Crown Town Classic highlights big weekend of high school hoops
The first Crown Town Classic tips off Friday at Providence Day and will bring a collection of top regional teams and players to Charlotte.
Featured games Friday include Northside Christian and Durham Academy, and Raleigh Trinity vs. Butler.
The Northside game, which tips at 5:15, will feature two of the state’s top freshmen: Northside’s 6-foot-4 point guard Jalen Hood-Schifino and Durham Academy’s 6-5 wing M.J. Rice. Both already have multiple Division I offers.
At 8:30 p.m., Raleigh Trinity Academy junior Isaiah Todd will lead his team against 4A regional power Butler. Todd, a 6-10 forward, is a top 20, five-star national recruit.
On Saturday, Northside Christian will play Raleigh Trinity, providing fans a chance to see two of the state’s best juniors -- Todd and Northside 6-8 forward Jaden Seymour. Phenom Hoop Report, which tracks statewide recruiting, ranks Todd No. 1 in North Carolina and Seymour No. 6.
Also Saturday, the state’s No. 3 junior, Jalen Cone of Walkertown, will be in action. Walkertown plays Providence Day at 5:15. Cone, a 5-11 point guard, is averaging 26 points, seven assists and six rebounds and is one of the most prolific scorers in the state.
Saturday’s feature game, however, matches up two teams that were nationally ranked by many polls in preseason: reigning N.C. 3A private school state champion Greensboro Day will face reigning N.C. 3A public school champion Concord Cox Mill at 7. Cox Mill features 6-6 wing Wendell Moore, a five-star Duke recruit who is ranked in the top 25 nationally.
Friday at Providence Day: Hickory vs. Virginia Episcopal, 3:30; Northside vs. Durham Academy, 5:15; Fayetteville Trinity Christian vs. Providence Day, 7; Raleigh Trinity vs. Butler, 8:30
Saturday at Providence Day: Charlotte Country Day vs. Virginia Episcopal, noon; Northside Christian vs. Raleigh Trinity, 1:45; Concord Cannon vs. Durham Academy, 3:30; Walkertown vs. Providence Day, 5:15; Concord Cox Mill vs. Greensboro Day, 7; Fayetteville Trinity Christian vs. Butler, 8:45.
Below is this weekend’s complete area schedule.
Friday, December 21
Arborbrook Christian at Gaston Day
Ashe County at Alexander Central
Bandys at Patton
Bradford Prep at Carolina International
Buford at Central Pageland
Carmel Christian in Emerald Coast 16 Holiday Classic in Niceville, FL (Boys’ only)
Central Cabarrus at Piedmont
Charlotte Christian at Metrolina Christian
Cheraw in Panther Classic at Carolina Forest High (Boys’ only)
Chesterfield in Darlington High Holiday Classic (Girls’ only)
Concord First Assembly vs. St. Lauren’s (Canada) in Girls Always Live Christmas Tournament at UNC Greensboro (Girls’ only), 7:30
Concord First Assembly at Phenom Palmetto Winter Showcase at Ben Lippen High, Crescent Moon Bracket (Boys’ only)
Davidson Day at Greater Cabarrus Stallions (Boys’ only)
East Burke at Freedom
East Lincoln at Statesville
Forest Hills at Concord
Fort Mill in Daniel High Boys’ Basketball Tournament (Boys’ only)
Freedom Christian at Providence Day (Girls’ only), 5:30
Great Falls in Peoples’ Exchange Invitational in Lexington, KY (Boys’ only)
Greensboro Day at Charlotte Country Day
Hickory Ridge in Crescom Bank Invitational at Myrtle Beach Sports Center (SC) (Girls’ only)
Independence in Arby’s Holiday Hoops Tournament at Viking Hall in Bristol, TN (Girls’ only)
Indian Land in Darlington High Holiday Classic (Girls’ only)
Jay M. Robinson at Northern Guilford
Lee Central at Lewisville
Lincoln Charter in Phenom Palmetto Winter Classic (Boys’ only)
Maiden at Fred T. Foard
Statesville Christian at Westchester Country Day (Host) in Wildcat Invitational (Boys’ only), 5:30
Sugar Creek in Bobcat Classic at New Garden Friends’ School (Boys/Girls)
United Faith vs. Greenville Tech in Phenom Hoops’ Invitational at Porter Gaud (SC) (Boys’ only), 12:30
University Christian at Hickory Christian (Samaritan’s Purse Benefit Game)
Vance in Beach Ball Classic at Myrtle Beach (Girls’ only)
West Mecklenburg in Bobcat Classic at New Garden Friends’ School (Boys/Girls)
York Prep in Icon Sports’ Performance Tournament (Girls’ only)
Anson County High School Invitational
At Anson County High
Richmond Senior vs. Union Academy (Girls), 4:30
Richmond Senior vs. Parkwood (Boys), 5:30
Parkwood at Anson County (Girls), 7
Chesterfield at Anson County (Boys), 8:30
Crown Town Classic (Boys’ only)
At Providence Day
Hickory vs. Virginia Episcopal, 3:30
Northside Christian vs. Durham Academy, 5:15
Trinity Christian at Providence Day, 7
Trinity Academy vs. Butler, 8:30
Millenium Invitational
At Victory Christian
Boys’ Bracket
Charlotte Elite Academy-Victory Christian loser vs. Covenant Christian vs. Fundamental Prep loser, 11 a.m.
