It’s a repeat! Cannon School beats Carmel Christian for NCISAA 4A state title
In each of the past two seasons, Cannon School has had to play state championship games in the home gym of its opponent.
It didn’t matter a year ago, and it didn’t matter Saturday.
After winning last season’s state crown at Charlotte Latin, Cannon School repeated as state champion Saturday, running out to a big lead against Sweet 16 No. 1 Carmel Christian and holding off a late rally to win, 94-85.
Cannon School snapped Carmel’s 18-game win streak and spoiled its first trip to the 4A state final. Carmel (24-2) had won state championships in the 2A and 3A classes in two of the past three seasons.
And Cannon won the title by winning three straight road games — at 2020 runner-up Charlotte Latin, at national power Greensboro Day and Saturday at Carmel, whom many high school observers felt was the best private school team in North Carolina.
“We had a tough road,” Cannon coach Che Roth said. “But we played as tough a schedule as COVID would allow to get our kids battle-tested and connected to each other, but (the playoff road) was definitely a challenge. You get everybody’s best shot. Carmel Christian had one loss coming in. They’re a helluva team. But we focused on playing every possession...and we were able to get our fingerprints all over the game.”
Asked which championship felt better, Roth was quick to answer. A few months after Cannon won last year, top 10 national recruit Jaden Bradley transferred to national power IMG Academy. Roth acknowledged many people believed Cannon’s hopes at a repeat left when Bradley did.
“Two is better,” he said, “because of the character of the kids I have at Cannon. We lined up against all odds and a lot of people didn’t think we’d be back, but we have a high belief level in our program. They were resilient all year. They stayed hungry and committed to each other. And I think they laid it on the line all season and we’re the last man standing and I couldn’t be more proud of a group of kids.”
On Saturday, Roth’s kids led by 15 to 20 points for much of the game, forcing Carmel to play fast. In the fourth quarter, however, Carmel ramped up its full-court pressure and trimmed the lead to eight, at 81-73, with 2:43 left.
The Cougars got within six twice in the final minute, but Carmel’s comeback attempt ran out of time.
Cannon (27-5), No. 3 in the Sweet 16, won its sixth straight game and became the first Charlotte-area team to repeat as state champions in the state’s largest class since Charlotte Latin won in 2003 and ‘04.
After the ‘04 season, the Charlotte Independent Schools Athletic Association decided to no longer allow student-athletes to repeat a year after starting ninth grade. The move was made in part to encourage regular-season games against Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
CMS, however, did not relax regulations about playing standard non-conference games against private schools, but did allow those meetings in neutral site tournament environments.
But because no other N.C. private school conferences had similar rules, the no reclass policy put the Charlotte-area privates at a deficit. No CISAA boys basketball team won the state title after Charlotte Latin’s final one until Providence Day in 2016.
Now, Cannon has won back-to-back — and returns much of its team intact next season.
“We’ll continue to work hard and try to get better,” Roth said, “and we’ll lace ‘em up and try to get three next year.”
