2008-09 NCHSA Championships
NCHSAA 2009 Class 4A Western Region Finals
Hopewell “Titans” vs. Mt. Tabor “Spartans”
Mt. Tabor knocks off No.1 Hopewell
Grace, Hicks and Harris combine for 56
Greensboro Coliseum – Greensboro, NC
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| C.J. Haris was named the games "MVP" after scoring 19 points. |
Greensboro, NC – Mt. Tabor’s big three: Sr.-Michael Grace, Sr.-C.J. Harris and Sr.-Josh Hicks combined for 56 of the teams 67 points as they knocked off No.1 ranked and undefeated Hopewell H.S. to win the 2009 Class 4A Western Region Championship.
The excitement for this one was high as the No. 1 and No. 5 ranked teams in the state squared off. The first quarter wasn’t the best the teams had to offer in the way of scoring but there was a lot of action and you could tell that teams were overly hyped up. A three-pointer by Sr.-Michael Figgers at the end of the first quarter gave Hopewell an 8-7 lead.
Both teams loosened up in the second quarter and started to get after it trading baskets back and forth. A jumper by the Titans Jr.-Jordan Downing gave them a 19-13 lead with 4:34 left in the half.
Back-to back three-pointers by Hicks and Harris would tie the game for Mt. Tabor at 19-19.
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| Hopewell's Jordan Downing hsa a smooth game. |
With less than 2:00 minutes left on the clock the momentum of the game started swinging over to the Mt. Tabor side. Hicks drained another three-pointer and Harris scored a pair of baskets to give the Spartans the largest lead of the game, 32-22 heading into the half.
Mt. Tabor would come out in the third quarter and extend their lead to fifteen, 39-24 before Hopewell decided to show everybody why they had been undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the state.
An 11-0 run by Hopewell spearheaded by good defense and the shooting of reserve Jr.-Bryce Hawkins cut Mt. Tabor’s lead to two, 39-37 with 2:21 left to play in the quarter.
Mt. Tabor would re-group after a timeout; Grace would knock down a pair of shots to put them up 42-38 but a three-pointer at the buzzer by Hopewell Sr.- Brandyn Curry would cut the lead back to two, 43-41.
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| Not only does Michael Grace look like Chris Paul but has similarities in his game. |
Early in the forth quarter you sensed that it wasn’t going to be Hopewell’s day because every time it looked like they were going to make a move Mt. Tabor would come up with a big shot; if it wasn’t Grace, it was Hicks and if it wasn’t Hicks, it was Harris.
Hopewell would pull to within eight but that would be as close as they would come. As the seconds ticked off the clock “The 300” stood tall having just conquered the mighty No.1 ranked and undefeated Titans from Hopewell. The Spartans now advance on to the state championship game next weekend in Chapel Hill.
C.J Harris scored 19 points and was named the games “Most Valuable Player”.
The All-Tourney team consisted of Mike Grace (Mt. Tabor), Josh Hicks (Mt. Tabor), Jordan Downing (Hopewell), DeMon Brooks (Hopewell) and Brandyn Curry (Hopewell)
The Final Score:
Mt. Tabor 67 – Hopewell 51
Box Score
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