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PCA Athletics

The Pungo Christian Academy basketball teams will open Tar Heel Independent Conference play Friday when they travel to Albemarle School in Elizabeth City.

The Lady Raiders are currently 8 – 6 and are riding a three-game winning streak, with their last victory coming two weeks ago against Terra Ceia. Allison Sawyer and Ginny Grace Pugh lead the team in scoring, with Sawyer averaging just over 13 points a game while Pugh is just under 10. Sawyer is currently grabbing 14.4 rebounds per game, which is good enough for 11^th best in the entire state of North Carolina. PCA is currently the 8^th ranked team in the NCISAA 1A based on the latest MaxPreps poll. The Lady Raiders will have several tough tests ahead as Ridgecroft (#1), Lawrence (#6) and Albemarle School (#9) are all ranked in the top 10. Pungo is the three-time defending TIC regular season and tournament champions and have won four of the last five TIC tournament titles.

The boys are currently 12 – 2 and have gotten off to a fast start this season. Maddox Lee, Quay Artis and Drew Van Staalduinen are all averaging double figures in points per game. Austin Garrish leads the team in rebounds with 92 on the season. The Raiders struggled over their last four games before Christmas, largely due to Garrish and Lee missing time due to sickness. All 10 players are back now as PCA will look to win their first TIC regular season championship since 2014 and their first tournament championship since 2013. The Raiders are currently ranked 7^th in the latest NCISAA 1A poll on MaxPreps, with Lawrence (#8) and Ridgecroft (#9) not far behind. Expect a three-way battle again this season for the TIC boys crown as Ridgecroft School is the three-time defending champion.

In the first three games to start the new year, the Raiders will travel to Albemarle and Lawrence while hosting Ridgecroft in between the two.