Henderson Collegiate gears up for tough matchup against Wilson Prep

Feb. 27—HENDERSON — Henderson Collegiate finds itself in the Elite 8 of the NCHSAA 1A Playoffs for the third consecutive year after COVID-19 issues at West Columbus High School forced the men's basketball team to forfeit a playoff matchup intended for Thursday evening.

Head coach George Marshall said that the team had reached the northern part of Raleigh when he received word that the game between Henderson Collegiate and West Columbus would be canceled.

"It was really shocking," Marshall said. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to West Columbus, specifically the seniors and their families who were impacted by this. It's really an unfortunate situation, but right now the most important thing is that the players and their family members are safe."

With West Columbus unable to continue in the NCHSAA 1A playoffs, Henderson Collegiate has now turned their attention towards preparing for Wilson Preparatory Academy, which advanced into the Elite 8 after narrowly defeating Princeton 70-66 on Thursday.

In previous years, Marshall has had his players tested ahead of marquee matchups in the NCHSAA 1A playoffs with a rigorous non-conference schedule like the one in the 2019-20 season, which saw Henderson Collegiate face teams like Moravian Prep, Piedmont Classical and Mount Zion Christian Academy.

But the COVID-19 pandemic ended up shortening the current season and limited Marshall to scheduling just two non-conference opponents, The Burlington School and Bull City Prep, both of which handed the Pride lopsided losses during the regular season.

Although Marshall admitted that his team still needs to improve in certain areas, he said the roster is starting to come together at just the right time and he has every reason to believe that Saturday's matchup with Wilson Prep will be extremely competitive.

"We're playing some of our best basketball of the season," Marshall said. "I just love the vibe of this group. They're such a fun group to be around, and I always tell them that they take years off of my life while simultaneously adding years back because of the way they play and the enthusiasm they bring in every situation."

Seniors Akhiris Holden and Javonte Waverly have been the focal point of Henderson Collegiate's offense following the graduation of Kalib Mathews last summer. Holden leads Henderson Collegiate in scoring with 20.8 points per game, while Waverly follows closely behind with 15.4 points per game.

Marshall has been grateful to see Holden and Waverly keep evolving their game during their senior seasons, but he credited the rest of the starting lineup for playing selflessly and performing their own specific roles to ensure that Henderson Collegiate remains efficient on both ends of the floor.

"People don't give [T.J. Ragland] enough credit for his on-ball defense," Marshall said. "He plays with great tenacity and has a great mid-range game. In terms of unsung heroes, I think Davon Allen and Khris Franklin deserve a ton of credit. Their production will not always show up statistically, but they are always willing to make an extra pass to get a teammate open."

Marshall added that Henderson Collegiate also gets plenty of production from depth players like seniors Kaleb Royster and Jashea Hart, who have provided valuable leadership skills alongside Holden, Waverly and the rest of the senior class.

Senior leadership will be among the traits Marshall wants from his team on Saturday as they face a Wilson Prep program led by three talented seniors in Nasiar Blackston, Devyn Bullock and Eric Wynn.

Wilson Prep "were the favorites in 1A during the preseason," Marshall said. "They had some ups and downs with COVID in their conference and I think that took away some of their games, but they are very well-coached, so this is going to be a very difficult game. This is going to be about us sticking to what we do and hopefully we can do that and keep this incredible journey going."

Henderson Collegiate will travel to Wilson Prep and battle for a spot in the NCHSAA 1A Final Four at 7 p.m. this evening.