Falcons Nest March 4th
A stellar season finished one milestone short, as the Falcons finished as 2A NCISAA Runner- Ups adding to their Tri-TAC Regular Season and Tournament Championships.
The Falcons got a quick start in their State Tournament run grabbing victories in the opening rounds over Thales Academy Apex (77-16), Northside Christian Academy (64-46), and St. Thomas More in the Quarterfinals 72-19.
As the #2 seed in the West Region, the Falcons hit the road for the semifinals traveling to the #1 seed in the East Region, Wayne Country Day School. A back-and-forth affair, saw both teams make runs well into the third quarter. The Falcons broke away in the 3rd scoring 21 points in the quarter including 9 of their 19 total second-chance points. Despite a late run from WCDS, the Falcons held on to grab the 56-43 road victory to earn a spot in Saturday’s State Championship game. The Falcons were led by freshmen Ashanti Fox’s 28 points, 6 assists, and 6 rebounds on the evening. Joining the scoring column were Kelyce McSwain (10 points, 10 rebounds), Taylor Woods (9 points, 5 rebounds), Caelan McHarney (6 points, 9 rebounds, 5 steals), and Reily Johnson (3 points, 3 assists).
On Saturday, February 26th, Mount Olive University was the host site for the NCISAA 2A State Championship pitting the #2 The O’Neal School against the #1 seed The Burlington School. The match-up saw arguably two of the best backcourts square off, and the match-up did not disappoint. The opening quarter saw both teams make runs, as the Falcons leaned on sophomore post Kelyce McSwain who scored 8 of her 17 total points in the opening 8 minutes. The Burlington School went on a run in the second quarter, converting in transition and creating foul trouble for the Falcon post players. After the half, the Falcons leaned into the dynamic guard duo, seeing Caelan McHarney and Ashanti Fox find gaps in the defense leading to paint points. A couple of late threes saw the Falcons close the gap in the final moments, but relentless offensive rebounding from The Burlington School never let the Falcon make the closing run. In the end, the Falcons dropped the contest 58-64 finishing as NCISAA 2A State Runners-Up with an overall record of 22-4 on the season. This season marks the third time in the past four years that the Falcons have finished as NCISAA 2A State Runners-Up.
“As much as the result is and will be painful for the coming days,” shared Coach Lulu Brase “when the girls are able to look back at the season, they will see successes beyond measures. Beyond their on-court successes, these young ladies have come together to build a team grounded on connection and trust. Their energy, enthusiasm, and charismatic personalities have endeared them to so many in our community which showed in the tremendous support we had throughout the season and especially in these final two games. We, as a coaching staff, couldn’t be prouder of what these young ladies have accomplished this year. They truly were a blessing to coach.”
In her final outing in a Falcon basketball uniform, senior Caelan McHarney led all Falcon scorers with 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. Joining her in double figures was sophomore Kelyce McSwain (17 points, 8 rebounds) and freshmen Ashanti Fox (10 points, 3 assists). Rounding out the scoring were Tamiya Judd (6 points, 4 assists), Brooklyn Adams (3 points, 5 rebounds), and Reily Johnson (3 points).
The Falcons conclude the season with an overall record of 22-4 including another undefeated run in Tri-TAC Conference play moving their win streak to 46 regular-season conference victories (62 total including tournament games).
Back
As the #2 seed in the West Region, the Falcons hit the road for the semifinals traveling to the #1 seed in the East Region, Wayne Country Day School. A back-and-forth affair, saw both teams make runs well into the third quarter. The Falcons broke away in the 3rd scoring 21 points in the quarter including 9 of their 19 total second-chance points. Despite a late run from WCDS, the Falcons held on to grab the 56-43 road victory to earn a spot in Saturday’s State Championship game. The Falcons were led by freshmen Ashanti Fox’s 28 points, 6 assists, and 6 rebounds on the evening. Joining the scoring column were Kelyce McSwain (10 points, 10 rebounds), Taylor Woods (9 points, 5 rebounds), Caelan McHarney (6 points, 9 rebounds, 5 steals), and Reily Johnson (3 points, 3 assists).
On Saturday, February 26th, Mount Olive University was the host site for the NCISAA 2A State Championship pitting the #2 The O’Neal School against the #1 seed The Burlington School. The match-up saw arguably two of the best backcourts square off, and the match-up did not disappoint. The opening quarter saw both teams make runs, as the Falcons leaned on sophomore post Kelyce McSwain who scored 8 of her 17 total points in the opening 8 minutes. The Burlington School went on a run in the second quarter, converting in transition and creating foul trouble for the Falcon post players. After the half, the Falcons leaned into the dynamic guard duo, seeing Caelan McHarney and Ashanti Fox find gaps in the defense leading to paint points. A couple of late threes saw the Falcons close the gap in the final moments, but relentless offensive rebounding from The Burlington School never let the Falcon make the closing run. In the end, the Falcons dropped the contest 58-64 finishing as NCISAA 2A State Runners-Up with an overall record of 22-4 on the season. This season marks the third time in the past four years that the Falcons have finished as NCISAA 2A State Runners-Up.
“As much as the result is and will be painful for the coming days,” shared Coach Lulu Brase “when the girls are able to look back at the season, they will see successes beyond measures. Beyond their on-court successes, these young ladies have come together to build a team grounded on connection and trust. Their energy, enthusiasm, and charismatic personalities have endeared them to so many in our community which showed in the tremendous support we had throughout the season and especially in these final two games. We, as a coaching staff, couldn’t be prouder of what these young ladies have accomplished this year. They truly were a blessing to coach.”
In her final outing in a Falcon basketball uniform, senior Caelan McHarney led all Falcon scorers with 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. Joining her in double figures was sophomore Kelyce McSwain (17 points, 8 rebounds) and freshmen Ashanti Fox (10 points, 3 assists). Rounding out the scoring were Tamiya Judd (6 points, 4 assists), Brooklyn Adams (3 points, 5 rebounds), and Reily Johnson (3 points).
The Falcons conclude the season with an overall record of 22-4 including another undefeated run in Tri-TAC Conference play moving their win streak to 46 regular-season conference victories (62 total including tournament games).
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