Diamonds Classic: Clashes of the Carolinas

At the 2022 version of the annual Diamonds Classic, there were a number of teams and stars that arrived to the event that shined bright like diamonds.    This year's event was originally slated to take place at Legion Collegiate Academy in Rock Hill, but underwent a last-minute change of venue to United Faith Christian Academy in southeastern Charlotte. All in all, 12 teams arrived and six games emanated from the home of the Falcons. Those games mostly involved North Carolina teams but three others occurred that saw how Hoop State teams would fare against their equivalents from South Carolina.   We at Prep Girls Hoops made the trip to southeastern Charlotte for the day's worth of basketball festivities. Here is a look at how those North Carolina-South Carolina contests played out.   Carmel Christian vs. Westminster Catawba   First on the six-game card for the 2022 rendition of the Diamonds Classic was a contest that featured a North Carolina team and a South Carolina team. The Hoop State team in question was Carmel Christian and the Palmetto State team was Westminster Catawba Christian – one of the newer programs across the state.    The Indians may have got on the scoreboard first, but one would not have known it when peering at the final score. The Cougars led for the vast majority of the matchup – including when the final buzzer sounded as it resulted in a 48-19 victory for Carmel Christian.    Records   When looking at the records, one would think there would be an advantage for the Indians. Westminster Catawba Christian entered the matchup with a 3-2 mark while Carmel Christian began Saturday's play at 2-4.    Drawing First Blood   Brianna Phillips, a senior, scored the first points of the contest as Westminster Catawba Christian assumed an early 2-0 lead.   So Much For That…   The Cougars began looking like the superior team as the first quarter wore on. Carmel Christian responded to that early Indians basket by embarking on a 12-0 run throughout the first quarter.    Eventually, the Cougars raced out to a 15-4 lead after the first quarter.    At the Half…   What was an 11-point lead for Carmel Christian grew to 23 (30-7) with two frames complete. With three quarters in the books, the Cougars' lead was 42-15.    Primetime Performers   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/12/IMG_2618.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-560287" width="327" height="245"/></figure>   The Cougars were well-served by both their veteran talent and their youth in its matchup with Westminster Catawba Christian. The veteran that led the way for Carmel Christian was [player_tooltip player_id='323881' first='Olivia' last='Boyce'], who tallied 14 points in the win.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/12/IMG_2621.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-560289" width="335" height="251"/></figure>   The team's youth movement was on full display on Saturday afternoon at United Faith Christian Academy. Rhegan Kent, a 2027, also finished with 14 points of her own. Kent particularly shined in the third quarter as she put eight of her 14 on the board in the frame – which included a pair of 3-pointers.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/12/IMG_2620-scaled-crop-2527x1659-1670184130.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-560292" width="343" height="225"/></figure>   Another one of the Cougars' youngsters, Mia Kate Pisacano (2028) finished with eight points.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/12/IMG_2615-scaled-crop-2164x1421-1670184358.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-560294" width="347" height="228"/></figure>   As for the Indians, they were led in points by one of its upperclassmen and one of its underclassmen. Neiel Young, who plays either of the guard spots in the backcourt, finished with six points.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/12/IMG_2613-scaled-crop-1725x1133-1670184517.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-560298" width="357" height="234"/></figure>   Leah Ross, who can operate as either a shooting guard or as a small forward, also tallied six points of her own.   Up Next…   The Cougars will be on the road on Friday as they will take on Porter Ridge. Westminster Catawba Christian will also be on the road and back on the court this Tuesday as they await a get-together with the Lions of Hickory Grove Christian.   Quality Education Academy vs. Christ Church   The last two matchups of the 2022 Diamonds Classic closely resembled the first as both would feature a North Carolina team facing off against a South Carolina team.    One Hoop State school had already earned a victory over a Palmetto State school when Carmel Christian defeated Westminster Catawba Christian in the first game of the event. In interstate games, North Carolina made it 2-0 when the Pharaohs of Quality Education Academy defeated the Cavaliers of Christ Church by a final of 59-37.    Records   The Pharaohs, coached by Melvin Heggie, had entered Saturday evening's matchup with a 4-2 record. Quality Education Academy, earlier in the young season, had embarked on a three-game winning streak to begin the 2022-23 campaign and had recently suffered defeat at the hands of 1 of 1 Academy and Salisbury.    Head coach Ja'Net Vicks' Cavaliers are competing in 1A a year following being crowned state champions at South Carolina's 2A level. Entering Saturday night, the Cavaliers had posted a mark of 2-3 with wins coming against Berea and Hillcrest.    Getting and Maintaining a Lead   Quality Education Academy began the game with an 8-0 run and led by a tally of 12-2 at one point in the first quarter. The team's lead was nine at the half as the Pharaohs gained a 26-17 advantage at the midway point.    That cushion became 13 with three stanzas having been complete. The Pharaohs' gap between them and the Cavaliers had become 38-25 with the fourth quarter lurking.    Primetime Performers   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/12/IMG_2671-scaled-crop-2177x1430-1670184703.