Eagles Finish as the Nation's Third Best Homeschool Team

After losing four starters and 90%+ of the scoring output from the past four seasons, Hslive365.com's national homeschool preseason #3 ranking of the GAIS Eagles seemed like lofty expectations, to say the least.  But these expectations fit our philosophy quite well.  We Eagles aim for "extraordinary" results because we figure we may just reach our goals.  And if we don't, we are likely to land in a much higher place than had we had more "reasonable" expectations.

Forty games later, the 2014 Eagles finished 3rd (its highest ever finish) in the NCHBC national championship tournament, fulfilling the extraordinarily high pre-season expectations.  The line to the finish was not always straight.  The Eagles began the season where it ended it, in Missouri at the NCHBC Tip-Off tournament, earning impressive wins over national power Tulsa NOAH (OK) and the Lakeshore Thunder (WI).  And a November win over the highly respected Central Park (AL) added confidence early.

From Left: TJ Massenburg, Jordan Pye, Malik Welch, 
Corey Hughes, Kyle Brown, Sam Culbertson, Jaylan Robinson,
Jonathan Pye, Daquarius Johnson, Taylor Murdock

But the beginning of the season also had its bumps in the road.  Two losses (one an embarrassing blowout) to eventual South Carolina Independent School state champion Augusta Christian and a short handed loss to Georgia homeschool rival New Faith caused early concerns.  But the January 3rd blowout loss to Augusta Christian focused the minds of Eagles players and coaches.  And the team rebounded with an encouraging 69-50 win at southeast regional and national homeschool power Nashville Christian a week later.  And after two wins over the post graduate Orangeburg Calhoun team and a southeast sub regional tournament championship, the Eagles looked much more likely to have success in Springfield, Missouri, at the National Homeschool Basketball Championship (NCHBC) tournament.

The Eagles finished 9th and 7th at nationals during the two most recent seasons.  And the new format, which features four classes of eight teams in the tournament's Division 1 bracket, promised to test the Eagles early.  New to the tournament, the Eagles were unable to simulate the intensity and the atmosphere of the 24 year old tournament that is the season's feature event for 325 homeschool teams nationwide.  The Eagles' promising run was almost cut off before it started as Class 4A's 8th seeded SWCHA Saints (WI) buried 11 threes against GAIS in the opening round and held a 5 point fourth quarter lead before GAIS came storming back to survive with a 71-61 victory.  NCHBC All Southeast Region performer Jaylan Robinson provided the late game heroics, scoring a team high 23 points in the win.  Teammate Daquarius Johnson added 19.

The second round win over the Indiana based Noble Whitley Warriors began as a sort of highlight reel for GAIS's Johnson, who finished with a game high 23 points, threw down six dunks (four in the first half) and led GAIS to a double digit half time lead.  But the Warriors came roaring back, forcing the Eagles to play from behind again. Senior Kyle Brown (16 points) and freshmen TJ Massenburg (13 points, 11 in the fourth quarter) provided the late game heroics in this game, propelling GAIS to a spot in the tournament's round of eight teams and the Class 4A "Gold Ball" championship game.

The elite 8/gold ball game is as far as any GAIS, or any Georgia based team for that matter, has ever finished.  And after rushing out to a 25-16 2nd quarter lead, the Eagles once again fell behind, this time to the Saline County Warriors, Arkansas' best homeschool team.  Kyle Brown (19 points), Jaylan Robinson (18 points), and Daquarius Johnson (20 points) led another furious second half comeback, turning a 10 point deficit into a 8 point win that was punctuated by Johnson's amazing 360 degree dunk just before time expired.  The Eagles had reached a new milestone, and gold ball championship and a spot in the tournament's final four against the gold ball winners from the other classifications.

GAIS's successful run ended in the tournament's semifinals, or "Gold Ball Championship Series," against the eventual "undisputed national champion" Oklahoma City Storm.  Six three pointers and 33 total points from Storm guard Chauncey Collins (Texas Christian signee) was too much for GAIS.  The Eagles were paced by Robinson's 17, Johnson's 15, and Brown's 13.

Being new to NCHBC tournament play and having played from behind in all four of its games, the Eagles seemed to cherish the relief of pressure in the tournament ending third place game versus the NCHBC Midwest Regional tournament champion St John's Warriors.  Johnson led the way with 21, and TJ Massenburg poured in a personal tournament high 20 points.  Brown and Robinson contributed 13 and 11, respectively.  The Eagles held a double digit advantage through much of the second half before a fourth quarter St John's rally reduced the deficit to as little as three before GAIS earned a 74-70 win and a 3rd place overall finish.

This result is truly extraordinary considering GAIS had never participated in an NCHBC national or regional championship tournament prior to this March.  Daquarius Johnson (20 ppg tournament average) was named to the NCHBC All American team and crowned the slam dunk champ after sending the 9,000 plus Hammons Center arena crowd into a frenzy with his 360 degree dunk that began with a toss off the side of the back board from teammate Jaylan Robinson.  Robinson (15 ppg tournament average) and Kyle Brown (14 ppg tournament average) were named NCHBC All Southeast Region performers.  TJ Massenburg (11 ppg tournament average) was named to the All Tournament team, as was senior Jonathan Pye and sophomore Malik Welch.  Welch contributed greatly throughout the week, guarding the opposing teams' best guards and distributing the ball from the point guard position on offense.

The week also had many intangible benefits.  The bond between the players, and between current and former Eagles, strengthened considerably. And the composure needed to be successful can only be learned in such an atmosphere.  And the players had the pleasure of relaxing, having won its third place game, and watching homeschool's two best teams, and two best players, battle in the championship game before 9,000 plus fans.  41 points from McDonald's All American and future UNC Tar Heel Justin Jackson was not enough for the HCYA Warriors (TX) to overcome 58 points from future Texas Christian Hornfrog Chauncey Collins, and the OKC Storm claimed its second consecutive "undisputed national championship" with Eagles players sitting in the front row, hopefully making plans to participate in the future!