Hampton Christian boys reach final

Chris Cyrus scored 29 points Friday morning as Hampton Christian Academy beat Carlisle of Martinsville 64-62 in Ettrick to advance to the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division IV championship game.

The Warriors, who also got 17 points from Sean O’Conner, will return to Virginia State University’s Multi-Purpose Center to face Banner Christian of Chesterfield County for the title at 11 a.m. today. Banner Christian overcame a nine-point halftime deficit to edge New Covenant of Lynchburg 53-52.

Dakare’ Hampton scored 26 points for Carlisle.

Hampton Christian bolted to a 25-16 lead in the first quarter, but the Chiefs bounced back to go ahead 38-34 at halftime.

The Warriors controlled the third quarter, moving ahead 52-46. Carlisle again came back, but a David Elliott free throw gave Hampton Christian a 63-60 lead with 2:24 to go. Brandon Leduc-Mattox’s steal and dunk with 1:36 on the clock made it 63-62, but the Warriors shut out the Chiefs thereafter. A Carlisle 3-point try at the buzzer was short.

Girls basketball DIVISION I Paul VI 59, Catholic 41:

Catholic fell to top-seeded defending champion Paul VI (22-10) of Alexandria in a semifinal at Benedictine’s gym in Richmond, ending a landmark season for the fourthseeded Crusaders.

Catholic finished No. 2 in the 757Teamz Top 15, trailing only Menchville, and went on to take the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools regular-season and tournament championships. The Crusaders’ Cate Carlson, who will play on a full scholarship next year for William & Mary, finished with more than 2,000 career points.

Paul VI will face St. Anne’s-Belfield of Charlottesville for the title at 1 p.m. today. STAB defeated Bishop Ireton of Northern Virginia 83-70.

DIVISION II Virginia Academy 75, Norfolk Christian 45:

Top-seeded Virginia Academy of Northern Virginia won a Division II semifinal. The Ambassadors’ season ended despite Michelle Luhunga’s 12 points and Jizelle Holland’s 10 points and eight rebounds.