For those that followed on Twitter you already know. My first comment about this game... what a terrible, horrible and awful atmosphere for a ball game! I was expecting a bigger crowd since this was a big game. It was as if those that were there were at the game were sitting on their hands.

Even the Harding cheerleaders were less than enthusiastic about the game. I think they would have rather be out socializing with their friends. Harding had no student section at a home game and Catholic didn’t bring their student section. There was just a bunch of parents quietly watching the game and applauding once in a while. Very little cheering!

Before I headed out I picked Harding to win by 8-points. What I didn’t expect was for Harding to hit so many threes! WOW they were pouring them in tonight. Harding played like a team on a mission with a cause and they achieved exactly what they were after, a big win.

Catholic was disappointing in how they played the game. Actually it would have been disappointing for others since I was so high on them I’d have to say very disappointing. It is not that they lost that was disappointing but how they played in their loss. I didn’t see the fire of a team trying to make a point! I don’t get it. There is no excuse for being “flat” if that is what it was.

Tonight Harding played well, both out on the perimeter and in the paint. Haywood had a very nice game tonight scoring just over 20-points. He is a really nice player, wish he had stayed closer and gone somewhere like UNCC. Patton and Hill also had good games for Harding and there were a few times their big man Burrough shined. Burrough might be a player to keep your eye on; he looks a little taller than his listed 6’7”. He is not a dominating player, more of a role type player. I expect a lot will fall on his shoulders next season.

Catholic could not produce offense tonight. They seemed to be more out of sync and shots just wouldn’t go down. Even the easy shots found the edge of the rim. Wohlfert had a good game and Pollack eked into double figures. Catholic was able to put down a few threes but not nearly enough to offset what Harding was doing on the other end. The most I saw from Champion tonight were his fouls and he was pulled early in the game as a result. He is a much better player than what I saw tonight.

Catholic was able to keep the game in reach going into the halftime break. Harding couldn’t quite take control of the game.

Early in the third Catholic made a bit of a run and cut a halftime deficit of 11 down to 5-points. Not to take anything away from Catholic but that short burst probably had more to do with Harding than it did Catholic. I hardly had time to tweet that Catholic was on a run when Harding started hitting three after three. And if they weren’t hitting a three they were making a layup. By the time my tweet was sent and I was settled Harding was up by 15-points and the outcome of the game was starting to become very clear.

The ending result from that point on was never in question after that burst; it was just a matter of how many points Harding would beat Catholic by.

Harding’s play tonight turns Friday night’s game with Olympic into an even bigger game for them. Charlotte Catholic has made their game with Berry into an even bigger game for both Berry and Catholic. Catholic now has a 1-game lead on Harding. A Catholic loss Friday night coupled with a Harding win would create a tie for that first 3A spot from the MEGA.

Discuss in forum: Final Harding 67 Charlotte Catholic 50

Pictures from game: Catholic Vs Harding Basketball 2012