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-560300" width="385" height="253"/></figure>   Each team had two standouts that fueled their offensive performances. Both for Quality Education were juniors. [player_tooltip player_id='494743' first='Jazlyn' last='Harris'], a 5-foot-7 guard, finished with 15 points in a winning effort for the Pharaohs.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/12/IMG_2676-scaled-crop-2500x1642-1670184801.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-560302" width="391" height="257"/></figure>   In the frontcourt, Quality Education Academy was spearheaded by [player_tooltip player_id='261175' first='Laniya' last='Scales']. A 6-foot-1 forward who also will spend playing time as a wing, she finished with 10 points.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/12/IMG_2674-scaled-crop-2022x1328-1670184920.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-560305" width="394" height="259"/></figure>   The Cavaliers also had a frontcourt-backcourt duo that were the nuclei of its offense. [player_tooltip player_id='173132' first='Alexandria' last='Bennon'], a 2024 in her first season with Christ Church, dropped 20 points.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/12/IMG_2668-scaled-crop-1164x765-1670185040.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-560307" width="396" height="260"/></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='171796' first='Yasmene' last='Clark'], the recent commit to New York University, contributed 12 points to the Cavaliers' cause.   Up Next…   Fresh off its return to the win column, Quality Education Academy will be at home on Friday evening to host Asheboro Hybrid Academy. Christ Church will also be at home on Tuesday as J.L. Mann will travel to the home of the Cavaliers.    South Mecklenburg HS vs. Legion Collegiate Academy   The matchup earlier in the event between The Burlington School and Olympic HS may have staked an earlier claim to the title of the event's best game. But the 2022 Diamonds Classic saved its best for last as South Meck and Legion Collegiate battled each other until the final buzzer hit triple zeroes.    For the first half, it appeared as if the Sabres would be the team that would emerge from game No. 6 on the schedule with a victory. But the Lancers managed to come from behind to pull off a 70-67 victory to dispatch of South Meck.    Records   The Sabres' record on the young season stood at 3-1 with the lone defeat occurring the day after Thanksgiving in a non-conference contest against Cannon. As for Legion Collegiate Academy, the Lancers boasted a 4-1 mark with its lone blemish occurring on the road at Victory Christian Center.    The First Half…   The Sabres and Lancers appeared to be as evenly matched as possible following the first quarter as that frame went to South Meck by a scoring edge of 18-15. Coach Justin Clarke's Sabres squad managed to put a bit of distance his team and the Lancers in the second quarter as South Mecklenburg went into halftime with a 13-point, 41-27 lead.    Three's a Charm   Legion Collegiate's path to victory was established in large part via the third quarter. Up to that point, the Lancers had put 27 points on the board. The team placed 27 points on the board in the third quarter alone. Not only that, the Legion Collegiate defense held the potent South Meck offense to only seven points, allowing for the Lancers to assume a 54-48 lead with one frame to play.    The atmosphere at United Faith Christian Academy began to feel less as if it was at a neutral site – and more as if it was a Legion Collegiate home game.   Primetime Performers   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/12/IMG_2747-scaled-crop-1891x1242-1670185227.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-560309" width="365" height="240"/></figure>   The latest addition to the Legion Collegiate Academy roster, [player_tooltip player_id='175322' first='Tamia' last='Watkins'] paved the path to victory with a 24-point performance.     <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/12/IMG_2750-scaled-crop-2048x1345-1670185385.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-560311" width="374" height="245"/></figure>   Newberry College commit [player_tooltip player_id='235090' first='Nadia' last='Burns'] added 18 points to the Lancers' efforts.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/12/IMG_2756-scaled-crop-2146x1409-1670185610.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-560313" width="379" height="249"/></figure>   In close contests such as this against tough opponents, coaches love it when they get big games from their bench. Legion got just that in the form of E'lyric James who scored 11 points – including some big 3-pointers that she drained.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/12/IMG_2753-scaled-crop-2048x1345-1670185774.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-560316" width="385" height="253"/></figure>   For the Sabres, veteran guard [player_tooltip player_id='253889' first='Anastasia' last='Sinclair'] paced her team with a 26-point showing to lead all point-getters.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/12/IMG_2722.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-560318" width="350" height="262"/></figure>   Another veteran, Deidre Miller, led South Meck's scoring efforts in the interior. The senior big tallied 14 points.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/12/IMG_2738-scaled-crop-2252x1479-1670186164.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-560321" width="357" height="234"/></figure>   Coach Clarke not only saw its present in the form of the two seniors, but also the future of the South Mecklenburg girls basketball program via what [player_tooltip player_id='509519' first='Gabrielle' last='Troy-Mebane'] did. The freshman in the backcourt finished with 13 points and stands at 5-foot-7.   Up Next…   The Lancers will have nearly a week away from competition before returning to the court on the road on Friday as they match up against Cuthbertson. As for South Meck, they will also be on the road this Tuesday to meet up with coach Tolonda Simmons and her West Cabarrus Wolverines.

At the 2022 version of the annual Diamonds Classic, there were a number of teams and stars that arrived to the event that shined bright like diamonds.