Carmel Christian School hosts the Tip-Off Classic every year at the beginning of November to kick off the high school basketball season. The gymnasium was full of fans and fun and exciting games between schools. Carmel’s varsity team played two games against Grace Christian and The Burlington School. They lost to Grace Christian 62-59 and fell to Burlington 65-59. This is only the beginning of what is sure to be a full and passion-filled season.

This year’s basketball team has plenty of new additions. The first is Daniel Guandolo. Guandolo came from Charlotte Christian and is expected to take on an offensive role for the Cougars this year. Guandolo is known for his tremendous shooting ability. Another addition is Miles Leaks. Leaks came from Piedmont High School, where he has already surpassed 1,000 points heading into his senior season. Leaks is one of the primary ball handlers and excels at shooting and creating open shots for himself and others.

Next up is Eddie David, a senior who transferred from Charlotte Catholic. David brings great joy to the team and is one of the key scorers off the bench for the Cougars. Senior Bryce Slay said David’s game reminds him of Miami Heat guard, Tyler Herro. O’Brien Barrett is another new senior, coming from Hickory Ridge. Barrett is always hustling on the court and is known for his rebounding ability. Barrett is a fan favorite among the students at Carmel.

There are some new lower-classmen on the team as well. First up is Justin Douglas, a sophomore from Cuthbertson. Douglas is one of the taller players on the team that Carmel is very excited to see on the court. Last is Terrence Holmes, a new freshman from South Carolina. Holmes is a great shooter and played for Team United over the summer.

Carmel’s new players are sure to impact the season. The team is already well underway with their season and practices. The new players work alongside returning players, such as seniors Bryce Slay, Chandler Kennedy, Braylen Bowman, Chandler Little and Ethan Caldwell. There is also returning sophomore, Jayden Griffin, back on the team, and he is expected to take on a bigger role this year.

Even after losing graduate Kam Taylor and junior Cody Peck, this year’s team is exciting and expectant for a strong season, even after a bit of a rocky start. Camel unfortunately lost both of the games during the school’s Tip-Off tournament.

After a solid start against Grace Christian, the team struggled to score in the second half. Bryce Slay hit a three-pointer to make it a one-possession, and, after a Grace Christian turnover, the Cougars had a chance to tie it at the buzzer but missed the shot. The next day, Carmel faced off against the Burlington School team. Carmel started strong, building a 17-point lead before halftime. In the second half, the Cougars struggled to get stops, and open shots were not falling for them. The Burlington School slowly climbed back into the game and ended up winning by 6.

While this was a disappointing start for the team, there are still plenty of games left in this season. Members of the team remain confident that a promising season lies ahead.