Former Charlotte coach leads Christ School to NCISAA state title win over Providence Day
Three years ago, Josh Coley left Charlotte to work at Christ School in the N.C. mountains, and he dreamed of days like Saturday.
The Greenies beat Providence Day 56-45 in the N.C. Independent Schools’ 4A state championship game, becoming the first repeat 4A state champion since Che’ Roth led Cannon School to back-to-back rings in 2020 and ‘21.
Last season, Christ School beat Carmel Christian, another Charlotte-area team, in the championship round.
“I’m very proud of the boys,” said Coley, who led Charlotte’s United Faith to four conference titles and a state championship appearance before he left for the all-boys’ boarding school in Arden, N.C.. “They’ve gotten older since they’ve been here, and we’ve been here, and they’ve worked hard and this is what comes with it.”
Saturday, in front of a sold-out crowd at Raleigh Ravenscroft, Christ School’s size and defense caused Providence Day problems on what could’ve been a history-making afternoon for the Chargers.
Providence Day hadn’t won a state championship since coach Brian Field led the 2015-16 team to a top 15 national ranking, an appearance in the then-DICKS’ National Championship in New York and an unbeaten run against N.C. teams, including a state championship win over future NBA All-Star Bam Adebayo and High Point Christian.
Also, no private school team had won the large classification state championship in basketball and football since Charlotte Latin won both in the 2003-04 school year.
But the Chargers — whose football team beat Rabun Gap for the Division I title last November — just couldn’t score often enough.
Christ School led 24-18 at halftime and 38-25 at the end of the third quarter.
Providence Day junior Trajan Thompson was the only Chargers player in double figures. He had 21 points and helped Providence Day rally back. His 3-pointer with 1:52 left cut Christ School’s lead to 44-40.
But down the stretch, the Chargers missed some key opportunities — including six straight free throws at one point — and Christ School rebuilt its lead.
Providence Day has only one senior on its roster, so the Chargers could be a state championship favorite next year. But Coley figures his team will be, too.
Christ School once won five straight state titles from 2007-11.
Could this be the Greenies’ Dynasty 2.0?
“That would be nice,” Coley said. “My assistant coaches in Charlotte were ready to be head coaches. We had done as much as we could do at United Faith and we don’t get that many opportunities, and I was happy to be able to give them the opportunity (United Faith played for a state championship Friday night).
“But this is my third year here and it’s a blessing. We’ve got a great group of kids and a great group of families.”
So how about the future, coach, at Christ School?
“It’s bright, man,” Coley said, breaking into a smile. “It’s bright.”
Davidson Day is NCISAA 2A champion
Davidson Day completed a remarkable turnaround Saturday night, downing Greenfield School 74-64 for the NCISAA 2A boys’ state championship at Ravenscroft School in Raleigh.
First-year head coach James Long guided the Patriots to a 24-7 record -- just one year after a 5-17 season.
Davidson Day built a solid halftime lead, behind a barrage of 3-pointers, and held off several second-half surges by the Knights (31-6), who finished as 2A state runners-up for the second straight year.
The Patriots saw a double-digit lead cut to 58-52 with four minutes remaining, but they went on a 6-2 run for a 64-54 lead with 2:45 left. Greenfield School cut the deficit to 64-57, but Levon Jacobs scored on a layup, and Ja Spruill converted a steal into another layup.
The Patriots’ Will Stevens, a sophomore center, was named the game’s Most Valuable Player after totaling 13 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. The leading scorer was Jacobs, a junior wing, with 18 points. Brady Kester, a senior forward, had 11 points, seven rebounds and three blocks.
— Steve Lyttle
Gaston Christian falls in NCISAA 3A final
Gaston Christian’s offense went cold in the closing minutes Saturday, and the Eagles lost 57-44 to Forsyth Country Day in the NCISAA 3A boys’ state championship game at Ravenscroft School.
The loss capped a 19-16 season for the Eagles under coach Chris Duhon, the former Duke standout.
Gaston Christian trailed by eight points late in the first quarter but battled back and was down only 25-24 at the half. They stayed close to the Furies (27-6) in the third quarter and were down 37-36 entering the final period.
Forsyth Country Day opened the lead to 42-36 quickly, before Darien Williams hit a 3-pointer for Gaston Christian. After another Furies basket, the Eagles closed to 44-41 on a Williams layup with 4:50 remaining. Then the Gaston Christian offense faltered, and the Eagles scored only three points the rest of the way.
They got within 50-42 on a Joe Rhyne free throw with 1:55 left but turned the ball over twice and missed two shots the rest of the way.
Jahon Foster, who hit five free throws in the closing 73 seconds, led the victors with 20 points and seven rebounds.
- Lyttle
SUMMARY
CHRIST SCHOOL 56, PROVIDENCE DAY 45
Providence Day 7 11 7 20 — 45
Christ School 10 14 14 18 — 56
PROVIDENCE DAY 45 — Haynes 2, Trajan Thompson 21, Appling 8, Lawrence 4, Winston 2, Johnson 2
CHRIST SCHOOL 56 — Cokley 5, Collins 8, Briggs 4, Keenan Wilkins 16, Mikey Wilkins 17, Hamilton 6
