Sweet 16 girls basketball: It’s Davidson Day at the top
Only one Observer-area team won a state championship in the 2018-19 girls’ high school basketball season.
Davidson Day is the 2018-19 Sweet 16 champion, meaning the Patriots are the top team in the Observer’s 162-school coverage area in North and South Carolina.
The Patriots have just two seniors on the roster, and the team’s top two players — junior Nevaeh Brown and sophomore Mallorie Haines — will both return. Brown has committed to Wake Forest; Haines has committed to Davidson.
Davidson Day will enter the 2019-20 season with a new coach. Jeff Lafave resigned as the Patriots’ coach Wednesday after four seasons.
“We are extremely proud of our girls varsity basketball team’s 2A win this year,” said Davidson Day athletics director Ron Johnson, “and we look forward to the new coach building on this achievement and taking the program in a new direction.”
Final Sweet 16 Girls’ Basketball Poll
Rk | Team | Cl | Rec | Prvs. |
1 | Davidson Day | IND | 21-5 | 2 |
2 | Butler | 4A | 28-3 | 3 |
3 | Rock Hill South Pointe | 4A | 26-5 | 10 |
4 | Waxhaw Cuthbertson | 3A | 29-4 | 13 |
5 | Morganton Freedom | 3A | 30-2 | 4 |
6 | Vance | 4A | 26-3 | 1 |
7 | Harrisburg Hickory Ridge | 4A | 24-5 | 5 |
| 8 | China Grove Carson | 3A | 27-3 | 8 |
9 | Victory Christian | IND | 33-5 | 11 |
10 | Ardrey Kell | 4A | 23-6 | 9 |
11 | Rocky River | 4A | 19-5 | 6 |
12 | Mallard Creek | 4A | 22-6 | 7 |
13 | Concord First Assembly | IND | 23-7 | NR |
14 | Statesville | 3A | 22-7 | NR |
15 | Fort Mill Nation Ford | 5A | 23-6 | NR |
16 | Providence | 4A | 20-6 | 12 |
Dropped Out: Union Academy (1A, 27-3); North Iredell (3A, 19-6); Kings Mountain (3A, 23-5)
Also receiving consideration: Gaston Day (IND, 18-8); Providence Day (IND, 18-12); South Mecklenburg (4A, 18-9)
Note: The Observer’s Sweet 16 poll is a ranking of the top 16 boys and girls teams in the newspaper’s 162-school coverage-area in North and South Carolina. The poll considers performance, strength of schedule and strength of class. To be considered, teams must play for a recognized state association.
This story was originally published April 10, 2019 at 2:26 PM.