Sports

Two in a Row for Grace Baptist Christian Academt Girls Basketball Team

Grace Baptist Christian Academy of Attleboro won its second straight title, while the boys' team was the runner-up team.

 

The girls’ basketball team of Grace Baptist Christian Academy of Attleboro captured its second straight Massachusetts Association of Christian Schools State Tournament championship Saturday, outlasting New England Baptist Academy of West Bridgewater, 34-26, in the title clash played at Twin City Christian School in Lunenburg.

Jamie Emerson (14) and Sara Allen (eight) combined for 22 points as the Centurions overcame a slow start and a cold shooting performance from the floor to successfully defend their MACS state crown and earn a berth in the New England Association of Christian Schools’ Region Tournament next weekend in Londonderry, N.H. GBCA (11-3) will face Emmanuel Christian Academy of Newington, Conn., in a semifinal-round clash Friday, with the victor advancing to Saturday’s championship contest.

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Saturday in Lunenburg, GBCA held narrow leads of 4-2, 14-12 and 23-20 at the first three stops before scoring six unanswered points in the opening 90 seconds of the fourth quarter to assume an insurmountable advantage. The Centurions led by as many as 10 points later in the period before the Hawks twice closed to within six points, but came no closer.

Also scoring for GBCA were Bailey McLernon (6), Stacy Wiegand (4), Rachel Allen (2) and Hannah Johnson (2). Other team members are Olivia Beals, Caroline Kirby, Kelly Nichols, Jessica Rodriguez, Ariana Patterson and Mary Jane Childs, head coach Jeff Nichols and assistant coach Todd Allen.

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 NEBA Routs GBCA in Boys’ Championship

 GBCA’s boys’ squad was not as fortunate Saturday, settling for a runner-up finish in the MACS State Tournament for the second consecutive campaign after absorbing a 79-48 beating by NEBA.

The Hawks’ dynamic backcourt trio of Mark Chadwick (30), Dimitri Tessier (21) and Jared Chadwick (10) combined for 61 points as NEBA clinched its second straight state crown and earned a berth in the NEACS Region Tournament next weekend, also in Londonderry.

NEBA led from start to finish Saturday against GBCA, blowing out to a 10-point advantage in the opening two minutes of action and widening its gap to 20 points early in the second period. The Hawks swished a total of 12 three-point baskets and stifled the Centurions (10-7) with effective pressure defense which forced numerous turnovers.

NEBA led at the period breaks by margins of 23-8, 45-20 and 58-32. Connor McLernon topped GBCA with 14 points, Zach Yoakum contributed 12 points and A.J. Russell added 6 points.

GBCA had advanced to Saturday’s title showdown by ousting host Twin City, 59-49, Friday in a semifinal-round encounter. The Centurions held a tenuous 25-23 edge at intermission before outscoring the Eagles by a 34-22 margin in the second half.

McLernon sparked the winners with 24 points, while Andrew Schoepfer chipped in with 10 points and Yoakum finished with 9 points.

 

 

 

 

 


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