Berean Christian waltzed into their match Friday with eight straight wins but they left with nine. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 59-56 win over Providence Academy. Having run the score up that high, both teams might be doing some extra defensive drills very soon.
Berean Christian's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Deonte Smith led the charge by scoring 20 points along with six steals. Those six steals set a new season-high mark for him. Nate Ballinger was another key contributor, scoring 11 points along with six rebounds and five assists.
Berean Christian pushed their record up to 13-4 with that win, which was their eighth straight at home. As for Providence Academy, their loss ended a three-game streak of away wins and brought them to 11-6.
Berean Christian will play host again and welcome Knoxville A, where tip off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Monday. As for Providence Academy, they will head out on the road to face off against Grace Christian Academy at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
