WCDS boys’ 14-game winning streak snapped, girls’ avenge early season loss to Northwood Temple
3 min read
It was a contrasting night for both Wayne Country Day hoops squads Friday.
The Charger girls avenged their December 8th loss to Northwood Temple with a 57-45 home win. However, the boys were unable to hang on to a fourth quarter lead in a 79-76 defeat and the Eagles snapped their 14-game winning streak.
Sophomore guard Ja’Kea Brunson was honored before the game for reaching the 1,000 point milestone faster than anyone in WCDS history. Other than that, the Eagles defense held her in check by double teaming her from the opening tip off.
Despite Brunson’s limited offensive output, it opened up opportunities for other Charger contributors to step up and they certainly did so. Junior guard Kimora Cox, who didn’t play in their 58-50 loss to the Eagles last month, forced them out of their ‘triangle and double team’ defense with a couple of buckets early.
The frontcourt duo of sophomore Jordan Whitney and freshman Trinity Smith feasted on the glass throughout the contest. Even then, the Eagles stayed close thanks to eighth grader Danauje Brooks at point guard. She hit a couple of crucial buckets to keep her team in it during the first half, but WCDS still led by six at the break.
With Northwood Temple unable to get the stops they needed to keep it a close game, a balanced effort from WCDS got the job done. Cox took the challenge defensively and held the Eagles guards in check over the last two quarters. A three-point play from Smith essentially put the game away in the fourth quarter.
Cox led WCDS with 17, Whitney 14, Smith 13 and Brunson added nine points for the Chargers. Brooks had 18 and senior guard Jasmon Nolin had 14 to lead the Eagles.
In the boys game, both teams traded blows and each side manage to play with the lead. WCDS led by five with less than four minutes left in regulation, but Northwood Temple ended up escaping thanks to great defense leading to offense.
Vante Hutcherson set the tone early with a ferocious slam dunk to begin the contest. Jordan Cooper came alive in the second half with a couple of unbelievable hustle plays to give his team the advantage. His older brother Jaden Cooper along with Carlos Raven made plays to keep the Eagles at bay for the moment.
However, in the end, senior forward Julian Williams, who made his first return to WCDS after transferring to Northwood Temple during the offseason, thwarted the Chargers hopes. His dunk to close the third quarter tied the game at 56. Meanwhile, WCDS junior Mike Best started to get going in the second half, but fouled out with 7:24 left in the fourth quarter.
Senior Brady Rankin got hot from distance in the final couple of minutes as did Emmanuel Sepulveda. The Eagles forced two crucial turnovers that led to a pair of layups in the final minutes to get the lead for good.
WCDS didn’t go away easily with Jaden Cooper hitting a three with 20 seconds left to cut it to two. However, Northwood Temple hit their free throws down the stretch. Cooper had one last chance at the line to get an intentional miss in the hopes to get a tying three, but the Eagles got the rebound and ran the clock out.
Junior guard Jaquante Harris answered every big basket from the home team with some of his own en route to 21 points. Rankin had 23 to lead Northwood Temple while Williams added 13 and Sepulveda chipped in with 12.
Jaden Cooper led all scorers with 24 points for WCDS with Hutcherson (11), Raven (10), Best (12), and Dre Ervin (11) all finished in double figures. Jordan Cooper also had nine for the Chargers.
WCDS returns to action Tuesday at home against Pungo Christian.
