Christ Church looking to make some noise in the AAA playoffs

Christ Church looking to make some noise in the AAA playoffs

By Neill Kirkpatrick

Special to the HSSR

Greenville – The Christ Church Cavaliers are coming off back-to-back class A state championships the past two season but for them to win three in-a-row they will have to do it at the AAA level as they were moved up two classes because of new attendance rules.

However, the move up has hardly affected the third ranked (by the HSSR) Cavaliers cagers as they are sitting 16-5/7-2 with one region game left before the playoffs begin. Their losses were to three higher class teams and twice to region 2 AAA champion Powdersville which should help them in the playoffs.

“We always schedule tough games early in the season. It teaches our guys to play faster and stronger. And even when we lose and our record/rankings drop, the players understand that the competition will better prepare us for the region and the playoffs,” said head coach John Butler.

Butler has three returning starters in junior guard Jonathan Perry, senior guard Adam Brown and junior forward Reid Hipp. Brown was named one of the top five seniors in AAA by the SCBCA. He is averaging 10.5 points per game and is one of two Cavaliers averaging 3.5 assists per game.

Perry leads the team in scoring at 12 points a night and is also averaging over three dimes a game. Hipp is the team’s top rebounder pulling down 7.2 boards a game while scoring 9.7 points per game.

Two juniors round out the starting lineup in guards Anthony Atkins and David Dixon. Atkins is the teams point guard and hands out 3.4 assists per game while averaging over nine points per game.

Dixon is the team’s top three-point shooter with 31. He also averages double figures at 10.5 points per game.

Off the bench for the Cavaliers are junior Jude Hall, sophomore Peter Bouharoun and freshmen Langdon Stout and Josh Butler. Hall, an All-State wide receiver, has been solid in the paint and on the boards as he is second on the team in rebounds.

Junior Evan Keable, sophomore Colt Anderson and freshman Nehemiah Lomax round out the Cavalier’s roster.

“This team has the potential to make a run in the playoffs. If we continue to play good defense and get a little better in half-court offense; this team will be a tough out in the playoffs,” said coach Butler.