Independence unleashed zone, is Charlotte Observer Sweet 16 boys' basketball champion

Independence High boys' basketball coach Preston Davis said he came up with his defensive philosophy while in high school.

When Davis was playing for coach Tony Huggins at Independence in the late '90s, he often would try to think of ways to stop the offensive plays Huggins ran..

"I knew I wanted to coach one day," Davis said. "And I would kind of daydream in practice about ways to stop what coach was doing."

Ultimately, Davis settled on what looks to be a simple 3-2 zone defense that he constantly tweaks. This season, Independence won a school-record 31 games and finished 31-1. The Patriots won their first state championship since Davis was a sophomore on the 1997 team.

The Patriots are also champions of the Observer's final Sweet 16 boys' basketball poll. Independence, one of three state champions in the area, captured the 4A public school championship.

A primary reason was defense: 23 teams the Patriots failed to score 60 points against them. The zone worked.

No. 2 Concord Cox Mill won its second straight 3A championship and staked its case as one of the best 3A teams in state history, despite a controversial finish to its championship win.

No. 4 Marshville Forest Hills captured the school's first state title. Forest Hills, which won in 2A, was in the finals for the first time since 1964.

Charlotte Observer Sweet 16 Final Boys Basketball Poll

Dropped Out: North Stanly (1A, 24-6). Also receiving consideration: Kings Mountain (3A, 24-6); Morganton Freedom (3A, 23-4)

This story was originally published March 30, 2018 at 1:19 PM with the headline "Independence unleashed zone, is Charlotte Observer Sweet 16 boys' basketball champion."