ACA splits state championship games

Lions victorious on the road, Lady Lions fall in OT battle

Fred McCormick and Kendra Diaz
The Valley Echo
February 28, 2021

The ACA Lions defeated Gaston Christian School, Feb. 27, to capture the NCISAA 3A State Championship. Photo courtesy of ACA Athletics

The Asheville Christian Academy basketball season culminated in a pair of NCISAA 3A state championship games for the boy’s and girl’s programs, Feb. 27. By the end of the evening, one contest would net the Lions a state title and the other would end in a heartbreaking fashion.

The Lions entered the postseason tournament as an unseeded team before reeling off three straight victories against ranked opponents to set up a Saturday meeting with No. 3 seed Gaston Christian School. ACA capped it championship run with a 74-68 victory in Gastonia. They Lady Lions entered the tournament as a No. 1 seed on a quest to repeat as state champions, but fell at home in overtime, 58-57, to Concord Academy.

The boys began the tournament, Feb. 16, on the road against Asheville School and came away with a 47-40 win before traveling to Concord Academy three days later to slip by No. 1 seed Eagles, 52-51. The Lions dispatched another top-seeded team, High Point Christian Academy, Feb. 23, in 51-44 contest to earn a trip to the championship game. They completed their championship run on the strength of a 25-point performance by senior guard Collin Mills while fending off a late run by the Eagles.

In the hours before the boys took the court, the Lady Lions hosted No. 2 Concord Academy in a rematch of the 2019-20 title contest. The championship would not be decided in regulation as the teams took the court in overtime. The Eagles held on in the final seconds to avenge last season’s championship loss to the Lady Lions.

To view photos of the Lady Lion’s championship game against Concord Academy, see the gallery by Kendra Diaz below.