Harrells Christian Academy hosted Coastal Christian on Tuesday night for a three-game basketball slate, and the evening opened on a strong note for the Crusaders as the JV boys earned a 58-43 victory. The young Crusaders controlled the tempo, attacked the paint with confidence, and maintained steady defensive pressure that allowed them to pull away in the second half. The win set an energetic tone for the night as the varsity girls and boys prepared to take the floor for the Coastal Christian doubleheader.
Girls
The Coastal Christian Lady Centurions used superior height and relentless rebounding to claim a 34-9 win over Harrells. From the early moments, the combination of captain Chloe Carter and forward Parker Helie made life difficult inside for the Lady Crusaders, contesting nearly every attempt at the rim.
The home team found ways to feed the post in the first half, but Carter and Helie continually stifled the inside attack. Coastal played through guard Evie Munroe, who scored 7 of their 13 first-half points and controlled the pace throughout.
Despite the challenge, Harrells kept grinding. Riley Dixon scored 3, and Mary Willow Rumbold hit two free throws late in the half to narrow the deficit to 12-5. Coastal converted another free throw to make it 13-5 at halftime.
The third quarter opened with Coastal scoring immediately, then forcing a turnover. Both teams hit a scoring drought for several minutes until Coastal broke through again and continued dominating the boards. Harrells generated good looks but could not buy a basket.
Munroe added a reverse layup on a baseline drive, then sprinted ahead for a contested breakaway finish following a steal by Ellie Forrester. Coastal extended the lead to 23-7 heading into the fourth.
The final period continued the same trend. Carter hit a jump hook, Munroe kept scoring, and Coastal pushed the lead to 28-9. After a timeout at the 2:36 mark, Harrells made mass substitutions to get more players minutes. Coastal closed the night with a bucket from Lucy Bos to secure the 34-9 result.
Coastal head coach Anna Williamson praised her group’s chemistry and toughness.
“They just wanted it from the start today, and they gelled well together as a team,” Williamson said. “We played some good basketball this past weekend, and I think things started to lock in. They trusted each other a lot today to make some stops and make good looks. We got some good putbacks and from start to finish just won the game.”
Williamson said her team’s effort has been stronger than the record shows.
“I think the record does not reflect the effort,” she said. “I told them we could taste the win this past weekend, and we just could not finish it out last week. I am really happy for them that they got a feel for what it is like to play four quarters of really good basketball and come out with a win.”
Harrells’ head coach Julie Sasser said her girls never backed down.
“They are some of the hardest fighting girls I have ever coached,” the Crusader coach said. “They keep playing till the end. We are a young team, so look for us in a few years.”
Sasser added that improvement is the daily focus.
“Every day we overcome and keep our heads high and keep working to get better,” she said. “Every day we do.”
Boys varsity
The varsity boys matchup erupted with energy from the opening possession as Harrells Christian overwhelmed Coastal Christian 82-49 behind explosive plays, constant pressure and big nights from seniors Antonio McKoy (10) and Dashaun McKoy (1).
Antonio McKoy set the tone with a monster baseline dunk seconds into the game. Coastal’s Chase Hager answered with a three over center Amir Moore, but Harrells quickly regained momentum as the two McKoys scored on back-to-back possessions. Harrells used its full-court press early, forcing turnovers that the Crusaders turned into points, building a 6-3 lead in the opening two minutes.
Moore added free throws, Dashaun McKoy attacked the lane, and Coastal tried to slow the pace by shading extra defenders toward Harrells’ primary scorers. Ethan Adgent hit a three for Coastal, but Harrells countered with trips to the foul line and a late burst fueled by J’Kaeshi Brunson, who hit two free throws inside the final minute. Dashaun McKoy was fouled with 5.8 seconds remaining and converted both to make the first quarter 24-11.
Brunson opened the second quarter with a steal and score sequence that made it 26-11. Coastal struggled to get the ball in cleanly on the next inbound and turned it over, but Harrells could not convert. HCA hit a brief offensive slump with turnovers of their own, but McKoy (1) and Moore broke through, extending the lead to 30-12.
Moore commanded double teams in the paint, kicking to open shooters. Antonio McKoy hit a three, then moments later finished a fastbreak layup that brought the crowd to its feet. In the closing minute, Dashaun McKoy soared for a poster dunk over a Coastal defender after a turnover forced by Harrells’ trap. The Crusaders went to the break up 44-22, with the McKoys racking up the points: Dashaun McKoy led with 18 points, and Antonio McKoy followed with 13.
Moore opened the third quarter with an and-one putback. McKoy (1) hit two free throws to make it 51-22, and his teammate, No. 10 added another highlight dunk after a missed corner three. Coastal got three pointers from Adgent and Smith Dorosko to stop the run, but Harrells continued to widen the margin. Brunson added two free throws, and AntonioMcKoy closed the third with a strong post finish at the buzzer to make it 66-35.
Coastal opened the fourth with a three-pointer and forced a turnover that led to another. Colten Harrell answered with a three-pointer of his own for the Crusaders. Both teams began subbing reserves around the three-minute mark. Moments later, Jeremiah Davis drilled a deep three that ignited the home crowd as Harrells crossed the 80-point mark on its way to an 82 to 49 victory.
Coastal coach Brad Soucie praised his team’s fight and emphasized their long-term development.
“We have had a gauntlet of a start,” Soucie said. “We are more so competing against ourselves right now, just trying to get consistent on defense and consistent in doing what we do on offense. We want to take strides of growth each game.”
Soucie said playing stronger teams repeatedly will help his young roster.
“It grooms them to play up instead of playing down,” he said. “The battle you fight is not letting them feel overwhelmed and lose confidence. We have to keep fighting and grow mental toughness. We control what we can control.”
He added that his first-year program is laying a foundation for the future.
“We have a freshman who is really good but was out sick tonight,” he said. “We have some good younger players. One of our guys in a leg brace would have been a starter and given us more size. We are taking our lumps, but we just want to keep getting better each day.”
Harrells’ senior Antonio McKoy reflected on his growth from his early playing days in the Roseboro-Salemburg program to his final high school season.
“It feels great,” he said. “I am feeling very blessed to be able to have the opportunity to go to the next level and get better and better.”
McKoy spoke about expanding his game beyond the post.
“Back then, they mainly had me in the paint being a big,” he said. “Now I can attack from the wing and attack from wherever I want to. It feels good to show my full package and my full game. I can get to my spots and show my all-around game.”
He said his personal goals match his ambitions.
“To win a state championship, get selected for all-state and conference player of the year,” he said.
Harrells’ head coach Clayton Hall praised his team for executing on both sides of the ball.
“We started running our offensive sets a little better tonight,” Hall said. “The first couple of games, we struggled getting into some sets, but we also started hitting the pitch ahead in transition. Once we did that, it led to some easy buckets.”
Hall said pushing pace and applying pressure is central to their identity.
“We go full court trap, half court trap, try to get a little disruption,” he said. “We want to get the game at our pace. We want to play up and down the floor. When we get a few stops and some quick change of possessions, we want to go shoot layups and dunks. We defend, rebound, run. That is what we are about.”
Hall added that his team’s maturity shows when he turns to his bench.
“These kids have played together a long time,” he said. “Some have been with us since freshman year. They know the system, and they execute it. When they get in and nothing changes, you feel better down the road when you get in foul trouble. With seven seniors and three juniors, they are doing what they are supposed to do, and that is a really good thing for us.”