Wayne Christian’s Oliver Thomas (33) draws a charge against Southern Wayne’s Dylan Tyndall during first-quarter action in their opening-round FCA Winter Classic game Tuesday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne senior Duntae Wright (2) takes off to the basket after recording a second-half steal against Wayne Christian on Tuesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Duntae Wright scores against Wayne Christian’s Oliver Thomas (33) and Blake Easom (24) on Tuesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Chris Carmon (1) takes a shot between two Wayne Christian defenders, including Blake Easom (34) on Tuesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Dylan Tyndall, left, pushes the ball upcourt against Wayne Christian on Tuesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Jahmere Bannerman, left, looks for an open teammate after taking the ball away from Wayne Christian’s Stevie Boswell at midcourt Tuesday evening. Bannerman was a second-team, all-tournament pick in the 2021 Classic. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne Country Day’s Kayleb Coles, right, looks for an open teammate as South Johnston’s Chase Norris defends during their opening-round FCA Winter Classic game Tuesday afternoon. The Chargers defeated the Trojans, 81-55. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne Country Day’s Jordan Cooper (1) comes up with a midcourt steal against South Johnston’s Caleb Beasley during play in the FCA Winter Classic on Tuesday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Coastal Christian’s Holden Martin, left, pulls down a rebound against James Kenan’s Aiden Venecia, right, during first-quarter action in their opening-round FCA Winter Classic game Tuesday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
James Kenan’s TJ Oates takes a shot between Coastal Christian defenders Kamil Harrison (4) and Zeke Martin (25) during their first-round FCA Winter Classic game Tuesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Coastal Christian’s George Robertson (10) gets tied up by two James Kenan defenders Tuesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Third-year James Kenan head coach Taylor Jones, left, pleads his case with a referee during third-period play against Coastal Christian on Tuesday evening. The Tigers went nine-plus minutes without a field goal in a 43-23 loss. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
James Kenan’s Toby Pender waits to enter the game Tuesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Rosewood’s Jaelen Solomon nets two of his game-high 22 points as two Wayne Prep players defend during opening-quarter action of their FCA Winter Classic game Tuesday. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Rosewood’s Micah Cox (10) keeps the ball away from Wayne Prep’s Isaiah Thomas on Tuesday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Rosewood’s Jaelen Solomon, right, takes a shot and gets fouled by Wayne Prep’s Zachary Golden on Tuesday afternoon. Wayne Prep prevailed 64-49. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Wayne Prep’s Donte Shuford (20) plays defense against Rosewood’s Akarri Johnson during second-half action Tuesday evening. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne played the game and reaped the rewards Tuesday afternoon.
Play-making guard Duntae Wright pumped in a team- and season-high 17 points as the Saints turned back Wayne Christian, 70-53, on opening day of the FCA Winter Classic.
“We played together,” SW head coach Brian West said. “I just told the guys to play the game. You take every game one day at a time and never take the game you’re playing in for granted. You give it everything you’ve got and leave it out there.”
In other quarterfinal-round games, Wayne Prep defeated Rosewood 64-49, Wayne Country Day routed South Johnston 81-55 and Coastal Christian stunned James Kenan, 43-23.
Play continues today inside Kornegay Arena on the University of Mount Olive Campus. Kenan and South Johnston tip off at 2 p.m. in consolation-round play, followed by Rosewood and Wayne Christian at 3:30 p.m.
Former Classic champ Wayne Country Day meets Coastal Christian at 5:30 p.m. in one semifinal game. The other semifinal pits Southern Wayne against Wayne Prep at 7 p.m.
Admission is $10 for a day pass and $20 for a tournament pass.
Saints advance
Southern Wayne (4-4 overall) snapped a streak of five consecutive Classic losses dating to an opening-round conquest over Parrott Academy in 2019.
“We played together,” West said. “[Our active play] was effective, keeps everybody else in tune coming as a sub, you have to be active or else your teammates hold you accountable.
“That’s always good and gets us rolling.”
Tied at 8-8, the Saints built an 18-11 lead after one quarter.
Turnovers enabled the Saints to build a 13-point lead before halftime.
Wayne Christian (5-3) never threatened.
Junior Chris Carmon pumped in 11 points, while Chris McDuffie Jr. contributed nine points. O’Shay Faison scored eight. Ty Williams chipped in six.
Andrew Crawford led the Eagles with 15 points. Jackson Fox added 10. Caleb Bass and Miguel Rojas provided nine points apiece.
Generals triumph
A Classic finalist each of the past two years, Wayne Prep rallied from an early deficit to send Rosewood into the consolation bracket.
Six-foot-1 senior Donte Shuford knocked down 17 points and sophomore Isaiah Thomas added 12. Senior Moses Tufts scored nine as the Generals improved to 5-2 all-time in three Classic appearances.
Wayne Prep (11-2 overall) trailed 7-3, but seized command with a 17-2 run in the final six-plus minutes of the opening quarter.
Rosewood (2-3) closed to within 20-17 midway through the second period, but could get no closer. Jaelen Soloman supplied 22 points and Micah Cox added 14 for the Eagles.
Chargers cruise
A former Classic title-holder, Wayne Country Day dominated the Trojans from opening tap to final buzzer.
The Chargers led 21-4 after one quarter.
South Johnston pulled to within single digits before turnovers and a barrage of 3-pointers sunk its hopes of any further comeback. WCDS held a 17-point lead at halftime and easily extended it throughout the second half.
Senior Nayshin Waller led five Chargers in double figures with 19 points. Jordan Cooper and Kayleb Coles knocked down 12 apiece, followed by Jai Williams and Carlos Vazquez with 10 each.
Connor Lee recorded 18 points for the Trojans, members of the Quad County 3A Conference. Cole Norris and Chase Norris scratched for 12 and nine points, respectively.
Centurions pull stunner
Coastal Christian held James Kenan without a basket for more than eight-plus minutes and stepped into the Classic semifinals.
Fueled by turnovers, the Centurions flourished in transition and seized a 17-2 lead midway through the second quarter. TJ Oates tried to keep the Tigers within striking distance on his traditional three-point play and a 3-pointer inside the 90 seconds.
Kenan managed just 12 second-half points. Chris Hatfield tallied the Tigers’ lone fourth-quarter bucket, a steal and layup, with 8.3 seconds left in regulation.
Junior Aiden Daires led Coastal with 15 points, while teammate Kamil Harrison provided 10 points.
Oates had nine points for Kenan.
10th annual FCA Winter Classic
Schedule
Tuesday, Dec. 20
Game 1 – Wayne Prep 64, Rosewood 49
Game 2 – Southern Wayne 70, Wayne Christian 53
Game 3 – Wayne Country Day 81, South Johnston 55
Game 4 – Coastal Christian 43, James Kenan 23
Wednesday, Dec. 21
Consolation bracket
Game 5 – South Johnston (3-6) vs. James Kenan (2-4), 2 p.m.
Game 6 – Rosewood (2-3) vs. Wayne Christian (5-3) 3:30 p.m.
Championship bracket
Game 7 – Wayne Country Day (12-2) vs. Coastal Christian (5-5), 5:30 p.m.
Game 8 – Wayne Prep (11-2) vs. Southern Wayne (4-4), 7 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 22
Game 9 – 7th place game, 2 p.m.
Game 10 – 5th place game, 3:30 p.m.
Game 11 – 3rd place game, 5:30 p.m.
Game 12 – Championship, 7 p.m.
