Colts outlast Henderson Collegiate in rivalry matchup

Bryant Baucom, Henderson (N.C.) Daily Dispatch
·2 min read

Nov. 16—HENDERSON — With the high school basketball season underway for many programs across Vance and Granville County, one of the biggest rivalry games in Henderson transpired on Tuesday night.

Crossroads Christian moved to 4-0 on the season, defeating Henderson Collegiate 83-70 at Aycock Recreation Center.

With the first quarter featuring a 22-22 tie after eight minutes, Crossroads used a 27-15 advantage in the second period to distance itself from the Pride.

Both defenses improved to limit the scoring in the second half, as neither team was able to make much headway on the scoreboard.

A pesky full-court press and tenacious defense forced 16 Henderson Collegiate turnovers in the contest, many of which led to high-percentage looks in the paint and beyond the arc for the Colts.

Senior guard Shane Anthony continued his hot start from three to begin the season, while big men Ben Gladieux and John Henderson Jr. dominated on the glass for Crossroads.

For the Pride, the inability to grab rebounds, particularly on the defensive end, led to second-chance points for the Colts and kept them from getting closer than 6 in the second half.

Henderson Collegiate pulled down just 23 total rebounds and were charged with 16 personal fouls, a combination that did not bode well for the 1A program. Nine steals helped mitigate the mistakes, but it ultimately was too much to overcome in the team's first home game of the season.

On the offensive end, senior guard Ellis Williams led the team in scoring for the first time this season, pouring in 29 points to improve his scoring average to 23.5 points per game.

As Coach Paul Murray's team shot 52% from the field, juniors Dillion Baskerville (13 points) and Josh Branche (11 points) assisted Williams in the score column, while Baskerville also added in five rebounds and six assists.

A neutral site contest for the Colts awaits on Friday, as they take on former Henderson Collegiate head coach George Marshall and The Burlington School. They will close out the week with a Saturday matinee against First Flight.

As for Henderson Collegiate, the Pride will travel to Browns Summit on Friday to take on 5-0 Piedmont Classical in a non-conference matchup.