It was perhaps already Caldwell Academy’s best season ever, but the Eagles left no doubt about it on Friday.

For the first time, Caldwell Academy has won the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association boys basketball title, taking the 2A crown with a 73-51 victory over The Burlington School.

The Eagles (26-9) led wire-to-wire, taking a 35-26 lead into halftime thanks to early activity from forwards Neal Swindell and Jaylen Cross.

Those two did not go away in the second half, and they were joined by guard Ayden Johnson who got hot.

The lead became a 12-point margin after three quarters and ballooned to 20 in the early fourth quarter as the Spartans (19-12) went cold from the field.

Johnson and Swindell each had 20 points — Johnson’s came thanks in large part to five 3-pointers — and Cross, a Charlotte recruit, added 12 points with 19 rebounds and six assists.

Cole Cloer, ranked one of the top juniors in the nation, added 12 points as well.

The Burlington School got three 3-pointers from Jamyr Coleman in the first half as he finished with nine points. Cam Flippen had a solid all-around game (nine points, five rebounds, six assists), but big man Kaden Hammond’s 23 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and three blocks led the way in the runner-up effort.

BOX SCORE
Caldwell Academy — King Kendrick 5, Ayden Johnson 20, Trevor Holland 5, Jaylen Cross 12, Neal Swindell 20, Cole Cloer 12
The Burlington School — Brayden Miles 2, Jamyr Coleman 9, Cam Flippen 9, Drew Johnson 3, Asante Phillip 5, Kaden Hammond 23