Asheville – A.C. Reynolds Rockets won both Mountain Athletic Conference basketball tournaments, edging Enka boys right after barely beating top-seeded Asheville girls.
Reynolds Lady Rockets (20-7) held off regular season co-champion Asheville (23-2; also 11-1 in the MAC) by 50-46 in the tourney title triumph, on Friday at McDowell County High School.
Tournament MVP Jenna Barnes exceeded her seasonal average of 13.5, by scoring 17 points for ACR. The towering 6-foot-3 senior center pulled down eight rebounds. Power forward Landyn Stewart had a versatile and outstanding game with 11 rebounds, four blocks, three steals, and six points. Reynolds, as usual, used size and strength across its lineup.
Reynolds won the regular season outright a year ago, but did not win the MAC tourney. This time, sharing the title and winning the tournament boosts confidence heading into the March Madness-like February Fury of 4A state playoffs. “We’re definitely ready for playoffs,” Lady Rocket head coach Amanda Whitaker said. “We’re hoping to make a deep run!”
Reynolds has dealt Asheville its only losses thus far in 2022-23. The Lady Rockets outscored AHS 16-11 in the second period, to lead 26-19 at halftime. AHS was led by forward Kirsten Watt in the title game. She scored all 19 of her points in the first three periods, accounting for two-thirds of her team’s 28 points.
Lady Cougar center Evangelia Paulk was scoreless for three periods, as Anna Wilcox stymied her in a box-and-one defense. MAC Player of the Year Paulk scored eight points in the fourth period — a pace for 32 points in a full game. Paulk averages 18.5 points to pace MAC scorers, with teammate Watt (15.6) next.
Down 38-28, top seed Asheville outscored ACR 18-12 in the final period to tighten the gap. A 12-3 Cougar run drew AHS to within one point. But Rocket foul shooting in the final two minutes sealed the victory. ACR handled Asheville’s frenetic full-court press better than most foes, and well enough to prevail.
Reynolds has a two-to-one series edge over AHS thus far. ACR won 63-60 on Jan. 27. AHS won 52-41 on Jan. 2. The two teams could meet again in 4A playoffs. Reynolds is seeded fifth in the West, while Coach Sonia Warren-Dixon’s AHS is tenth. Both teams opened playoffs at home Tuesday.
Second-seeded Reynolds beat MAC third seed T.C. Roberson (17-9) by 71-59 in a semifinal. Barnes went wild with 27 points, nine boards, three blocks and three steals.
Roberson, now the West Region’s 21st seed, was on the road Tuesday. TCR was led by Ryann Hernandez with 19 points and Tymber Thompson with 16 versus ACR. Thompson scored 17 and Kylie Carrington added 14 in a 63-35 quarterfinal win over Erwin. In other quarterfinal games, Wilcox scored 13 in ACR’s 30-point (59-29) win over Enka. North Buncombe lost 54-35 to McDowell.
Rockets Top Jets
Reynolds boys (16-10), coached by Ryan Stevens, are the West’s ninth seed. Reynolds is the state’s smallest 4A school, enrollment-wise.
ACR edged Enka Jets 60-58 in the MAC finals. Forward “Masher Asher” Cunningham tallied 15 points, 12 rebounds and four assists. Kaelan Gilliland also scored 15 for ACR. Reynolds beat McDowell 58-51 in a semifinal. Forward DaShawn Stone scored 16 and Gilliland added 14 points.
Jacob “Air” Adair led Enka (21-6) with 18 points and seven assists in the finals. Enka beat Asheville 66-58 in the other semifinal, as Logan Crook exploded for 30 points. Crook had six steals and seven rebounds. Adair scored 17. Enka nearly doubled up Erwin 86-44 in the quarterfinals. Adair scored 27 and had four steals. Crook had 26 points, ten assists and nine rebounds.
Coach Brian Carver’s Jets are seeded fourth in 3A playoffs. That is the best seeding of any Buncombe or Henderson 3A public school team. Enka hosted North Buncombe Black Hawks (12-12) Tuesday, while the Lady Hawks (9-16) played at unbeaten East Lincoln.
In other MAC quarterfinals, Asheville squeezed by Roberson 44-40 behind C.J. Morgan’s 15 points. Chad Clark led NBHS with 19 points in an 85-62 loss to McDowell.
Owen, Buncombe County’s sole 2A school, sent both its boys (12-14) and girls (10-15) on the road for playoff openers.