Basketball Recap: Gavin Kepler's Big Game Can't Quite Lead Awaken Christian over White Pine

If Awaken Christian was feeling good fresh off their 71-46 takedown of Lake Mead Christian Academy last Tuesday, their most recent game may have dampened their spirits a bit. The Awaken Christian Lions fell 51-39 to the White Pine Bobcats on Friday. The Lions have struggled against the Bobcats recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive lost matchup.

Gavin Kepler

Assists (Career)

02/07/25 vs White Pine	6
12/16/24 vs Lake Mead Christian Academy	5
02/04/25 @ Lake Mead Christian Academy	4
01/13/25 @ Adelson	4
12/10/24 vs Laughlin	4

Several Lions players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Gavin Kepler, who posted five points along with nine rebounds and six assists. The dominant performance gave Kepler a new career-high in assists. The team also got some help courtesy of Jadon Kenney, who had three points in addition to ten boards and three steals.

Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead White Pine to victory, but perhaps none more so than McCaul Nicholes, who dropped a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Nicholes continues to improve, besting his previous point total in each of the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Zephen Nicholes, who scored 14 points and five boards.

Awaken Christian's defeat dropped their record down to 12-10. As for White Pine, their victory was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 15-9.

Awaken Christian wasted no time getting back out on the court and has already played their next contest, a 57-52 loss against Lincoln County on the 8th. As for White Pine, they have also already played their next matchup, a 40-37 win against Founders Classical Academy on the 8th.