High Point Academy boys basketball defeats Liberty in Class AA Upper State final
High Point Academy boys basketball defeated Liberty 62-44 in the Class AA Upper State final on Tuesday at the Florence Center.
High Point (27-3) will face Atlantic Collegiate Academy (22-3) on Saturday at 2 p.m. for the state championship. Atlantic Collegiate defeated Andrew Jackson 45-40 in the Lower State final.
J'Sean Sanders of High Point had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds with three steals. Jaden McNeil led the Grizzlies with 16 points and Travis Morman had 12.
Things looked even between High Point and Liberty with the game tied 8-8 by the midpoint in the first period.
But the Grizzlies soon took control. By the beginning of the second quarter, they went on a 20-9 run, and the Red Devils never recovered.
Despite the loss, it was a much-improved season for Liberty (13-16) after they finished 9-17 and missed the playoffs the year before.