Asheboro’s Jewell Barrett-Riggins goes up for a shot between Southwestern Randolph players during a holiday tournament game. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record)
ASHEBORO — Asheboro’s boys’ basketball team became champion of the SportsTone.net Christmas Invitational for the second time in three years.
The host Blue Comets took down Randleman 43-38 in this week’s championship game, avenging a defeat from less than two weeks earlier.
Jewell Barrett-Riggins was the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after scoring 13 points in the final. Teammates Nirey White and Darrion Johnson were on the all-tournament team.
Asheboro opened the tournament by handling Southwestern Randolph 56-46. The Blue Comets defeated Chatham Charter 53-44 in the semifinals.
Randleman advanced by topping Wheatmore 61-51 and then fending off Jordan-Matthews by 50-42.
Trey Burnett of Randleman scored 15 points in the title game. Teammates Damari Garner and Connor Cassidy were all-tournament choices
Others on the all-tournament team were Jordan-Matthews’ Zaeon Auguste, Chatham Charter’s Breylan Harris, Southwestern Randolph’s Kenan Sugg, Wheatmore’s Avery Ivey, Eastern Guilford’s Noah Jordan and Trinity’s Mason Ingram.
Third place went to Jordan-Matthews, a 63-44 winner against Chatham Carter. Southwestern Randolph defeated Wheatmore 62-46 for fifth place, and Trinity fell to Eastern Guilford by 80-48 in the seventh-place game.
In the first consolation round, Southwestern Randolph beat Trinity 53-18 after Wheatmore edged Eastern Guilford 48-45.
Trinity lost 50-17 to Chatham Charter on the tournament’s first day.
Ledford Holiday Tournament (Boys)
Providence Grove played a pair of games in the tournament, beating East Davidson 83-68.
West Davidson defeated Providence Grove 74-72 in the fifth-place game, then the teams were set to meet this week in a Central Carolina 3-A Conference game.
Oak Grove was the tournament champion, topping Ledford 56-50 in the final.
Lee County Christmas Tournament (Boys)
Eastern Randolph fell 99-58 in the first round and then dropped an 86-45 decision to Lee County. The Wildcats drubbed Ascend Leadership Academy 79-25 in the seventh-place game. Tyler Gee had 32 points in the game that Eastern Randolph won.
Asheboro girls finish as tournament runners-up
Asheboro advanced to the final of the girls’ basketball portion of the SportsTone.net Christmas Invitational.
The host Blue Comets fell to Eastern Guilford by 51-40 in the title game last week.
Mauri Jerman of Eastern Guilford was named the Most Valuable Player, while teammates Madison Calvin and Klara Zizkova were all-tournament picks. Jerman scored 17 points in the title game.
Asheboro’s Maliya Brady and Adalyn Scherer were on the all-tournament team. Other all-tournament selections were Southwestern Randolph’s Jordin George and Maddie Strider, Randleman’s Jacquline McDaniel, Wheatmore’s Kaelyn Whitehart, Jordan-Matthews’ Jada Scott, Trinity’s Madison Hill and Chatham Charter’s Petyon York.
Asheboro’s 58-51 overtime victory against defending champion Southwestern Randolph came in the semifinals. That ended an eight-game losing streak in the series for the Blue Comets, who last topped Southwestern Randolph during the pandemic-adjusted 2021 season.
The Blue Comets opened the tournament by cruising past Jordan-Matthews 54-15.
Southwestern Randolph finished third by defeating Randleman 53-51. The Cougars had a 71-29 first-round victory against Chatham Charter.
Randleman started by defeating Trinity 57-48 before falling to Eastern Guilford by 55-48.
Wheatmore finished in fifth place. After falling 40-32 to Eastern Guilford, the Warriors beat Trinity 59-25 and topped Jordan-Matthews 47-35.
Lee County Christmas Tournament (Girls)
Eastern Randolph lost to Southern Lee by 53-40, to Lee County by 60-49 and to Union Pines by 60-40.
