Champions Classic - Saturday Afternoon

Seven-footer Baciu makes an impression

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Feb. 24, 2007

By Van Coleman

CSTV.com & Hoopmasters.com



 Van Coleman

Van is one of the nation's premier recruiting experts.
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The Saturday afternoon session at the Champions Classic featured a couple of real barnburners as Milestone Prep and North Atlanta Prep came from behind to win games in an exciting afternoon of quality prep school basketball.  In addition, a number of individuals like Antoine Watson, Catalin Baciu, and Chris Hines stepped up and did a great job establishing their promise as potential high major prospects.

 

Saturday - February 24th:

 

Charis Prep (N.C.) 79 - Future Academy (N.C.) 58

 

The Saturday opener was a game of runs in the first half as Charis Prep struck first blood with a quick 9-2 run to open up a 20-12 lead with two minutes to play in the first quarter.  They held on to the lead, and were still in charge, 24-17, at the buzzer ending the quarter.  But, as I said, the first half was a game of runs, and Future Academy made its in the middle of quarter number two, running off 12 straight to go up 31-30 with just over a minute to play.  Future then knotted it up at 34-all as 6-foot 7 James Field hit one of two free throws with six seconds left in the half.

 

The third quarter started with a 12-2 start for Charis Prep behind six points by Charleston Southern signee 6-foot 4 Austin Johnson.  The Charis Prep squad never looked back, building a 57-49 third quarter lead into a 20 point advantage midway through the fourth en route to a 79-58 final margin.  Future Academy just never mounted a serious threat after the early run.

 

Charis Prep was led by 5-foot 8 junior Mile Lewis and 6-foot 5 Darryl Partin, who both finished tied for game honors with 18 points each.  They got support from four others who scored seven-to-nine points each.  Future Academy's top guns were James Field and 6-foot 3 Charles Jackson with 13 points each, while 6-foot 1 Darin Jackson chipped in with 12 points in the loss.

 

Milestone Prep Academy (N.C.) 68 - Hope Christian (N.C.) 67

 

This one was all Hope Christian early as they ran out to a quick 13-2 lead on buckets by 6-foot 8 Kenny Gabriel and 6-foot 6 Virginia Tech 2008 commit J.T. Thompson.  Gabriel and Thompson dominated the glass as Hope Christian built a 37-15 lead midway through the second stanza.  At this point, Milestone seemed to right the ship as 6-foot 4 Antoine Watson took charge offensively by igniting a 9-2 run scoring six points, including a monster dunk that had the crowd buzzing as we went to the intermission. Hope Christian's lead was cut to 41-24 as they headed to the locker room.

 

The second half started with a quick run by Hope Christian to push their lead back to 48-26 just two minutes into the third quarter.  But, Antoine Watson and his Milestone Prep teammates weren't finished at this point, and started the long road back with a 17-1 run over the next four minutes to cut the lead to six at 49-43 with 1:50 to go in the third.  6-foot 8 Clemson commit Laron Dendy and J.T. Thompson scored six straight to end the third with Hope Christian still up 55-45 at the end of the quarter.

 

The fourth quarter completed one of this year's best comebacks, as Milestone Prep trailed by a 65-57 margin with two minutes to play, but Antoine Watson wouldn't let his teammates quit.  The 6-foot 4 slasher hit six straight free throws had two steals and an assists on a Vincent Calbert three that brought them all the way back to win a hard fought 68-67 victory over Hope Christian as J.T. Thompson had his final shot blocked as the buzzer sounded.  A shot that could have won it for Hope Christian.

 

Milestone Prep was led by Antoine Watson with 17 points and 11 boards unofficially.  He got solid support from Vincent Calbert who finished with 15 points, wile 6-foot 8 Troy Payne added 12 point (game ending block too!) and 6-foot 1 Calvin Mitchell chipped in with 11 points.  Hope Christian's top guns were 6-foot 2 Gaither Hendrix and 6-foot Adam Raye who shared game honors with 18 points each.  They got solid support from J.T. Thompson, who added 14 points and Clemson commit Laron Dendy, who finished with 12 points in this heartbreaking loss.

 

North Atlanta Prep Academy (Ga.) 70 - Veritas Christian (N.C.) 60 OT

 

This one started out a little slow, but would really heat up down the stretch as Veritas Christian, behind the inside dominance of 7-foot 1 235-pound Catalin Baciu, opened up a first quarter lead at 13-5.  Both teams struggled from the floor early and the second quarter was all Baciu as he scored 10 of the 12 points to keep them in the lead heading into the locker room up by a 25-17 margin.

 

The third quarter was all North Atlanta as they started the quarter on a 9-2 run, then continued to chip away at Veritas' lead until they knotted it up 30-all with 3:08 left in the quarter.  Veritas seemed to get back on its feet, finishing the quarter with a 6-2 run that gave them a 38-36 advantage. It could have been larger, but a three-second call eliminated a three pointer by 6-foot 6 Jonah Baize.  It was a call that would turn out to be huge at the end of regulation.

 

The fourth quarter once again became the Catalin Baciu show for Veritas, while North Atlanta countered with Chris Hines and 6-foot 2 Tennessee Tech signee Jeff Smith.  Both clubs traded buckets early as Smith and Hines scored seven straight to give North Atlanta a 56-51 lead with two minutes to go, but Veritas scored the final five points of the game to tie it at 56-all in regulation.  The overtime was all Hines, as Veritas couldn't get it to Baciu and Hines knocked down two threes and a couple flushes to put North Atlanta over the top with a 70-60 victory.

 

North Atlanta was led by Chris Hines, who had 30 of his 32 points in the second half and overtime to bring them back for the victory.  He got solid support from Jeff Smith and 6-foot 2 Jimmy Oden, who finished with 13 each, while 6-foot 4 Derrick Johnson chipped in with 10 points in the win.  Veritas Christian's top gun was Catalin Baciu. who finished with 27 points.  He is an intriguing big man with quick feet and excellent hands. He got help from Jonah Baize who had 13 points and 6-foot 8 Paulius Skema who finished with 10 points in the hard fought loss.

 

Tonight's Schedule: 

 

5:30pm  Champions Classic Third Place Game (Our Savior New American vs. Mount Zion)

7:00pm  Stoneridge Prep (Calif.) vs. Mt. Zion Academy Prep (N.C.)

8:30pm  Echota Slam Dunk Championship

9:00pm  Champions Classic Championship Game (Oak Hill vs. Patterson)

 

Look for more from the Champions Classic right here at Generation Next on Sunday from Boone, N.C.

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