3A Championship: Stuart Cramer vs. Western Alamance

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Championship Friday at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum would begin with the girls and boys champions from the 1A ranks being crowned. With the 1A season in the books, it was time to turn to the matter of 3A teams.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last season's 3A victor, West Rowan, did not even qualify for the tournament following a dismal 2-21 showing. Would the new champion be Western Alamance? The Warriors earned wins over Northern Nash, Carrboro, Seventy-First, Union Pines and Terry Sanford to arrive at this point?&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Or would it be Stuart Cramer? The road to state for the Storm would include victorious wins against Enka, Rockingham County, Dudley, Jay M. Robinson and North Lincoln.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The first of the two 3A champions to be crowned would be Western Alamance by virtue of its 76-58 victory over Stuart Cramer.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Records</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The state championship win for Western Alamance brings a conclusion to a 2024-25 that saw the team finish with a 28-4 record plus a conference mark of 12-0. The book closes on Stuart Cramer's 2024-25 in unceremonious fashion, but still with a noteworthy 29-3 record plus a conference showing of 13-1.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Quarter-By-Quarter</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Neither team would grab a clear advantage in the first quarter as the opening frame featured both Storm and Warriors executing sound offensive strategies. With one in the books, Western Alamance had a one-point, 19-18 advantage on Stuart Cramer.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Because of effective 3-point shooting, Western Alamance managed to extend its lead into double digits. As both teams went into their respective locker rooms for halftime, the Warriors built a 41-31 lead on the Storm.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That lead would grow from 10 at the end of the first half to another 10 as the third quarter concluded. Western Alamance was eight minutes shy of a state championship as the Warriors' lead was 57-37 on Stuart Cramer.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With such a big lead, the only thing that could have prevented the near-inevitable was an extended scoring run. That run did not occur and the Warriors would enjoy a lively bus trip back to Western Alamance having been crowned 3A champions.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Primetime Performers</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1216517,"width":"549px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/IMG_4960-crop-2108x1384-1742032975.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1216517" style="width:549px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stuart Cramer had virtually no answers for <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='302221' first='Christina' last='Bowers']</strong>. She would lead the charge for Western Alamance with 26 points. Bowers was also one rebound she if a double-double with nine. She also dished out three assists. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1216432,"width":"338px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/Allie-Sykes-MVP-rotated.jpg?w=768" alt="" class="wp-image-1216432" style="width:338px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Warriors also presented a formidable deep threat in the form of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='302220' first='Allie' last='Sykes']</strong>. She finished with 22 points and also took home Kay Yow MVP honors. Sykes finished with five assists and four of the team's 11 3-pointers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1216521,"width":"526px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/IMG_5072-crop-2108x1384-1742033285.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1216521" style="width:526px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Even with being placed in the loss column, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='406923' first='Oshauna' last='Holland']</strong> still turned in a performance that will raise plenty of eyebrows. Holland tallied a game-high 49 points. She also grabbed seven rebounds. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>So Long, Seniors</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Western Alamance will bid farewell to [player_tooltip player_id='393655' first='Xiomara' last='Moser'], Emma Johnson, [player_tooltip player_id='302220' first='Allie' last='Sykes'], Mia Napier and Tina Bowers. The same will apply to Alana Franklin, [player_tooltip player_id='885004' first='Hadley' last='Womack'], Cienna Lopez and Nevaeh Floyd at Stuart Cramer.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Reclassification</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stuart Cramer will move up from 3A to 4A starting with next season. Western Alamance will be among the 5A field the next several seasons.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->