Over winter break, the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams played in the Ledford Christmas Classic. To this point in the season, both teams have displayed dominance on the court, and this tournament was no exception. Through three hard-fought games, they were able to navigate the bracket, each victory pushing them closer to the championship.
The boys kicked off the tournament with a huge 68-50 win over Thomasville High School. Both Jackson Powers and Bryson Mickey had a great game, scoring 22 and 14 points, respectively, but senior forward Ethan Ratledge had a standout performance, earning himself game MVP. They continued this momentum when playing West Davidson, beating them 61-44. Throughout this game, each player contributed their skills to the collective effort. Junior guard Adam Brown and Sophomore guard Ethan Driver were the driving forces behind this win, earning themselves game MVP. After cruising through the semifinals, Davie faced East Davidson in the championship. Working to continue their undefeated season, the War Eagles came into this game with great determination. Quickly, they were able to create a lead that they held throughout the entire game, coming off with a huge 83-36 win.
When head coach Joshua Pittman was asked about the team’s performance throughout the tournament, he said, “I believe the team performed well at the Christmas tourney. Each game they played better and depended on a defensive first mindset. The guys played hard, were completely locked in on the goal at hand, and played for each other. This was key to us repeating as champions.”
He then elaborated on the overall success of the season. “So far, I truly believe the team continues to play better each game out,” Pittman says. “They are learning their roles and implementing a ‘We Before Me’ type of culture. Our culture is based on team basketball and playing the game the right way. I believe this has been an instrumental part of our success and will continue to be for years to come. We take everything one step at a time, staying humble, and believing in the work.”
Continuing their success, the boys’ team has been able to remain undefeated after huge wins against Reagan and Mount Tabor.
Starting the tournament off strong, the Lady War Eagles were able to beat Thomasville 60-6 in a massive win. Sophomore Bailey Aderhold had a standout game, scoring 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 steals. This win proved that Davie was going to be a very dominant team in this tournament.
The girls knew to keep their win steak up they would have to work as a team to achieve that goal, and they showed every bit of teamwork in their 85-18 win against West Davidson. Senior guard Malakya Rankin had an outstanding game, scoring 20 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 7 steals. Rankin’s performance allowed the team to prevail throughout the game. Entering the finals, Davie was preparing to play East Davidson. This was going to be a tough win so the Lady War Eagles prepared to bring it their all so that they could defend their title as tournament champions. Starting the first half, East Davidson trailed Davie, but after the half, Davie pulled away and solidified their 63-38 win. Sophomore guard Bailey Aderhold had another standout game, scoring 16 points and 3 rebounds. Along with the huge tournament win this performance allowed her to win the tournament MVP.
“It was fun playing in the Ledford Christmas Tournament,” Aderhold says. “Our team played well together, and so did the boys’ team. I’m honored to have been named the tournament MVP among so many great players.”
