BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Tavian Frazier blocked a potential game-tying three-point shot with half a second remaining as the Hope Christian Academy varsity boys basketball team celebrated homecoming with a 64-61 win over Gainesville Christian Community on Jan. 20.
It was a 2-0 night for the boys program as the junior varsity team had no trouble with Gainesville Christian Community, defeating the Warriors by 19.
The varsity team, which improved to 12-2, scored nine of the game’s first 12 points. Jude Hanson and Marcus Chever scored consecutive baskets to start the game. After Gainesville made a three-pointer, Hope’s Aiden Wilson answered with one of his own. Wilson later added two free throws to put the Lions up 9-3.
Gainesville would close the gap via the three-point shot, making four long-distance shots in the first quarter. A Wilson three-pointer and a Chever layup off a Hanson assist put the Lions up 18-13, but the Warriors made a three-pointer before the buzzer to make it an 18-15 game going into the second quarter.
It was a one-point game in the second quarter when the Lions got consecutive baskets from Wilson and Trayven Chandler to put Hope ahead 22-17. Chandler’s score set up by a Chever steal.
Hope clung to a 22-20 lead when Dalton Thomas scored on a layup. After a basket by the Warriors’ Tyler Withey, Chever was set up for a layup off a Wilson pass. Chever later added another basket to put the Lions up 28-22.
The Lions ended the first half with consecutive baskets by Chandler and Chever, sending them into the break leading 32-25.
Chever and Wilson each had 12 points in the half.
A 9-2 helped the Warriors make it a three-point, but Hope closed the third quarter with a 14-2 run. Thomas and Frazier scored consecutive baskets. Then, after Gainesville’s Tanner Withey scored, the Lions reeled off 10 straight points. Wilson and Thomas sank back-to-back three-pointers, while Frazier and Chever each scored a two-point basket to send Hope into the final quarter leading 54-40.
The Warriors put together an 11-0 run late in the fourth quarter that featured two three-pointers by Jayden Miller and cut Hope’s lead to 62-59 with 1:12 to play. Chever scored off a Hanson assist, but Gainesville’s Tanner Withey scored off an offensive rebound with 19 seconds on the
clock, making the score 64-61.
The Lions’ Hanson was fouled, sending him to the line for a one-and-one opportunity. He missed the front end, which was rebounded by the Warriors’ Tyler Withey with 7.3 seconds left. Gainesville called time out and then called another after advancing the ball past midcourt. Miller set up for a three-pointer to tie the game, but his shot was blocked by Frazier. The ball went out of bounds, with the Warriors maintaining possession. They turned the ball over on the inbounds play.
Chever led the Lions with 21 points, while Wilson and Thomas had 15 and 11, respectively. Hope also got nine points from Frazier and four points each from Chandler and Hanson.
Hope travels to play Lake City’s Hart 2 Hart on Tuesday, Jan. 24, at 6:30 p.m. and then travels to Valdosta, Georgia, to play Open Bible Christian on Friday, Jan. 27, at 7 p.m. The Lions return home to play Jacksonville’s First Coast Christian on Monday, Jan. 30, at 6:30 p.m.
Little drama existed in the night’s earlier JV boys game as Hope built a 30-6 lead en route to defeating Gainesville Christian Community 35-16.
The Lions entered the game off their first loss of the season (37-35 to Ocala’s First Assembly Christian on Jan. 17) to improve to 12-1.
Hope’s Brice Flint scored the game’s first four points as the Lions outscored the Warriors 16-2 in the first quarter. Noah Gaffney scored consecutive baskets off assists by Walker Munroe and Jack Gibson. Flint knocked down a three-pointer before Hope got consecutive layups from Griffin McCloud and Mason Masciocchi. Gaffney added a free throw for the quarter’s final point.
The Lions kept rolling to start the second quarter, which began with Munroe scoring off a turnover. It was the first of two straight baskets for Munroe.
Gaffney and Masciocchi each had a basket in the quarter, while McCloud had three.
Hope entered halftime with a 24-point lead.
Joele Smith came off the bench and put together a good fourth quarter for the Lions. On one of the Warriors’ possessions, Smith blocked a shot and then came away with a steal. Smith later forced a backcourt turnover and eventually got the ball back for a score.
Flint and McCloud each finished with nine points, while Gaffney had seven. The Lions also got four points each from Masciocchi and Munroe and two points from Smith.
The JV Lions next play at Open Bible Christian on Friday, Jan. 27, at 5 p.m.
