Gray Collegiate tops Porter-Gaud in Chick-fil-A Classic thriller
Gray Collegiate and Porter-Gaud left little doubt they are two of the best programs in South Carolina after playing a thriller Friday night in the semifinal of the American Division of the 16th Annual Chick-fil-A Classic.
Khalil Robinson made a floater in the lane with five seconds remaining in overtime to give Gray Collegiate a 63-61 victory.
“We took this game as a challenge,” Gray Collegiate coach Dion Bethea said. “I told the guys it’s Gray vs everybody. We went out there and proved it. I feel like we have the best team, and we showed it tonight.”
Robinson took the ball at the top of the key and found a crease in the lane and let go of the runner that found the bottom of the net. After a time out, Vanderbilt signee Aaron Nesmith missed a 3-pointer that would have given the Cyclones the win.
“The call was to get to the basket and take a smart shot,” Robinson said. “We were gunning to make the last shot, so it was a big shot. We knew they were a great team, so we picked up the intensity in a well fought game.”
Bethea just wanted someone to have a good look at the final shot.
“We told Khalil, Tommy (Bruner) or Juwan (Gary) that whoever had the ball last to take the last shot,” he said. “All three of those guys are big-time players, but it was just Khalil’s night.”
Gray Collegiate will play Providence Day School for the championship in the American Division Saturday night at 8:30.
Robinson finished with a team-high 17 points to go along with five assists. He was 5-of-8 on 3-pointers.
“He’s a guy that make shots and we believe in him,” Bethea said. “He’s such a floor general. At the end, it was a big-time play by a big-time player.”
Gray (9-1) dominated the first half and held a 10-point lead at the break before the it turned in a back and forth affair in the second half. The lead got to 12 in the second half before Porter-Gaud (9-1) staged a rally behind the play of Nesmith. He finished with 26 points with three assists, two steals and a block.
The Cyclones opened the second half on a 12-3 run to get within one at 37-36 but Gary and Robinson again provided the answer.
Robinson connected on his fourth 3-pointer, Gary threw down a fast break dunk and scored on a stick back and Robinson knocked down his fifth 3-pointer to push the lead back to 47-38.
But the Cyclones wouldn’t go away. Nesmith scored eight in an 11-1 run and his 3-pointer tied it at 49 with just less than four minutes remaining.
With the score tied at 54, Nesmith had a chance to win it in regulation, but he missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Porter-Gaud scored the first four points of the overtime before Tommy Bruner scored five straight to give the War Eagles the lead.
Nesmith nailed a 3-pointer with 38 seconds remaining to set the stage for Robinson’s heroics.
Gray Collegiate 63, Porter Gaud 61 OT
PG – Aaron Nesmith 24, Jake Lanford 12, Josiah James 11, Nutley 5, Wojcik 5, Shannon 2. GC – Khalil Robinson 17, Juwan Gary 16, Tommy Bruner 12, J. Robinson 8, Marsh 5, Corbitt 3, River 2.
American Division Semifinal
Providence Day School (NC) 63, Cox Mill (NC) 52
PDS – Isaac Suffren 24, Devon Dotson 17, Trey Wertz 16, Wood 3, Eziri 2, Miralia 1. CM – Rechon Black 19, Wendell Moore 18, Hall 8, Davis 4, Cline 3.
National Division Semifinals
IMG Academy (FL) 86, Findlay Prep (NV) 73
IMG – Silvio de Sousa 19, Darius Day 18, Jahmius Ramsey 18, Josh Green 17, Noah Farrakhan 12, Schofield 2. FP – Kyler Edwards 18, Connor Vanover 12, Spencer Washington 11, Mensah 9, Bol 7, Schwietz 7, Moss 5, Chaney 4.
Oak Hill (VA) 72, Prolific Prep (CA) 56
OH – Keyontae Johnson 19, Will Richardson 18, David McCormack 14, Keldon Johnson 11, Kayouloud 6, Calloo 2, Johnson 2. PP – Jeenathon Williams 18, Sekou Toure 16, Jordan Brown 10, Amadou Sow 10, Eyisi 2.
Cannon School (NC) 62, Westtown (PA) 60 OT
CS – Jairus Hamilton 24, Alex Cox 24, Qon Murphy 11, Parker 3. W – Cam Reddish 26, Jalen Gaffney 11, Harrison Eichelberger 11, Berger 6, Kpann 4, Forrester 2.
Paul VI (VA) 81, Huntington Prep (WV) 48
HP – Johnathan McGriff 19, Quinn Slazinski 12, McNeilly 5, Thor 3, Christmas 3, Brakefield 2, Nwuba 2, James 2. P – Trevor Keels 17, Anthony Harris 15, Brandon Slater 14, Freeman 9, Robinson 6, Joyner 5, Latimer 5, Oduro 4, Roach 4, Ford 2.
Westside (GA) 73, Corner Canyon (UT) 66
W – Khavon Moore 21, Greg Holloway 18, Divine Taylor 10, Reeves 8, Jones 8, Anderson 5, Foston 3. CC – Ammon Jensen 18, Gabe Toombs 14, John Mitchell 12, Hayden Welling 10, Emery 6, Christensen 3, Warnock 3.
Keenan 63, Lower Richland 59 OT
LR – Christian Brown 20, Hughes 9, Higgins 8, Scott 7, Flood 5, Tatum-McConner 4, Richardson 4, Hicks 2. K – Latrell Taylor 27, Terrian Tyler 12, Sanders 8, Horton 8, Jones 8.
United Faith Academy (NC) 85, Richland Northeast 35
RNE – Norman Nowell 11, Robinson 8, Jackson 5, Montgomery 4, Brown 3, Cooke 2, Butler 2. UF – KC Hankton 23, Rafael Jenkins 21, Jaylen Sims 18, Swilling 9, Tewolde 6, Springs 4, Canty 4.
Thomasville (GA) 59, Hammond 47
T – Reggie Perry 18, Quindaris Thomas 13, Titus Wright 12, McQueen 5, Davis 5, House 4, Mobley 2. H – Cleo Canty 13, Green 9, Prickett 8, Burch 7, Lipsitz 6, Washington 4.
Chick-fil-A Classic
Saturday Schedule
Auxiliary Gym
12:30 Huntington Prep (WV) vs Westtown (PA)
2:00 Westside (GA) vs Keenan
Main Gym
12:30 Corner Canyon (UT) us Lower Richland
2:00 Cannon School (NC) vs Paul VI (VA)
3:40 Cox Mill (NC) vs Porter Gaud
5:10 Findlay Prep (NV) vs Prolific Prep (CA)
National Division Championship
6:45 IMG Academy (FL) vs Oak Hill (VA)
American Division Championship
8:30 Providence Day School (NC) vs Gray Collegiate
This story was originally published December 22, 2017 at 10:46 PM with the headline "Gray Collegiate tops Porter-Gaud in Chick-fil-A Classic thriller."