Pride of West Charlotte: Video series documents team’s trip through playoffs

West Charlotte High School is playing in the 4A North Carolina State Championship basketball game Saturday afternoon in Raleigh.

The Observer was granted exclusive access to chronicle the team’s journey through the tournament.

The school opened as one of the city’s two black high schools during Jim Crow era segregation, and it was seen as a symbol of what could be achieved through education.

Racial tensions flared during the tournament when an Ardrey Kell player made racist comments on social media before the two teams played.

The five-part series focuses on the community rallying behind players and coaches they advanced through the tournament.

The final episode will publish on Monday, March 18 at 6 p.m.

This story was originally published March 15, 2019 at 12:09 PM.