Basketball Recap: Wayne Preparatory Academy Takes Loss Despite Strong Efforts from Josiah Banks and Gaven Proctor

Wayne Preparatory Academy was not able to break out of their rough patch on Saturday as the team picked up their fourth straight loss. They were six points away from ending the streak, but they lost a 77-71 heartbreaker at the hands of the Grace Christian Crusaders. While losing is never fun, the Generals can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 290th, while the Crusaders are ranked 140th).

Wayne Preparatory Academy's loss came despite strong showings from Gaven Proctor and Josiah Banks. Proctor went 10 for 20 on his way to 29 points and four steals, while Banks made all 7 shots he took for 17 points in addition to six assists and four steals. That's the most points Banks has posted since back in November of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Jabrion Armstrong, who posted seven points and six rebounds.

Grace Christian's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Nate Jones, who had 20 points. With that strong performance, Jones is now averaging an impressive 15.3 points per game. Another player making a difference was Caleb Ellis, who put up 14 points.

Wayne Preparatory Academy's defeat dropped their record down to 11-7. As for Grace Christian, they are on a roll lately: they've won eight of their last ten matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 9-5 record this season.

Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Wayne Preparatory Academy will welcome Oak City Prep at 5:30 p.m. on Monday. Wayne Preparatory Academy has been getting the ball to fall more lately as they've increased their point totals each of their last three games. As for Grace Christian, they will host Wesleyan Christian Academy at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both teams are coming into the contest red-hot, with Wesleyan Christian Academy sitting on three straight wins and Grace Christian on seven.