Prep Notebook: Basketball season underway

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

Nov. 15—HENDERSON — Crossroads Christian basketball improved to 3-0 on the season with a 72-36 victory over Thales Academy Apex on Friday. The Colts scored over 70 points for the third time in three games, using their defensive pressure to aid the high-power offense.

For the first time since 2019, Crossroads emerged victorious through its first three contests, winning by an average of 50 points per game.

Stats were not made available for the Colts' second home game of the season, but four different players averaged 13 points or more, with 20 forced turnovers assisting the shutdown defense in Henderson.

Around the area

With winter sports beginning, multiple programs have or will make their season debut this week on the hardwood throughout Vance and Granville County.

After an 0-2 start to the season, Henderson Collegiate notched its first win of the year on Friday, defeating Berean Baptist Academy 68-56.

Guard Ellis Williams powered the Pride offense, tallying 31 points while shooting 14-for-22 from the field. Junior Dillion Baskerville assisted the senior, scoring 20 points on just 12 shot attempts.

Helping Henderson Collegiate earn the victory was its tenacious defense, which forced 16 turnovers and pulled down 24 rebounds.

Six different players recorded four rebounds or more, cleaning up the glass in the non-conference matchup.

Next up is a rivalry matchup in their first home game of the season, as they host Crossroads Christian on Tuesday.

Another Henderson-based program, Vance Charter will begin their season on Friday on the road at Neuse Charter. The Knights will have a four-game road trip to begin the year before their first home game, on Dec. 2 against the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics.

Oxford Prep will look to earn its first win of the season on Tuesday, when they return to Granville County against Franklin Academy in their first home game of the season.

Kerr-Vance Academy opens up the 2022-23 campaign on Thursday, as an away matchup versus Northeast Academy marks the first of five road contests to open up the year.

The Spartans will cross state lines on Friday, traveling to Lawrenceville, Virginia, to face-off against Brunswick Academy in another non-conference showdown.

The Griffins have opened the year at 0-2, losing to East Wake Academy 50-46 and Chatham Charter 85-32.

Forward Logan Jones has been the go-to option on offense, averaging 17 points to begin the year, one of just two players to score in double figures.

Sophomore shooting guard Drew West has aided Jones, pouring in 12 points per game as the leader of the Oxford Prep backcourt.

The Griffins will close out the week with another road contest on Friday, as they travel to J.F. Webb for a rivalry contest.

For Webb, Friday's matchup will serve as its season-opener after a 13-14 record during the 2021-22 campaign.

College ranks

Henderson native M.J. Rice recorded his first minutes at the collegiate level, scoring 10 points and logging four rebounds and two assists in the Kansas Jayhawks' 82-59 victory over North Dakota State.

Rice, a former top 30 recruit and McDonald's All-American, was a member of Kansas' No. 4 overall recruiting class in 2022, after the Jayhawks earned their fourth national championship in program history.