Even though the Gaston Day Spartans have not done well against the Northside Christian Academy Knights recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), they didn't let the past get in their way on Tuesday. Gaston Day snuck past Northside Christian Academy with a 58-53 victory. The win was all the more spectacular given Gaston Day's disadvantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 103rd, while Northside Christian Academy is ranked 28th).
Gaston Day found their leader in underclassman Griffen Simpson, who scored 17 points along with eight rebounds and three steals. That's the first time this season that Simpson pulled down eight or more rebounds. Braylen Todd was another key contributor, scoring 12 points.
When it comes to explaining why Northside Christian Academy lost, one person who can't be blamed is Kyrell Shaw. Despite the final result, he scored 18 points along with seven rebounds and two steals. Shaw hasn't dropped below two steals for four straight games. Another player making a difference was Arael Jones, who scored nine points along with six rebounds.
Gaston Day pushed their record up to 13-8 with that win, which was their ninth straight at home dating back to last season. They've been dominating during the matchups in that stretch too, as they've won by an average of 26.67 points. As for Northside Christian Academy, they have been struggling recently, as they've lost three of their last four games, which put a noticeable dent in their 18-9 record this season.
Gaston Day will head out on the road to challenge Hickory Grove Christian at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Hickory Grove Christian has now lost eight straight, and the team is hunting for their first win since December 12. As for Northside Christian Academy, they will be playing at home against Metrolina Christian Academy at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.
