E.J. Bethea of CFCA looks to utilize a screen Saturday.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Barbara Myatt)

Trinity Christian made its free throws in the final minute to advance in the North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association 1-A boys basketball playoffs, 52-47, at Cape Fear Christian Academy, on Saturday.

The Crusaders (21-9) went ahead to stay, 48-46, on a pair from the line on a non-shooting call on the perimeter with 49 seconds remaining in the third-round contest.

CFCA (19-16) got 15 points from E.J. Bethea. Riley Adams had 13. Lucas Capalbo tallied eight points. Ramiro Arrillaga scored five points. The Eagles got three points each from Dillon Butler and Parker Watson.

The Eagles made nine shots from behind the arc in taking a 31-26 lead at the half. Trinity went man-to-man on defense after playing zones for much of the opening period.

There were seven seniors on CFCA’s 2018-19 roster. The Eagles played Trinity, a fellow Sandhills Athletic Conference member, progressively closer. CFCA lost 78-55 at home on Jan. 15 before being topped 58-50 in a matchup hosted by the Crusaders on Feb. 1.

“It was a season of incredible highs and lows,” said Eagles coach J.D. Johnson. “We had several huge wins and several heart-breaking defeats by one point or in overtime against some of the best teams in state.

“Our kids did an outstanding job of responding to adversity and improved tremendously throughout the year. They could not have represented our program or our school in any better fashion.”

The Crusaders got 15 points from Todd Burt and 13 from Talton Jones. The defending state champions will play Northwood Temple (19-13), another SAC foe, in the playoff semifinals on Saturday at North Raleigh Christian.

Riley Adams gets the Eagles set on the offensive end.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Barbara Myatt)

CFCA’s Lucas Capalbo seeks to drive through a hand check by Todd Burt.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Barbara Myatt)