By CHIP CIRILLO | Photos by KINDELL MOORE
Christ Presbyterian Academy’s leading scorer was on the bench with foul trouble, but it still started a decisive run without him.
Ahead by just one point early in the fourth quarter, CPA closed with an 18-0 run for a 60-41 win over visiting Nolensville on Thursday night.
The Lions (10-4, 4-0 District 12-AA) led 42-41 before starting the run and Clay Washburn returned when CPA was up 48-41 with 2:54 left.
The 6-foot-6 senior went to the bench with his fourth foul with CPA holding a five-point lead with 38.4 seconds left in the third quarter. He finished with 19 points.
“I think that’s the nature of this group,” Lions coach Drew Maddux said. “They’re so invested in the collective success. It’s not one individual, it’s all about the other guy sitting next to him.”
Maddux attributed several factors to the surge, including an increased sense of urgency and figuring out the right lineup with the right scheme.
“We placed a young man named Matt Dial off the bench at the top of our zone and really kind of set it as an odd-guard front,” Maddux said. “I thought his length and athleticism really changed the game.”
Dial scored seven straight points during the run with a 3-pointer, a steal and a layup and two foul shots.
CPA’s Bryce McCormick added 15 points and Michael Mayernick had 14.
“I think mostly it was our energy on defense, especially Matt Dial helping us out, that really helped us pull away at the end,” said Washburn, who has offers from Lipscomb and Tennessee-Martin. “We were struggling throughout the first three quarters.”
CPA returns four starters from last season’s Class AA Sectional team.
The Lions improved to 42-0 in regular-season district games since joining 12-AA four years ago.
Nate Bloedorn, a 6-5 forward, led Nolensville (7-8, 1-2) with 23 points, but he was the only Knight in double figures.
“They’re the best team we’ve played this year,” Bloedorn said of CPA. “It was their quickness at the guard position. We couldn’t stay in front of (Mayernick), the little guard. Just dribbling in circles around us.”
A technical foul on Nolensville in the middle of the run hurt the Knights.
Nolensville is a first-year team comprised of freshmen and sophomores.
“We’re battling with our youth and that’s been a re-occurring theme to us,” Knights coach Wes Lambert said. “We can go through a hard three quarters and we kind of hit a lull. And that’s just something we have to learn to fight through. Hopefully, sooner than later.”
UP NEXT
Nolensville hosts Spring Hill on Friday.
CPA visits in Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Ark., on Saturday.
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