Moravian Prep-Elevation Prep loser vs. Tri-City Christian-Legacy Charter loser, 12:45
Charlotte Elite Academy-Victory Christian winner vs. Covenant Christian vs. Fundamental Prep winner, 6
Moravian Prep-Elevation Prep winner vs. Tri-City Christian-Legacy Charter winner, 7:45
Girls’ Bracket
At Victory Christian
Legacy Charter vs. Shelby, 2:30
Cabarrus Charter at Victory Christian, 4:15
Queen City Holiday Classic
At Northside Christian
West Charlotte vs. Ardrey Kell (Girls), 5
Burlington School vs. Hopewell (Boys), 6:30
Mallard Creek at Northside Christian (Girls), 8
Hickory Grove vs. Northwood Temple (Boys), 9:30
Y.C. Winborn Classic
At Rock Hill
Boys’ Bracket
South Pointe-Clover loser vs. York-Northwestern loser, 5
North Charleston-Lancaster loser vs. St. James-Rock Hill loser, 1:30
South Pointe-Clover winner vs. York-Northwestern winner, 4:30
North Charleston-Lancaster winner vs. St. James-Rock Hill winner, 7:30
Girls’ Bracket
At Rock Hill
Fort Mill-Cuthbertson loser vs. Virginia-Clover loser, 2
North Charleston-River Bluff loser vs. Gray Collegiate loser, 3:30
Fort Mill-Cuthbertson winner vs. Virginia-Clover winner, 3
North Charleston-River Bluff winner vs. Gray Collegiate winner, 6
Saturday, December 22
Carmel Christian in Emerald Coast 16 Holiday Classic in Niceville, FL (Boys’ only)
Cheraw in Panther Classic at Carolina Forest High (Boys’ only)
Concord First Assembly in Girls Always Live Christmas Tournament at UNC Greensboro (Girls’ only)
Concord First Assembly at Phenom Palmetto Winter Showcase at Ben Lippen High, Crescent Moon Bracket (Boys’ only)
Fort Mill in Daniel High Boys’ Basketball Tournament (Boys’ only)
Great Falls in Peoples’ Exchange Invitational in Lexington, KY (Boys’ only)
Hickory Ridge in Crescom Bank Invitational at Myrtle Beach Sports Center (SC) (Girls’ only)
Hopewell vs. St. Francis Prep (NY) in Hoops for Hearts’ Showcase at Fresh Meadows in
Queens, NY (Girls Only), 5
Independence in Arby’s Holiday Hoops Tournament at Viking Hall in Bristol, TN (Girls’ only)
Lincoln Charter in Phenom Palmetto Winter Classic (Boys’ only)
Olympic vs. Miller School (VA) in William Fleming Holiday Classic in Roanoke, VA (Boys’ only), 1
Statesville Christian in Wildcat Invitational at Westchester Country Day (Boys’ only)
Sugar Creek in Bobcat Classic at New Garden Friends’ School (Boys/Girls)
United Faith vs. Legacy Charter in Phenom Hoops’ Invitational at Porter Gaud (SC) (Boys’ only), 2
Vance in Beach Ball Classic at Myrtle Beach (Girls’ only)
West Mecklenburg in Bobcat Classic at New Garden Friends’ School (Boys/Girls)
York Prep in Icon Sports’ Performance Tournament (Girls’ only)
Anson County High School Invitational
At Anson County High
Girls’ Consolation game, 4
Boys’ Consolation game, 5:30
Girls’ Championship game, 7
Boys’ Championship game, 8:30
Crown Town Classic (Boys’ only)
At Providence Day
Charlotte Country Day vs. Virginia Episcopal, Noon
Northside Christian vs. Trinity Academy, 1:45
Cannon School vs. Durham Academy, 3:30
Walkertown at Providence Day, 5:15
Cox Mill vs. Greensboro Day, 7
Trinity Christian vs. Butler, 8:45
Millenium Invitational
At Victory Christian
Boys’ Bracket
7th-place game, 11 a.m.
5th-place game, 12:45
3rd-place game, 2:30
Championship game, 6
Millenium Girls’ Bracket
At Victory Christian
Consolation game, 2:30
Championship game, 4:15
Queen City Holiday Classic
At Northside Christian
West Charlotte at Northside Christian (Girls), 2
Hickory Grove vs. Hopewell (Boys), 3:30
Mallard Creek vs. Ardrey Kell (Girls), 5
Burlington School vs. Northwood Temple (Boys), 6:30
Y.C. Winborn Classic
At Rock Hill
Boys’ Bracket
7th-place game, 11 a.m.
5th-place game, 2
3rd-place game, 5
Championship game, 8
Girls’ Bracket
At Rock Hill
7th-place game, 9:30 a.m.
5th-place game, 12:30
3rd-place game, 3:30
Championship game, 6:30
Sunday, December 23
Hopewell vs. Truman High (NY) in Hoops for Hearts’ Showcase at Fresh Meadows in Queens, NY (Girls’ only) 12:30
Lincoln Charter in Phenom Palmetto Winter Classic (Boys’ only)
United Faith vs. Village Christian in Phenom Hoops’ Invitational at Porter Gaud (SC) (Boys’ only), 5
--JAY EDWARDS