Cresset Christian stops Northside Christian in NCISAA 1A girls’ state championship game
Northside Christian’s girls’ basketball team just couldn’t make a shot Friday night in the N.C. Independent Schools’ 1A state championship game.
The Knights missed attempt after attempt but still had a shot to rally past Cresset Christian and repeat as state champs.
But Courtney Ashford’s 3-point shot from the top of the key was long, and Cresset eventually finished off a 48-45 win and set off a mad celebration inside Raleigh Ravenscroft School.
“We never shot it this poorly,” said Northside coach Donnell Rhyne. “Courtney just came off a game where she hit six 3s. Laylah (Toscano) hit three (3-point shots) the last game. It was just one of those days.”
Northside (17-11) trailed all game after Cresset came out in a pretty basic 2-3 zone and the Knights couldn’t make any shots to get the Eagles out of it.
And that’s how a 12-4 early lead became 36-22 with 68 seconds left in the third quarter.
Rhyne made a gamble, having his team pressure the ball all over the court, which could have led to easy opportunities for Cresset Christian (20-2), which won its 17th straight game.
But Northside started inducing some turnovers and getting some layups.
Finally, eighth-grade center JaKeila Gaskin made a pair of layups to get her team within 47-45 with seven seconds left.
Next, Northside got another steal.
Ashford got the shot attempt.
The Knights’ coaching staff and bench stood up.
It just missed long.
“You can’t get a better shot than that,” Rhyne turned around with a smile and told his coaches, his bench and a collection of Northside fans behind him.
Cresset star Trinity Jefferson, a blur of a freshman who scored 17 points, made 1 of 2 free throws with three seconds left to end the scoring.
Northside couldn’t get off a three to tie the game before the buzzer sounded.
“I’ve never lost (a state final),” said Rhyne, who led Chambers High to a N.C. public school-record three straight 4A titles before taking Northside to the title last year. “This is the fifth one and it was going to be consecutive. But it happens sometimes. I’m still proud of them and proud of our success, and we’ll be back.”
SUMMARY
CRESSET CHRISTIAN 48, NORTHSIDE CHRISTIAN 45
Cresset Christian 14 11 12 10 — 48
Northside 6 10 11 18 — 45
NORTHSIDE 45 — Womack 5, Gaskin 7, Carlelock 3, Ashford 2, Toscano 8
CRESSET CHRISTIAN 48 — Trinity Jefferson 17, Bryant 8, Vuelta 3, Jarrett 17, English 5
