Sports Briefs for Dec. 6

Providence girls make statement at tournament

CHARLOTTE – The Providence girls basketball team made a bold statement by defeating perennial power Providence Day 65-52 at the Charlotte Hoops Challenge on Nov. 29.

Providence Day held a one-point halftime lead, but a 20-8 third-quarter spurt proved to be the difference.

Yale commit Nyla McGill led four Panthers in double figures with 15 points. Cameron Mulkey scored 12 points, Eva Butler and Marlow Chapman added 11 points apiece and Amari Davis chipped in with nine points.

The Panther defense also forced 27 turnovers and limited Providence Day to just 35% shooting for the game.

Overall the Panthers (5-0) are averaging nearly 60 points per game, but the defense has allowed 50 or more in three of their past four games. The Panthers play at Porter Ridge on Dec. 6.

Covenant Day girls basketball win as a team 

MATTHEWS – The Covenant Day girls basketball team hasn’t had a winning season in two years, but the Lions are looking to turn that around after beating Queens Grant 65-23 on Nov. 26 to get to 4-2 on the season.

The Lions defense held Queens Grant under 10 points in each quarter.

Freshman Alexis Hailey scored a career-high 17 points to lead four scorers in double figures, including Eseosa Imafidon (career-high 13 points and 10 rebounds), Katherine Ashley (10 points) and freshman Hannah Keefer (career-high 10 points).

That scoring distribution has been one of the keys to the hot start.

Four different players have led the Lions in scoring in the past four games, making them much tougher to defend.

Ashley leads the team at 8.5 points per game, but Caroline Cady (8.3 points, 6.2 rebounds), Viktoria McCue (7.8 points, 4.7 rebounds), Hailey (7.0 points), Imafidon (4.0 points, 4.3 rebounds), Keefer (3.8 points) and Cooper Clark (4.7 rebounds) have all contributed to the early-season success.

The Lions don’t start conference play until a Jan. 7 matchup with Providence Day, but for now, they look as though they could be a factor in the CISAA this year.

NCSCA selects all-state soccer teams

CHARLOTTE – The N.C. Soccer Coaches Association recently announced its annual all-state teams.

Three players from schools in our coverage area received the honor: Jackson Youngstrom, Providence; Rodolfo Esperaza, Rocky River; and Jacob Goodling, Covenant Day.