The 3-year reign as SC High School League Class 2A champions ended Monday at Finis Horne Arena for Gray Collegiate Academy.

The top-ranked War Eagles were defeated by Christ Church 64-58 in the Upper State finals.

SC Basketball Coaches Association Class 2A Player of the Year and senior 7-1 center John Butler scored 21 points and brother Jordan had 4 of the team’s final 6 points to lead the Cavaliers (19-3). They will face Wade Hampton in the Class 2A final Friday at the University of South Carolina-Aiken Convocation Center. 

Chase McDuffie had 16 points, including 15 in the 2nd half on 5 3-pointers to lead a War Eagles' comeback from 13 points down. 

John Butler helped the Cavaliers jump out to a 10-4 lead with 6 of his 12 1st half points. The War Eagles rallied back behind Montraivis White’s 7 points, but trailed 17-11 at the end of the 1st quarter.

Down 8 early in the 2nd quarter, Gray Collegiate used a 10-2 run to take a 23-21 lead. Despite John Butler leaving the game with 3 fouls, Christ Church answered with a 12-1 run to close out the 1st half with a 33-24 lead.

A 3-point play by Brandon Gardner brought Gray Collegiate to within 33-27 with 7:14 left in the 3rd quarter. Butler scored the Cavaliers’ next 5 points before leaving with his 4th personal foul, but his team was able to increase their lead to 13 points. 

With 1 minute left in the 3rd quarter, McDuffie scored his 1st field goal with 1 minute left in the 3rd quarter. His 3-pointer brought the War Eagles to within 45-37, but a 3-point play by Sam Perry pushed Christ Church’s lead back to double digits. 

Timothy Barnes made 2 free throws with 1.7 seconds left to bring Gray within 48-40 headed into the 4th quarter.

A 3-pointer by McDuffie cut the deficit to 48-43 with 6:53 left. Barnes hit 2 free throws to make it 48-45 with 6:15 left. 

Christ Church increased its lead to 52-48 before Gray Collegiate answered with a dunk by Barnes and 3-pointer by McDuffie to take a 53-52 lead.

Amauri Johnson answered with a 3-pointer to regain the lead for the Cavaliers. A short jumper by Gardner, who finished with 14, tied the game at 55-55. 

After a free throw by Bennett Rogers, McDuffie nailed his 5th 3-pointer of the game to put GCA up 58-56. It was the last points of the game for Gray Collegiate.

Jordan Butler scored on a short jumper, then hit 2 free throws to put Christ Church up 60-58 with 41.3 seconds left. Gray Collegiate was unable to score and the Cavaliers’ Sam Perry hit 2 free throws with less than 17 seconds left to seal the win.

The loss snapped a 17-game post-season winning streak for the War Eagles, dating back to February 2017.