Carmel Christian School recently hosted an exciting Martin Luther King Jr. Basketball Tournament over the long weekend, bringing together some of the best teams in the area for an action-packed event. The tournament is a staple at Carmel Christian and is held every year. Along with the Tip-Off Classic, these two tournaments put Carmel Christian on the map as an elite basketball school.

One of the standout moments of the tournament was the anticipated match between Carmel Christian and Weddington High School. The game was an intense battle from start to finish, with both teams going on scoring runs at various points in the game. Carmel Christian never doubted that they could win and held the lead for the entirety of the game.

The game was filled with incredible performances, but the Cougars could make shots during important possessions, which gave Carmel the win. Senior guard, Chandler Kennedy, went on his scoring run during the fourth quarter, hitting some tough floaters over much taller defenders.

Senior wing, Bryce Slay, continued to show off his skill. Slay hit the 1000th point in his high school basketball career and continued to dominate by constantly applying pressure to the defense and getting downhill to finish inside. Senior point guard, Braylen Bowman, also had a very impressive game with his passing and defense as crucial components to the team’s win.

Bowman was given the assignment of guarding Weddington’s top player KJ Younger. Younger ended with 28 points, but Bowman made it difficult on Younger and constantly flustered Weddington’s offense. Bowman has impressed all season with his play-making ability.

Overall, the MLK Basketball Tournament at Carmel Christian is always a memorable event that honors Martin Luther King Jr. and celebrates incredible athletes who have a chance to perform at Carmel.