Diamonds Classic: Clashes of the Carolinas
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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…
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Continue ReadingAt 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
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 Olivia Boyce Olivia Boyce 5'7" | CG Carmel Christian | 2023 NC , who tallied 14 points in the win.
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.
Another one of the Cougars’ youngsters, Mia Kate Pisacano (2028) finished with eight points.
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.
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
Each team had two standouts that fueled their offensive performances. Both for Quality Education were juniors. Jazlyn Harris Jazlyn Harris 5'8" | PG Quality Education Academy | 2024 State NC , a 5-foot-7 guard, finished with 15 points in a winning effort for the Pharaohs.
In the frontcourt, Quality Education Academy was spearheaded by Laniya Scales Laniya Scales 6'2" | SF Quality Education Academy | 2024 State NC . A 6-foot-1 forward who also will spend playing time as a wing, she finished with 10 points.
The Cavaliers also had a frontcourt-backcourt duo that were the nuclei of its offense. Alexandria Bennon Alexandria Bennon 5'7" | PG Christ Church | 2024 State SC , a 2024 in her first season with Christ Church, dropped 20 points.
Yasmene Clark Yasmene Clark 6'1" | PF Christ Church | 2023 State SC , 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
The latest addition to the Legion Collegiate Academy roster, Tamia Watkins Tamia Watkins 6'2" | PF Andrew Jackson | 2025 State SC paved the path to victory with a 24-point performance.
Newberry College commit Nadia Burns Nadia Burns 5'10" | SF Legion Collegiate | 2023 State SC added 18 points to the Lancers’ efforts.
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.
For the Sabres, veteran guard Anastasia Sinclair Anastasia Sinclair 5'7" | CG South Mecklenburg | 2023 State NC paced her team with a 26-point showing to lead all point-getters.
Another veteran, Deidre Miller, led South Meck’s scoring efforts in the interior. The senior big tallied 14 points.
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 Gabrielle Troy-Mebane Gabrielle Troy-Mebane 5'7" | CG Link Academy | 2026 MO 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.