Ridge View falls to Cox Mill in Bojangles Bash
Ridge View went 0-3 in the Bojangles Bash Showcase after a 68-48 loss to Cox Mill of North Carolina on Saturday night, but Blazers coach Yerrick Stoneman learned plenty about his team in the process.
It might end up being just the thing they need as they move on.
“I think the main thing we learned is we’re going to compete every night,” Stoneman said. “It was three excellent teams with two of them having multiple Division I players on the team. So I know that we can play with anybody.”
Ridge View (2-4) suffered heartbreaking losses in the first two days of the showcase. The Blazers had a 19-point lead with 4:48 remaining in the third quarter against Rock Creek Christian Academy, last year’s state runner-up in Maryland, on Thursday but faltered down the stretch to lose 50-47.
On Friday, they fought back from being down to Orangeville, the fourth-ranked team in Canada, but lost 66-64 on a layup with 10 seconds remaining.
They seemed to run out of steam against the defending Class 3A state champions from North Carolina that featured the No. 25 ranked junior in the country by ESPN, 6-foot-6 Wendell Moore, and Rechon “Leaky” Black, a UNC commitment and No. 65 player in the 2018 Class.
Moore, who is being recruited by South Carolina, scored 25 points with four rebounds, three steals and two assists while Gamecocks coach Frank Martin watched from the stands. The 6-8 Black added 17 points and 12 rebounds from his guard position.
But it was the play of junior Caleb Stone-Carrawell that turned the tide. The Blazers were within 40-36 with less than a minute remaining in the third quarter when Stone-Carrawell took over.
He hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer, then scored eight more points during a 13-2 run that gave the Chargers (5-0) a 53-38 lead with 5:35 remaining
“I think late third quarter and the fourth quarter, we wore down,” Stoneman said. “Three nights back-to-back with the first two going to the buzzer. The biggest surprise was (Stone-Carrawell) coming off the bench and hit three straight three’s. It was difficult for us to come back from that. The steam just came out.”
Ridge View’s 6-11 junior Malcolm Wilson had his best night of the three days. He finished with 16 points and 8 rebounds with three blocks. Crosby Harris-James added 13 points.
The three days gave the players the confidence Stoneman was hoping for, as well.
“We learned we have to play more as a team and cut down on the turnovers,” junior guard Walyn Napper said. “We also have to work on boxing out against bigger teams. But I think we showed we can compete with anybody.”
CM – Wendell Moore 25, Rehon Black 17, Caleb Stone-Carrawell 13, Hall 4, Cline 4, Harding 3, Morgan 2. RV – Malcolm Wilson 16, Crosby Harris-James 13, Napper 7, McKenny 6, Jenkins 2, Bouknight 2, Rice 2.
West Florence 90, Ben Lippen 74
BL – Ryan McCray 29, Javian Bellamy 23, Will Cureton 11, Oelhafen 5, Gibbs 2, Reasons 2, Jones 2. WF – Sabien Nero 22, Jarrod Woodland 17, Derrion Lloyd 15, Marquise Pemberton 12, Tinsley 4, Eaddy 2, Lowery 3, Small 2, Wells 4, Blount-Brown 4, Manning 3, George 2.
Word of God (NC) 69, A.C. Flora 64
WG – Aaron Cash 15, Zack Newkirk 14, Ta’Lon Cooper 11, Daquan Futtrell 10, Jamal King 10, Forte 4, Anthony 3, Spencer 2. ACF – DJ Sinkler 17, Zack Foulks 15, Diamante Brown 11, Jamison 6, Riley 6, Mobley 5, Boyce 2, Iriel 2.
Dorman 70, Sumter 61
S – Isaih Moore 21, Smalls 7, Singleton 7, Felder 6, Crosskey 6, Jackson 6, Singletary 6, McCoy 2. D – Myles Tate 24, Harris Finley 10, Trey Downing 10, Parton 9, Hall 7, Bryant 6, Smith 2, Peppers 2.
Trinity Christian (NC) 50, Orangeville (CAN) 47
TC – Au’diese Toney 16, Joey Baker 14, Gantt 8, Jones 6, Marshall 3, Smith-Pagan 3. O – Ignas Brazdeikis 20, Kesahun Saunders 11, Farquhar 6, Rahtan-Mayes 5, Moncrieffe 3, Jones 2.
Huntington Prep (WV) 85, North Mecklenburg (NC) 79
NM – Tristan Maxwell 27, Chris Ford 22, Jae’Lyn Withers 19, Anderson 5, Griffin 5, Hairston 1. HP - Jaemyn Brakefield 30, Michael Christmas 13, Kenneth Nwuba 10, Price 9, Slazinski 8, McNeilly 7, McGriff 6, James 2.
This story was originally published December 9, 2017 at 10:05 PM with the headline "Ridge View falls to Cox Mill in Bojangles Bash."