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5 Keys To The Season
Playoff brackets. Last season, the Southwestern 4A No.1 girls' seed (Butler) and the ME-CA 7 4A No.1 (West Charlotte) met in the sectional final, one round before the regionals. This season, those are the best 4A teams in North Carolina. In the boys, Southwestern No.1 (Myers Park) opened the playoffs against ME-CA 7 4A No.3 (North Mecklenburg). A repeat of those seedings could deliver regional championship-type games a little too early.
Momentum. There are so many good teams in the Charlotte area – more boys' and girls' combined than ever before – that teams will need to get hot early to really excel. That might mean depth would come into play, something that favors teams like Concord's girls in 3A, Butler's girls in 4A and the 4A boys at Vance, Hopewell and North Mecklenburg.
ME-CA 7 4A championship race. There's no league in North Carolina as dominant as this boys' race. Vance, Hopewell and North Mecklenburg tip off the season as the top teams in the Sweet 16. If the playoff brackets allow it, we might get two ME-CA 7 4A tournaments: one in February and one in March – at the N.C. 4A Western Regional tournament.
Shelby's championship run. Coach Aubrey Hollifield's Golden Lions will try to reach a fourth straight 2A Western Regional. Shelby lost in the past two state semifinals after losing in the 2006 2A state final. Star Eric Mayo wants to go out a winner. He has a good chance.
CISAA balance of power. It took a huge shift when Country Day's 6-foot-7 sophomore center Anthony Gill went to resident private school power Charlotte Christian. Statewide, Christ School of Arden looks like the favorite, but with Gill, can Charlotte Christian give that team a run?
5 Regional Favorites
1. Vance boys: The Cougars have lacked size. They have plenty now and no team has better guard play in North Carolina. Is this going to be the Cougars' third state title appearance in six years?
2. Butler girls: Eight college recruits and as many as six high-major recruits, including one of the nation's top five in her age group (6-foot-3 sophomore wing Cierra Burdick). Stephanie Butler must manage her roster and deal with being every opponent's Super Bowl.
3. West Charlotte girls: Lost in the 4A state final last season and figure to be the favorite this season with four starters back. The Lions added size (6-0 senior Ashawna “Pooh” Bost from Rock Hill South Pointe) and scoring (Butler 20-point scorer Jessica Freeman) and hope their experience will help deal with Butler.
4. Hopewell boys: One step short of the regionals last season, with added size this season.
5. Concord girls: You lose one key player and return almost all the rest and you're already defending 3A state champs. The target will be big.
5 Can't-Miss Events
1. West Charlotte girls at Butler, Nov. 18: The Lions are No.2 in the Sweet 16; Butler's No.1. There will be 13 college recruits playing. This might be the best girls' game ever played in Mecklenburg County.
2. Bojangles' Shootout at Marvin Ridge, Dec. 29-31: State powers West Charlotte girls and Gastonia Forestview meet in the first round. Butler's girls get national power Bishop McNamara in the first round. The field will include five top-100 boys' players, including North Carolina commitment junior guard Kendall Marshall from Virginia's Bishop O'Connell High.
3. Vance boys vs. North Meck (Jan. 9 at Vance; Feb. 6 at North Meck): These have been the best teams in western North Carolina since 2003. Both have been to two state finals and won one. Both are favored to reach another final this season.
4. Vance boys vs. Hopewell (Jan. 13 at Hopewell; Feb. 10 at Vance): Hopewell shared the ME-CA 7 4A title last season and has the talent to win outright this time. The Feb. 10 game might be for the title.
5. North Meck vs. Hopewell (Jan. 16 at Hopewell; Feb. 12 at North Meck): Wait, the Feb. 12 game might be for the ME-CA 7 4A league title.
5 Teams That Could Have Breakout Seasons
1. Gastonia Huss boys: Sophomores Jarvis Anderson and T.J Wilson could develop into two of the area's best. This 3A team could go deep in the playoffs.
2. Butler girls: OK, so it's obvious with three Division I recruits joining a 26-4 team that returns most everyone.
3. Hickory Grove girls: Private school team was 16-10 and lost in the first round of the playoffs. Added Rock Hill South Pointe's Chelsea Douglas and Harding's LaCherish Reed, high-major D1 recruits.
4. Hopewell girls: A phenomenal freshman class for coach Gary Richmond and lots of size. West Charlotte's road to the ME-CA 7 4A championship won't be easy.
