The Gateway Christian Academy boys’ basketball team recently ended Suffolk Christian Academy’s season with an 82-59 decision in the first round of the Hampton Roads Athletic Conference tournament in Chesapeake.

But the Knights’ overall growth during their 2014-15 campaign could not be overshadowed by one loss.

“It was a fun season,” SCA coach Terry Leiter said, applying an adjective that might have been more difficult to use in previous years.

The Knights went from four wins in 2013-14 to 11 this season, finishing with an overall record of 11-16.

“This year we made a lot of progress,” Leiter said, noting the team’s success has generated excitement among returning players.

They have already begun to make plans for conditioning throughout the off-season that will help put them in a strong position for the 2015-16 season.

Gone from that future team will be senior forward/guard Alex Griffith and senior point guard/forward Nathan Leiter.

“Some of the other guys are going to have to step up and handle the ball more,” Coach Leiter said.

Against Gateway Christian, Nathan Leiter had 14 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.

“Offensively, Steven (Effler) had a good game,” Coach Leiter said, referring to his junior forward/guard who led the Knights with 23 points. “He was active offensively in every quarter, and so was Nathan.”

Junior guard Michael Cornette finished with 15 points. He went 5-of-11 from three-point range, but most of his misses came in the first half.

Coach Leiter said that in the second half, Cornette “ran off a string of about four (three-pointers) without missing,” and hit three in the fourth quarter.

Gateway Christian, which has come on strong at the end of the season, exited the first quarter with a 28-7 lead. Despite an effective change in defensive scheme by Coach Leiter after that, the Crusaders were able to maintain their lead.

They are set to play in the conference tournament championship game in Chesapeake on Monday against Yeshivas Aish Kodesh Talmudical Academy.