When Braxton (Blackwell) Key and Tyger Campbell opted to leave Christ Presbyterian Academy last year to play basketball at two national high school basketball powerhouses, some fans couldn’t understand why.
Braxton Key (right) and Tyger Campbell (left) both played basketball for CPA last year.
But any doubters who questioned the two stars’ decision to leave may have a hard time arguing their point Thursday as both prep ballers won nationally-televised games to advance to Friday’s semifinals of the DICK’S Nationals high school basketball tournament.
Key, a senior Alabama signee, had 12 points and seven rebounds to help No. 2 seed Oak Hill Academy (Va.) knock off seventh-seeded Wasatch Academy (Utah) 81-64.
Campbell, now a freshman, scored nine points and tallied three assists to help No. 5 seed La Lumiere (Ind.) avenge its earlier-season defeat to fourth-seeded St. Benedict’s (N.J.), escaping with a 60-59 victory.
If Key and Campbell can each win their games on Friday, they will face each other in Saturday’s noon championship, which will be televised on ESPN.
Campbell will be the first of the two with a chance to advance to the final as La Lumiere will face off with No. 1 seed Montverde Academy (Fla.) in Friday’s 3 p.m. semifinal on ESPN 2.
Key and Oak Hill will play in a 5 p.m. matchup with No. 6 seed Miller Grove (Ga.).
Reach Sam Brown at 615-259-8232 and on Twitter @SamBrownTN.