SCISA 2A Championship: Cathedral Academy vs. St. John’s Christian
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The winners of last season’s 1A SCISA state crown came back for more as the Generals looked to claim championship glory in the final 2A boys matchup of the season. Last year, it was Clarendon Hall who the Generals dispatched…
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Continue ReadingThe winners of last season’s 1A SCISA state crown came back for more as the Generals looked to claim championship glory in the final 2A boys matchup of the season.
Last year, it was Clarendon Hall who the Generals dispatched in an overtime thriller to leave Sumter with championship hardware. The Generals hoped to do the same against their opponent this go-round – St. John’s Christian.
In this clash of Lowcountry ‘ last=”] schools, a thrilling victory belonged to St. John’s Christian Academy as it defeated Cathedral Academy with the final score being 55-52.
The win brings the Cavaliers’ record to 18-14 to close the season while that of the Generals concludes at 22-13.
What Happened Last Time?
The Cavaliers and Generals split their two matchups they played this season. St. John’s Christian claimed the first contest between the two teams at their home court on Jan. 24 with the final being 58-55. When the scene shifted to Cathedral Academy’s home court, the result was a 73-62 win for the Generals on Feb. 10.
How Things Progressed
The rubber match between these two teams began with an up-tempo feel as both teams were successfully placing points on the board. Cathedral Academy was a bit more successful than St. John’s in doing so in the first quarter as it was a 13-9 lead for the Generals after eight minutes.
The Cavaliers managed to pull ahead late in the second quarter. St. John’s Christian embarked on a run that gave it a 20-18 advantage – and prompted a timeout from Cathedral Academy. At the break it was 22-20 in favor of the Cavaliers.
This game’s uptempo nature combined with an ability for both Cathedral Academy and St. John’s Christian to exchange baskets made for an entertaining contest that particularly shined through in the third quarter. Eight minutes was needed to determine a champion and the Cavaliers held a 43-39 advantage going into those final eight minutes.
St. John’s Christian began to put a bit of distance between itself and the Generals as the Cavaliers opened up a seven-point lead midway through the deciding stanza. A pair of free throws by Cathedral Academy knotted it all up at 52 prior to a buzzer-beating three by the Cavaliers that sealed the deal for a 2A championship.
Primetime Performers
Leading the early scoring charge for St. John’s Christian was Brock Ray Brock Ray 6'11" | C St John's Christian | 2024 State SC . The seven-foot big concluded his afternoon with 18 points and All-Tournament honors. The Cavaliers were looking to establish Ray early and the Generals had few answers for him near the rim.
As the contest wore on, the Cavaliers were the beneficiaries of a second-half surge courtesy of Shy’Juan Grant. He finished with 13 points. Grant is a skilled ball handler with veteran instincts and a knack for getting to the basket.
There is closing out one’s career with an exclamation point – then there is what senior Clark Moreaux did in the closing seconds of the game. He not only tallied 11 points, he nailed a buzzer-beating triple in the fourth quarter to send the Cavaliers fans home happy.
Wallace Hester Wallace Hester 6'1" | SG St John's Christian Academy | 2023 State SC finished with 10 points and was also one of the All-Tournament honorees. Hester is not shy about attempting 3-pointers but is versatile with an ability to play a number of positions on the court.
Carter Goodwin Carter Goodwin 5'10" | PG Cathedral Academy | 2023 State SC was the leading scorer for Cathedral Academy. He placed 13 points on the board and led the Generals’ efforts from downtown. Goodwin drained three of the five attempts Cathedral Academy had from deep. Gresham earned All-Tournament honors.
AJ Gresham AJ Gresham 6'0" | CG Cathedral Academy | 2025 State SC also had himself a big game with an 11-point effort. He was the other Generals representative who garnered All-Tournament honors. Gresham stands at 5-foot-10 and does not shy away from contact that can give him opportunities at the charity stripe. He drained a pair of clutch free throws that tied the contest up at 52 going into the final seconds.
So Long, Seniors
Carter Goodwin Carter Goodwin 5'10" | PG Cathedral Academy | 2023 State SC , Joel Simmons Joel Simmons 6'1" | CG Cathedral Academy | 2023 State SC , John Griffen and Jarrell Caviness Jarrell Caviness 6'6" | PF Cathedral Academy | 2023 State SC are among the seniors who are graduating from the Generals. Ryan Pierce, Wallace Hester Wallace Hester 6'1" | SG St John's Christian Academy | 2023 State SC and Clark Moreaux are graduating from the Cavaliers.
All-Tournament Team
Brock Ray Brock Ray 6'11" | C St John's Christian | 2024 State SC – St. John’s Christian
Wallace Hester Wallace Hester 6'1" | SG St John's Christian Academy | 2023 State SC – St. John’s Christian
Carter Goodwin Carter Goodwin 5'10" | PG Cathedral Academy | 2023 State SC – Cathedral Academy
A.J. Gresham – Cathedral Academy
Robert Clark Robert Clark 5'9" | PG Andrew Jackson Academy | 2023 State SC – Andrew Jackson Academy
William Felder William Felder 6'5" | SF Calhoun Academy | 2023 State SC – Calhoun Academy