Rick Patrick
rick@greenepublishing.com
Both the Warriors and Lady Warriors of Aucilla Christian Academy (ACA) have seen their basketball seasons come to a close in the Class 1A basketball post-season.
After falling to the Port St. Joe Lady Tiger Sharks, 60-39, in the Class 1A District Four championship game, the Lady Warriors found themselves face-to-face with the Lady Tiger Sharks again in the Class 1A Region Two semi-final on Thursday, Feb. 9, in Port St. Joe. The Lady Warriors found themselves in a hole early in the game, and the score was 22-10, in favor of the Lady Tiger Sharks at the end of the first period. The Lady Tiger Sharks continued to outpace the Lady Warriors during the second period and had a 45-35 lead going into halftime. In the third quarter, the Lady Warriors struggled to put a dent in the Lady Tiger Sharks lead and the score was 59-31, going into the final period. During the fourth quarter, the Lady Warriors did manage to cut into the Sharks' lead, but it was not enough and the Lady Tiger Sharks took the victory to move ahead in the tournament with a 70-45 final score.
The Lady Warriors finished their 2022-23 basketball season with an 18-7 record.
After defeating Wakulla Christian School, 50-47, in the opening round of the Class 1A District Four boys basketball tournament, the Warriors faced the number one-seeded Seahawks of Franklin County High School in the district semi-final game on Thursday, Feb. 9. The Seahawks wasted little time taking a big 25-5 lead by the end of the opening quarter. This trend continued during the second period, and by halftime, the Warriors had found themselves in a large, 52-15 hole. During the third quarter, the Warriors did manage to slightly outscore the Seahawks, but the task proved to be a monumental one. The score was 60-25 as the final period rolled around. The Warriors were still able to outpace the Seahawks during the fourth quarter, but by that point, the damage was done and the game ended with a 67-39, Seahawks win.
Ethan Bass led the Warriors in scoring with 12 points. Gabe Gamalero contributed seven points to the Warriors' efforts. The Warriors finished the season with a 7-16 mark.