Christ School coach Josh Coley is biased to a degree. But he has also been inside a lot of gyms and knows what Mebane Fieldhouse is like when the decibel levels start to rise.
“I don’t think there is any better place to play. We have the best homecourt advantage that I’ve seen in a long time,” Coach Coley said.
“We appreciate the support from the students, the administration, the staff, the parents, and the families. Everyone has been great. Hopefully, we can keep it rolling and they can push us through one more time.”
Indeed, everything has aligned to make Tuesday one of the bigger home basketball games in Christ School’s history.
Credit the Greenies (29-4) for winning 29 games, something that has been done only seven other times at Christ School. Also, the format of the NCISAA state basketball tournament has changed in recent years so that the higher seed hosts the semifinals rather than a neutral site.
That means that Coach Coley and the second-seeded Greenies get to enjoy the comforts of the Greenie Dome one last time. The winner of a 6 p.m. game with No. 6 Ravenscroft (25-6) out of Raleigh advances to Saturday’s state-championship game at Forsyth Country Day in Lewisville, N.C.
Tuesday’s other semifinal game is No. 1 seed and defending state champion Carmel Christian (27-5) versus No. 5 Charlotte Providence Day (20-12).
By all accounts, Christ School played its best game of the season in the quarterfinals. Keenan Wilkins ’24 (27 points), Emanuel Richards ’23 (21), Jamari Briggs ’24 (20), and Anthony Robinson ’23 (10) reached double figures. And as a team, the Greenies put on a master class in the final three quarters of their 85-59 win over No. 7 Charlotte Country Day.
Christ School’s last trip to the state semifinals was the 2018-19 season which resulted in the Greenies being the NCISAA 4-A runner-up.
Tuesday's semifinal from Mebane Fieldhouse will be live-streamed at this link.