Florence, SC – The Atlantic Collegiate Academy Armada and Wilson Tigers battled back-and-forth for the full 32 minutes on Saturday night in the Pee Dee Showcase at Wilson High.
 
Neither team was able to gain much of an advantage during the contest, which was tied at the end of the first quarter and at the half. Wilson (11-7) from Class AAAA took a one-point advantage, 44-43 into the final quarter before holding on for a 59-57 victory.
 
The loss snapped a six-game win streak for the Armada (9-3), which came into the game ranked 18^th overall in the state, No. 1 in Class AA. Wilson is ranked No. 12 in Class AAAA.
 
"Give credit to Wilson, they played hard and physical and they have some great players," ACA head coach Tanner Massey said. "We stayed in the game and competed but just fell short at the end.
 
"We have to be more disciplined and more physical."
 
Senior forward Jamie Brooks led the Armada with 20 points while also grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds. He was matched in the paint by Wilson senior forward Tristan Thompson, who scored a game-high 22 points while grabbing nine rebounds. Thompson scored six of his points from the free throw line.
 
Senior guard Jaylen Bellamy chipped in with 13 points for ACA while grabbing nine rebounds of his own while senior Justin Bellamy scored 10 points and grabbed seven board.
 
Sophomore forward Josh Leonard helped out the Wilson cause with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
 
The Armada schedule gets busy starting this week. ACA will travel to a region 7-AA game at East Clarendon (5-9) on Tuesday before hosting Kingstree (5-13) in another region contest on Friday.
 
The ACA boys will travel to Marion on Saturday to face Lugoff-Elgin (10-5) from Class AAAAA in the King's Classic before returning home to the Flight Deck on Tuesday to host Mullins High in the first of three games in four days next week.
 
"After having just two games in two weeks, we are excited to get back into a flow with region play," Massey said. "East Clarendon is tough, and we cannot take them for granted tomorrow."
 
About Atlantic Collegiate Academy: Atlantic Collegiate Academy (ACA), located in Myrtle Beach, S.C., serves high school students in a safe, small and family-centered setting. Our students seek the opportunity and challenge of rigorous curriculum, high academic standards and elite athletics while also earning up to two years of college credit. ACA serves students in grades 9-12 using an honors curriculum in 9th and 10 grades with a dual enrollment curriculum in 11th and 12th grades. Learn more about ACA by visiting our website at AtlanticCollegiate.Academy and by following us on social media on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.