Norcross Tops Nation's #3 Team, Knocks Off Miami Christian 70-65

Thursday night, the Norcross Blue Devils out of Georgia would host the Nation’s 15th ranked team, the Miami Christian Victors. Despite the slow start of the game, it was the Victors that would get out to 5-4 lead with 3:30 left in opening quarter, however the Blue Devils would eventually take a 6-5 lead with under minute left in the first quarter and go on to close out the period leading 8-6. As the 2nd period opened up, Norcross would go up 10-6 but Miami Christian’s #23 Jeffrey Hernandez would hit a 3 point bucket to make it a 10-9 and then the Victors would get another 3 point basket from #13 Adrian Oquendo as the Victors would take a lead 12-10. However, Norcross would answer with 3 pointer of their own to quickly regain the lead making it a 13-12 game. The two teams would go back and forth scoring over the remaining minutes of the half but a crucial Norcross turnover lead to a basket for the Victors putting them back up 24-21 forcing Norcross to take a timeout with 25.7 remaining in first half.

Miami Christian would on to lead by the same score at the half. 24-21. In the second half, Norcross’ #0 Rayshaun Hammonds would get himself going quickly as he scored the first bucket of the 3rd quarter with just under 8 minutes ticked off the clock, cutting the Victors lead to make it a 24-23. Following a Miami Christian turnover, Norcross’ #5 Jordan Goldwire hits a 2 point basket to give Norcross the 25-24 lead. Hammonds would once again get into the action and score on a drive to the basket to give the Blue Devils a 27-24 lead. After a few exchanges of baskets, it would be Norcross that would jump out to their largest lead of the night,36-29 after a Hammond dunk with 3:47 in 3rd. The VictCoors would once again close the gap after #3 Eduardo Camancho would hit a 3 pointer out of a Norcross time out cutting the lead to 36-32.

Hammonds would get some key buckets to help the Blue Devils maintain their lead as time wound down in the 3rd but with :53.9 in the 3rd Miami Christian’s Hernandez scores on a reverse lay up to make it a 42-41 game in favor of Norcross. After a monster dunk from #1 Lance Thomas, Norcross would go on to close out the period leading 46-41. In the final period of the game, Norcross’ #11 Alonzo Johnson and #12 Dalvin White would score back to back buckets to help Norcross rebuild their lead to 50-41. The Blue Devils would continue to hold onto 9 point lead through the 5:27 mark of the 4th. The Victors would stick around throughout the period not letting the Blue Devils pull too far out of reach but Norcross would prove to be too strong down the stretch as they went on to win by final 70-65. #2 Neftali Alvarez let all Victors with 19 points, while Hammonds led the Blue Devils scores with 27.