Lions sweep Berean
Concord boys hold off visitors
It was a game between two evenly matched teams, and it was either team’s game until the final half minute.
Tied at 57, Concord Christian School’s Parker Cooley hit two free throws with 22.8 seconds left in the game to give the Lions a two-point lead over visiting Berean Christian School Friday, Dec. 8.
After a stop at the other end, CCS’s Dominic Alford got free for a dunk with 11 seconds left, and the Lions held on for a 61-57 win on Homecoming Night. The win evened Concord’s District 1 record (Division II-A East Region) at 1-1, 4-5 overall, entering this week.
Lion 6-foot-10 senior post Drew Sloan led all scorers with 19 and was a presence on the boards. Alford and Cale Smith each added 10. Deonte Smith led Berean with 17.
“I was a little worried (about the deficit at the end of three quarters) but I knew we had it in us to pull it out,” said Sloan, who was named Homecoming King at halftime.
Lions’ head coach Justin Zachary said Sloan’s value goes beyond statistics. “Even if he doesn’t score, he draws so much attention that it’s easier to play inside-out and get shots for other guys,” he said.
“We’ve had three games where we’ve lost by a combined nine points,” Zachary added. “What we did tonight, that maybe we haven’t done, is when not playing our best we didn’t self-destruct.”
Lady Lions 80 Berean 17
Against hopelessly overmatched Berean Friday, the CCS Lady Lions (3-4, 1-1) used their vast superiority to win 80-17 — all Berean points came in the second half. At halftime it was an eye-popping 52-0.
Senior guard Natali Fender scored 13 and had seven steals.“It’s a good learning experience but I’d rather have a closer game,” she said.
Freshman all-court player Kiran Keeton scored 21. Point guard Emory Thomas, an eighth-grader, had 15 points, five steals and five rebounds. Sophomore guard Sheridan Patterson added 11 points.
