NCISAA Playoffs: Cary Academy Handles Metrolina Christian, 53-42

It was a little Tuesday matinee matchup between Cary Academy and Metrolina Christian here in the 919 last night and it was an entertaining matchup throughout! The first quarter was definitely a feeling out process for both teams as Cary Academy held a 7-5 lead into the 2nd. As the half continued to progress, Cary Academy was really able to dictate the pace and extend their lead to up to 11 at the half, largely due to Bucknell Signee [player_tooltip player_id='2055526' first='Aidan' last='Rousseau'] getting in a rhythm.   The 2nd half was much of the same with the wealth being spread across the entire Cary Academy rotation. Metrolina was able to have some moments of success behind Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='3506752' first='Rickey' last='Torrence']'s ability to score it from all three levels. Cary Academy extended the lead to upwards of 20 but Metrolina showed a ton of pride with the way they closed the game and unfortunately their season out by cutting the deficit to 12 by the time the game ended. Let's take a look at some of the standouts!    Tweedy was the best long term prospect to suit up in this game and he showed constant flashes throughout this one at both ends of the floor. Tweedy did all of his work in this one within 10 feet of the basket, exploiting the size mismatch in this one. With his aggressiveness getting to the basket, Tweedy was at the line a whole lot, going 6-6 from the stripe in this one. Defensively, he helps anchor the interior along with possessing the ability to switch out and guard perimeter players. Final Stats: 12 Points, 7 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 2 Blocks, 1 Steal, 3-8 FG, 6-6 FT.     Williams has really evolved into a full time PG that helps this Cary Academy team push the pace at a very high level. He's a pest defensively with his excellent anticipation into passing lanes leading to quick baskets for his team. Williams didn't show it a ton in this game but he can really make outside shots which forces the defense to press up onto him. Williams was simply in control of this one for the vast majority of it and made sure to guide his team to the win. Final Stats: 9 Points, 4 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 2 Steals, 4-8 FG, 1-2 3PT.     Torrence has been the go to guy for Metrolina Christian as a sophomore this season and it's easy to see why when viewing his game. Torrence plays at his own pace which is rare for a kid this young with this size to do. He's got a strong frame, great touch from the outside, and is remarkably patient with the basketball. He was undeniably productive vs a bonafide D1 front-court and should continue to build off of this game despite the loss. He was remarkably efficient with his touches and as the overall physicality and athleticism steadily improve, Torrence will only get better and better. Definitely a prospect to watch closely. Final Stats: 19 Points, 3 Rebounds, 1 Steal, 7-11 FG, 4-5 3PT, 1-2 FT     The Bucknell signee will have a massive leap in these 2026 rankings coming out VERY soon. He's such a steady and reliable producer capable of playing in different spots all over the floor. Early on, Rousseau was attacking the rim, putting pressure on the opposition, forcing them to foul him and over commit. As the game went along he started to find his range from the outside and play off of [player_tooltip player_id='2055527' first='McCoy' last='Williams']. The versatility, consistency, and lethal outside touch will have Rousseau competing for minutes early in his career at Bucknell. Final Stats: 12 Points, 6 Rebounds, 1 Assists, 1 Steal, 1 block, 4-8 FG, 2-4 3PT, 2-3 FT     Wilson was a steady presence in the backcourt for Metrolina Christian in this one as he was their most reliable playmaker on the floor. He's had a really good sophomore season, averaging 12.6 Points, 7.3 Rebounds, and 5.4 Assists per game. In the times where Metrolina was able to run offense, it was Wilson most frequently getting them set up + he brought a ton of competitive fire on the defensive end. Unfortunately it wasn't enough but the Sophomore duo of Wilson and [player_tooltip player_id='3506752' first='Rickey' last='Torrence'] at Metrolina will be making a lot of noise before the end of their respective high school careers. Final Stats: 11 Points, 3 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 1 Steal, 4-10 FG, 3-9 3 PT     The Freshman will be a name we talk about quite a bit moving forward as he continues to show flashes of excellence at a young age at Cary Academy. Cadet is smooth, athletic, and skilled as he continues to grow into that 6'4" frame. His long arms benefit him defensively as he's aggressive but not overly so at that end of the floor. He's capable of making plays from all three levels and does a really nice job staying within himself. Expect a lot of good stuff from him as Cary Academy looks to go on a run. Final Stats: 8 Points, 5 Rebounds, 1 Assists, 3-8 FG, 1-4 3PT, 1-1 FT

It was a little Tuesday matinee matchup between Cary Academy and Metrolina Christian here in the 919 last night and it was an entertaining matchup throughout! The first quarter was definitely a feeling out process for both teams as Cary Academy held a 7-5 lead into the 2nd. As the half continued to progress, Cary Academy was really able to dictate the pace and extend their lead to up to 11 at the half, largely due to Bucknell Signee Aidan Rousseau Aidan Rousseau 6'6" | SF Cary Academy | 2026 State NC getting in a rhythm.