ACA falls to Winston-Salem Christian in double OT

Lions come up short in final seconds at home

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
January 26, 2022

There was a battle befitting the mascots of the teams on the court, Jan. 25, when a pair of Lions squared off in the gymnasium at Asheville Christian Academy.

When the dust settled on the double overtime contest, the Lions of Winston-Salem Christian School emerged with a 67-65 victory over the home team.

ACA hosted Winston-Salem Christian, as the teams met for the second time in the 2021-22 season. The first contest between the schools, Nov. 30, in Winston-Salem, resulted in a rare loss for ACA, which entered Tuesday’s matchup as the top ranked 3A NCISAA team in the state.

ACA jumped out to an early lead in Swannanoa, as freshman Sara Larios knocked down a pair of 3-pointers in the first quarter, while junior Emma Larios, who led the way with a game-high 28 points, helped give her team a 12-10 lead. Winston-Salem Christian battled back in the second quarter to take a 26-23 advantage into the half.

The visiting Lions extended their lead to 11 points after the break, but the inside presence of junior Elizabeth Harrington, who scored 8 of her 14 points in the third quarter, helped bring ACA back to within 3. As Winston-Salem Christian opened the fourth quarter with a run, extending its lead to 7, ACA responded with a late offensive flurry of its own.

With less than a second remaining in regulation, and ACA down by 3, Sara got the ball to Emma. The elder Larios tied the game, 54-54, with a shot from beyond the arc.

Defensive intensity was a theme throughout the first overtime period, as both teams managed to put 4 points on the scoreboard. ACA took an early 60-58 lead in the second overtime, but Winston-Salem Christian pulled ahead in the final minutes with a 7-0 run. It would take another Emma Larios 3-pointer to bring ACA back to within 2.

The teams would trade buckets in the final seconds, but the defense of Winston-Salem Christian held on, as the visiting Lions improved to 15-6 in the non-conference meeting. ACA, which fell to 11-4 in the loss, will host Carmel Christian at 5:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 28.

Photos from the Jan. 28 game between Asheville Christian Academy and Winston-Salem Christian School can be viewed in the gallery at the top of the page.