The men’s basketball team has secured a spot in the 7A “final four.” After a 78-60 win over Lumberton, the Crusaders will travel to Minges Coliseum at East Carolina University to face a dominant Southern Durham team. As a part of the NCHSAA, this is the farthest that Gibbons has ever made it in the playoffs.
After catching fire in the first quarter, scoring 30 points, the Crusaders never looked back and won with plenty of cushion. Having the loud and relentless environment that we had created a stadium pulse that never gave out.
In just his second season, coach Michael Brooker has done something that no other coach in Gibbons history has done. He has won 26 games and counting. Going into the season, Brooker faced a challenge as four starters departed. This created an uncertainty about how the team would do in regards to wins and losses.
“I knew we’d have a really strong group of guys that played the right way and played hard for the team and for Gibbons, and it’s been a real pleasant surprise,” Brooker said.
It hasn’t just been new starters who have stepped into big roles, but the whole team has taken on big responsibilities.
“It’s been awesome to see their development and them coming together as a group. The community’s really gotten behind us and it’s been a special season, and we have plans to keep this thing going,” Brooker said.
Brooker hopes that this playoff run will solidify Gibbons as a program to be reckoned with. This entire season has already shown what Gibbons is capable of this season and in the future. Right now, Brooker and the team are just focused on the next opponent Southern Durham and hopefully a state championship game at Wake Forest.
“We are going to take advantage of this moment and continue to work and see if we can get two more,” Brooker said.
Top-seeded Southern Durham is next up on the schedule and this is not a game that will be taken lightly. They are a very talented and well-coached team who won an overtime thriller against Garner to make it to this game.
Southern Durham was a state runner-up a year ago in 3A.
“It’s going to be a challenge, but I think we’re going to be a real challenge for them,” Brooker said.
