Late surge propels Warriors past CCS
KNOXVILLE — Though missing its second leading scorer, Christian Academy of Knoxville used a late spark from a sophomore to rally past rival Concord Christian School, winning 43-38 in district action at CAK Friday night, Jan. 6.
About sophomore wing Bryson White, “This is actually the third game in a row that he’s hit big-time shots at the end of a game,” said Warriors head coach James Johnson, whose team — despite missing second-leading scorer Evan Coffman, a senior forward — improved to 13-6 overall, 4-1 in district play.
White’s back-to-back three-point jumpers turned a 36-32 deficit into a 38-36 lead with 2:04 left in the game. “I’ve kinda known, ever since the fall, that he was going to come up big for us just because of the way he was practicing,” Johnson said. “He’s been a guy who has worked incredibly hard.”
Johnson also said sophomore guard Zach Coffman “stepped up” with a trifecta of key three-pointers. “And he’s defended well,” guarding CCS top scorer Noah Gilder, a senior wing.
White scored eight points total, while Luke Carter, CAK’s standout senior guard and leading scorer, again led the way with a team-high 11. Junior guard Bennett Simerlein added eight.
Gilder’s 14 points led all scorers. Blake McNew pumped in eight for CCS. “We did what we needed to do defensively,” said Lions head coach Justin Zachary, whose team fell to 7-5, 3-4.
Drew Sloan, 6-foot-9 CCS junior post, scored five points before leaving with an ankle injury. “He was doing a good job keeping them from driving in the paint,” Zachary said of Sloan.