5. Lake Norman boys: Garinger star Reggie Price is taking his 20-points per game up Interstate 77 and joins 6-6 center Paul Larsen, giving Lake Norman a potent inside-outside threat.
Preseason All-Observer Boys' Team
BRANDYN CURRY, Hopewell, 6-1, Sr., G: ME-CA 7 4A Player of the Year (17 ppg, 6 apg, 4 spg, 4 rpg) has committed to Harvard.
ANDRE MARHOLD, North Mecklenburg, 6-7, Sr., F: Heavily recruited forward is freakishly athletic. Averaged 17 points last season and led the Vikings to the N.C. 4A Western Regionals.
ERIC MAYO, Shelby, 6-5, Sr., F: All-Western Regional pick averaged 18 points, 7.5 rebounds, two blocks and two assists.
IAN MILLER, United Faith Christian, 6-3, Jr., G: Committed to Florida State and ranked No.56 nationally among juniors; averaged 25 points at South Meck last season.
K.J. SHERRILL, West Rowan, 6-6, Sr., F: Charlotte commitment averaged 21 points, 12 rebounds and 2.4 blocks.
Second Team: Trevin Parks, Hickory, 5-9, Sr., G; Adam Hunt, Olympic, 6-3, Sr., G; Bernard Sullivan, North Mecklenburg, 6-8, So., G/F; Marquis Rankin, Vance, 6-1, So., G; Odell Turner, Myers Park, 6-8, Sr., F/C.
Player of the year: Miller, United Faith Christian
Preseason All-Observer Girls' Team
NIKKI BURTON, West Charlotte, 5-11, Sr., G/F : All-Western Regional pick averaged 19 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals and 4 assists. Committed to Louisville.
CHRISTAL CALDWELL, West Charlotte, 5-11, Sr., G : Leading vote-getter on the N.C. Associated Press all-state and Charlotte Observer player of the year. Committed to Florida.
KEYRRA GILLESPIE, Statesville, 5-7, Sr., G : All-state pick and 3-time league player of the year. Committed to Clemson.
KRISTA GROSS, Concord Cannon, 6-0, Sr., G : Committed to North Carolina and ranked among nation's top 30 by nearly every recruiting service.
CIERRA BURDICK, South Mecklenburg, 6-3, So., G : Drawing Candace Parker comparisons with her guard-like game; being recruited by many top 25 schools already.
Second Team: Lauren White, Hickory Grove, 6-4, Jr., C; Janee Johnson, Providence Day, 6-1, Sr., G/F; Danaira Spencer, East Mecklenburg, 5-4, Sr., G; Kelsee Cheek, Concord Robinson, 5-11, So., G; Celeste Stewart, Butler, 5-5, Sr., G
Player of the year: Caldwell, W. Charlotte
Best Coaches
Gosnell White, Marvin Ridge boys: Doing it for 31 years. With Charlotte Latin's Jerry Faulkner retired, White is the guy all by himself now.
Duane Lewis, North Meck boys: Folks call him “Coach Queasy” because he always looks nervous. In nine years, he has been to two state title games, won one and gone to multiple regionals.
Kurt Wessler, Butler boys: Won the 2003 state title at Vance and is slowly making Butler into a power. No coach is more passionate.
Will Robinson, Vance boys: A coaching legend from Virginia has had a good start in NC: two years and two state semifinal appearances (and a state final, too).
Gary Richmond, Hopewell: Helped Providence become a power, took Vance to a state title game and has the best group of freshman talent he's ever had at Hopewell. Watch out.
Best Rivalries
North Mecklenburg-Hopewell: In the western half of N.C., it doesn't get better in any sport.
McDowell-Morganton Freedom: Too bad Freedom won't be 4A next year. This rivalry will still burn bright but won't be for a league title like it almost always is in boys' and girls' hoops.
Charlotte Christian-Providence Day: Also Christian and Latin and Christian and Victory Christian. Boys' and girls' games get students dressing in togas and costumes and generally having a great time watching high-level ball.
Weddington-Marvin Ridge: Two new Union County schools have turned sports rivalries into events for county supremacy.
Gastonia Ashbrook-Gastonia Huss: Goes back to days when Sleepy Floyd played at Huss and James Worthy at Ashbrook. Every meeting brings a packed house.
