The boys basketball team at Cardinal Gibbons had a strong start to the new year, securing their first of many significant victories in 2024.

The Crusaders were victorious in overtime against No. 25 Chapel Hill with a total of 45 points contributed by sophomores Aiden Smalls and Trey Jones.

The Crusader team dominated the first quarter with their impressive shooting, with five of their eight field goals coming from three-pointers. Cash McSweeney and Damon Phillips were quick to score, giving the home team a 6-0 advantage. In the last minute of the quarter, Smalls made two of his four three-pointers in the game.

In the first period, Cardinal Gibbons had a lead of up to twelve points and went into the second period with a score of 18-8.

Small maintained his impressive accuracy on his shots, rapidly increasing the Crusaders’ lead to 13 points.

In the last few minutes of the first half, Chapel Hill started to display some energy. Andrew Herring scored three fast break baskets, bringing them closer to their opponents. Franklin Johnson and Wes Kreig also contributed baskets, reducing Cardinal Gibbons’ lead to three points with two minutes left in the quarter.

McSweeney made another three-pointer, giving the Crusaders a two-possession lead of 31-26 as they headed into the locker room.

After the break, the Tigers quickly took the lead and did not fall behind again.

Johnson, David Mirikwe, and Ben Cohen Vogel swiftly initiated a 7-0 surge, resulting in Chapel Hill taking the lead for the first time in the evening. Smalls retaliated with a drive to the hoop, followed by a fadeaway three-pointer to reclaim the lead. However, Johnson quickly regained control by dominating the opposing rim and scoring back-to-back baskets, putting his team ahead by three once again.

In the third quarter, Wes Kreig extended the Tigers’ lead with a rebound and put-back shot while also drawing a foul. This was the team’s biggest lead of the game.

Trailing 36-42, Cardinal Gibbons regained momentum and resumed their efforts.

In the last minute of the quarter, Smalls and Jones showed great skill by scoring six consecutive points for the Crusaders, resulting in a tied score of 42-42 at the end of the third quarter. In the final five seconds of the period, Smalls received a pass at half court, quickly made his way to the three-point line, and passed it to Jones who was cutting towards the basket, resulting in a game-tying shot.

With only three minutes left in regulation, Jones was ahead by one point. He missed a three-point shot, but quickly retrieved his own rebound and made a shot from the corner, earning a four-point play.

Johnson and Cohen Vogel collaborated to ignite a 5-2 streak for Chapel Hill, narrowing the gap to two points at 58-56 in the last minute.

With 20 seconds remaining, Cardinal Gibbons failed to make two free throws. Chapel Hill quickly moved the ball up the court and Jason Kreig scored a basket right before the buzzer.

Jones bookended the overtime period with its only two field goals made. The Crusaders held the Tigers to just one point in the four minutes of extra time. Free throws and boxing out would be the difference as Chapel Hill missed a crucial game-tying free throw attempt in the final 40 seconds of overtime, then allowed offensive rebounds on to Cardinal Gibbons on consecutive trips to the free throw line.

Jones scored 14 of the Crusaders’ 22 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, including the game-winning putback off of McSweeney’s missed free throw. The final horn blew just seconds later, sealing their five-point victory.

After their victory, Cardinal Gibbons now has a record of 7-4. The Crusaders had lost four out of their last five games before this match. They will face Caldwell Academy on January 13 after a break for final exams, and then begin playing in the Cap-6 league.

Chapel Hill’s record dropped to 11-2 after their loss. Prior to this defeat, the Tigers had won 10 consecutive games, including the South Granville Holiday Invitational title last week. On Friday night, they will face Heritage at home and on January 12, they will begin Durham Athletic Conference play against Jordan at home as well.

Cardinal Gibbons Scoring:

• Smalls, 25
• Jones, 20
• McSweeney, 9
• Phillips, 5
• Turner, 3
• Fitzsimmons, 2

Chapel Hill Scoring:

Source: highschoolot.com