By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
The Clover Garden girls’ basketball team captured another championship in the Don Amos Holiday Classic.
The Grizzlies defeated Eno River Academy 37-24 on Monday to win the fourth consecutive edition of the tournament held in Graham.
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The event wasn’t held last year because of scheduling issues with teams, but Clover Garden also won in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Hannah Tickle of Clover Garden was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Teammates Valeria Gonzalez and Brooke Massey were all-tournament selections for Clover Garden (5-4), joining Leiden Schofield and Melynda Ezcurra from Eno River Academy.
Clover Garden topped Burlington Christian Academy 33-30 in Saturday’s first round with Tickle scoring 12 points. That was the tournament’s only girls’ game that day because Triad Science and Math, with limited available players, backed out of a would-be matchup with Eno River Academy.
Then Monday, BCA topped Triad Science and Math in the consolation game. Kate Cockman of BCA was selected for the all-tournament team.
Graham boys are runners-up
Graham couldn’t catch up after falling into an early hole in the boys’ championship game of the Don Amos Holiday Classic on Monday night.
Eno River Academy prevailed 68-58 against the host team.
“We waited too late,” Graham coach Justin Cousin said. “I do commend us for not giving up.”
Eno River Academy (10-3) held a 23-10 lead after the first quarter and then scored the first eight points of the second quarter. Graham (4-5) countered with the next eight points, but failed to make a full comeback.
Evan Hambright, the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, scored 16 points for the Bobcats. Albert Bray, who notched 15 points, and Cole Creedle were also all-tournament picks, while Sammer Day had 14 points.
Graham’s Ladario Johnson supplied 18 points, Micah Woods posted 15 points and Kordell Hinton had 10 points. Woods and Malachi Ware were all-tournament members from Graham.
The Red Devils pulled to within 42-34 in the third quarter but later trailed by as many as 17. Graham forced numerous turnovers but failed to convert off many of those, while Eno River Academy made the Red Devils pay for their ball-handling miscues.
Graham also missed 15 free throws.
“We just left a lot on the table,” Cousin said.
Graham edged Clover Garden 58-55 in Saturday’s first round, overcoming a fourth-quarter deficit. Woods scored 18 points, while Ethan Saunders had 11 points for Clover Garden.
Eno River Academy defeated Triad Math and Science Academy 61-32 on Saturday.
Clover Garden topped Triad Science and Math for third place. Saunders was picked for the all-tournament team.
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