BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Hope Christian Academy came up just short of claiming the Southeastern Christian Conference boys basketball championship trophy after a 56-54 loss to Faith Baptist Christian Academy (Ludowici, Georgia) on Feb. 19 in Waycross, Georgia.
It was the fourth straight season the Lions (26-7) have finished as the Florida-Georgia conference’s runner-up.
“It’s a pretty big accomplishment,” Head Coach Aaron Morgan said.
The Lions’ only two losses in the double-elimination SECC tournament were to Faith Baptist. Hope lost 42-38 to the team from Ludowici in the quarterfinals, but then advanced out of the losers’ bracket to reach the championship game.
After scoring to make the margin two points in the championship game, the Lions tried to commit enough fouls to put the Crusaders on the free-throw line. Hope had played a clean game without committing many fouls. Plus, the game was played under Georgia rules, which meant teams’ number of fouls are reset after each period.
“Unfortunately, we had too many fouls to give away at the end of the game,” Morgan said, adding, “We fouled three times in the final 15 seconds, but there wasn’t enough time left.”
Simon Hanson scored 20 points in the loss. He and Roshad Jackson were named to the All-Tournament team, which is voted on by coaches.
Hanson and Jackson received All-Conference honors as well, as did Hope girls players Brooke McCloud and Lydia Morgan.
Over the last four seasons, the Hope boys basketball team has gone 69-10 in regular-season conference games and has won four SECC Western Division championships. Morgan said he believes that makes the 2021-22 class the winningest in Hope history.
Besides their strong play in conference, the Lions defeated public school Branford this season. Morgan said that was huge as Branford most likely has more total seniors than all of Hope’s high-school student population.
Hanson and Kody Griffis have been constants during the last four years, with Hanson having started since his freshman year and Griffis starting the last two seasons. They are two of four graduating senior starters along with Jackson and Trey Matthews, each of whom have been Hope students the last two years.
“Just an incredible group of athletes,” Morgan said. In speaking about the success those four players have helped the Lions experience, he added, “It just shows their work and dedication to the program.”
Morgan said the four senior starters will be missed, but added that the Lions bring back a talented group of young athletes. Therefore, Hope’s run of success could continue.
“There’s still some history to be made,” Morgan said.
