater Neuse River Fellowship of Christian Athletes Winter Classic on Thursday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin’s Micah Lesasane (40) grabs a rebound after Southern Wayne’s Demetrius Elliott missed a shot in the first quarter. At right is the Rebels’ DuJuan Armwood. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Chris Carmon (1) connects on a field goal as North Duplin’s Dylan Tyndall, left, and teammate Micah Lesasane, right, defend during first-period action Thursday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Rosewood senior point guard David Lamm (3) draws a charge against Eastern Wayne’s Tavorus Dunn during opening-quarter action Thursday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Rosewood’s Devin Reece (33) looks for an open teammate after grabbing a rebound against Eastern Wayne’s Charlie Thomas during day two of the 2023 Greater Neuse River Fellowship of Christian Athletes Winter Classic Thursday. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Rivalry day is here thanks to three nail-biting outcomes during the 2023 Greater Neuse River Fellowship of Christian Athletes Winter Classic Thursday.
Perennial juggernaut Wayne Country Day, to no one’s surprise, is set to defend its Classic championship. The Chargers advanced with a 72-41 romp over James Kenan.
However, WCDS meets a conference rival in the title clash.
Wayne Christian makes its first-ever Classic final appearance after a come-from-behind, 72-68 conquest of Wayne Prep. The unbeaten Eagles erased a 10-point, halftime deficit and dropped the Generals into the third-place game.
Cross-county rivals Southern Wayne and Eastern Wayne square off for fifth place after each pulled out a close contest. Southern Wayne fended off North Duplin, 60-58, while Eastern Wayne turned back Rosewood, 61-55.
Carolina 1A members North Duplin and Rosewood tip off today’s action at 2 p.m. inside Kornegay Arena on the University of Mount Olive campus. Southern Wayne and Eastern Wayne follow at 3:30 p.m.
James Kenan and Wayne Prep duel at 5:30 p.m.
WCDS seeks its second consecutive Classic crown and fifth overall in the tournament’s 11-year history when it clashes with Wayne Christian at 7 p.m.
Admission is $10.
Southern Wayne 60, North Duplin 58
Barely 10 miles apart, the former East Central 2A foes from the 1960s scrapped and clawed for every loose ball, rebound and point.
Dylan Tyndall’s layup put the Rebels up 36-33 with less than four minutes remaining in the third period.
Chris Carmon polished off an old-fashioned, three-play after he converted an offensive putback. After a North Duplin turnover, Hayden Waller received a skip pass over the zone and easily buried a triple well beyond the 3-point high school arc.
The Saints led 39-36.
Thomas Morrisey closed the gap to 38-36 on an offensive putback of his own. Demetrius Elliott’s reverse layup between two Rebel defenders, Carmon’s two free throws and Kairel Evans’ layup extended the Saints’ advantage to 45-38.
But this backyard battle was hardly over.
Frenetic play from both teams highlighted the final stanza.
North Duplin pecked away and shaved the deficit to one point on three occasions – the last coming with seven seconds left. DuJuan Armwood collided with a Southern Wayne player underneath the basket, but managed to hit the layup as he fell backwards.
The Rebels trailed 59-58.
Carmon hit the back end of a two-shot foul with 3.7 seconds to go.
Armwood (15 points) received the inbounds pass, dribbled down the sideline and zipped the ball to a wide-open Branson Martin. His 3-pointer bounced off the back of the rim as time expired.
Carmon led three Saints in double figures with 19 points. Ty Williams chipped in 14, while Evans finished with 10. Elliott contributed nine.
Eastern Wayne 61, Rosewood 55
The fourth quarter started with two ties.
Rosewood’s Hunter Sasser created a 40-40 deadlock with an uncontested 3-pointer and teammate Micah Cox knotted it at 42-42.
The Warriors responded with a 12-0 run over the next three minutes.
Izeiah Oates drained two 3-pointers and his teammates crashed the offensive glass to generate six additional points during the surge.
Directed by first-year head coach Michael Gurganus, the Eagles climbed to within 52-46 on baskets from Sasser, Cox and senior point guard David Lamm.
Making its first Classic appearance since 2015, Eastern Wayne stopped the rally on another 3-pointer from Oates. The sophomore guard scratched for 22 points – including 18 from behind the arc. Charlie Thomas scored 16, while Bobby Tann tallied 11.
Cox finished with 13 for the Eagles. Lamm scored 12, followed by Cam Medlin with 11. Sasser and Julius Coltrane registered nine points apiece.
Wayne Christian 72, Wayne Prep 68
The Generals led 55-50 after three quarters.
However, constant physical contact on both ends of the court and chirping at the referees played a significant role in the final period.
Jackson Fox’s offensive putback tied the game at 60-60 after two Wayne Christian teammates missed 3-pointers from each side of the hardwood.
Teammate Eli Anderson muscled his way toward the glass and snagged a defensive rebound that upset the Generals’ bench and players. The officials assessed a technical foul. Already in the double-foul bonus, Anderson connected on four consecutive free throws to push the Eagles in front, 64-60.
Wayne Prep pulled to within 66-65 on two Isaiah Thomas free throws.
Fox’s offensive putback and two free throws from Blake Easom extended the advantage to 70-65 with 15.2 seconds to go. The Generals’ Gavin Proctor connected on a 3-pointer with 9.9 seconds left in regulation.
After a timeout, the Eagles inbounded the ball and Nathan Rasmussen’s emphatic dunk capped the comeback.
Fox paced five Eagles in double figures with 21 points, including 17 in the second half. Easom contributed 12 points. Anderson and Rasmussen collected 11 points apiece, while Shiquan Ethridge had 10.
Thomas tallied 22 for the Generals.
WCDS 72, James Kenan 41
Wayne Country Day built a 19-point lead after one quarter and eventually extended its Classic win streak to 11 games.
Kayleb Coles led the Chargers with 19 points. Jaelen Solomon provided 16 points and Camden Tyler supplied 11 points. Carlos Vazquez added nine points – all in the first half.
James Kenan got 11 points from Darius Howard and 10 from TJ Oates.
11th Annual
Greater Neuse River
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Winter Classic
(at Kornegay Arena, UMO)
Wednesday’s games
Game 1: Wayne Christian 61, Southern Wayne 55
Game 2: Wayne Prep Academy 81, North Duplin 64
Game 3: Wayne Country Day 60, Rosewood 35
Game 4: James Kenan 48, Eastern Wayne 46
Thursday’s games
Game 5: Eastern Wayne 61, Rosewood 55
Game 6: Southern Wayne 60, North Duplin 58
Game 7: Wayne Country Day 72, James Kenan 41
Game 8: Wayne Christian 72, Wayne Prep 68
Today’s games
Seventh Place
Game 9: Rosewood (5-4) vs. North Duplin (3-5), 2 p.m.
Fifth Place
Game 10: Southern Wayne (4-5) vs. Eastern Wayne (4-6), 3:30 p.m.
Third Place
Game 11: James Kenan (3-3) vs. Wayne Prep (7-8), 5:30 p.m.
Championship
Game 12: Wayne Christian (7-0) vs. Wayne Country Day (9-6), 7 p.m.
