Lions, Cavaliers settle for split

Augusta Prep and Augusta Christian split a pair of varsity basketball games at Boardman Athletic Center on Tuesday. The Lady Cavaliers beat Augusta Christian 42-34 before the Augusta Christian boys found revenge in a 78-64 win.

//

"I told the boys we're 0-1 in this gym and we want to be 1-1 after tonight," Augusta Christian boys basketball coach Marty Griffin said.

The Lions lost to Augusta Prep last season in the first year of play at the newly constructed Boardman Athletic Center. Augusta Christian got its first chance to avenge that loss Tuesday, and it didn't waste the opportunity.

The Lions shot 54.8 percent (17-of-31) in the first half to open up a 40-27 halftime lead.

"It was good shot selection," Griffin said. "I think we only really took one bad shot in the first half. We know when our shooters get their feet set there's a pretty good chance they'll go in."

Even though the Cavaliers trailed by 13 at halftime and by 20 at the end of the third quarter, they didn't give up. Junior Jim Hull scored 19 of his season-high 43 points in the fourth quarter in an attempted rally.

"Coach told us to prepare for that," Augusta Christian's Fred Auston said. "He told us it's Augusta Prep, and they will make a comeback."

The Cavaliers narrowed the gap to 10 points with two minutes left in the fourth quarter, but that's as close as they got. Augusta Christian hit 11 of 14 free throws in the last six minutes to secure the win.

Auston scored 19 points for the Lions. Senior Tyler Bourdo led the team with 27 points.

Augusta Prep girls 42, Augusta Christian 34

Lady Cavaliers senior Laura Kopald scored 21 points and hit 9 of 11 free throw attempts to lift Augusta Prep to an eight-point win.

After trailing 19-13 at halftime, Augusta Christian made a comeback attempt with a flurry of points to start the third quarter. Lady Lions sharp-shooter Amaura Brandt led the charge with 12 consecutive points in the first three minutes of the half. Nine of those points came on 3-pointers.

"We tried to play a 1-2-2 zone, and then she got hot," Augusta Prep girls basketball coach Steve Boyd said. "We went to a box-and-1 after that, and Jen Hicks and Maryclaire Regan made sure she didn't get an open shot."

The Lady Lions were outscored 17-5 in the fourth quarter. Kopald scored 11 points in the quarter to help the Lady Cavaliers improve to 5-4.