As NC high school basketball hits the new year, time to reflect on top teams, players

It’s the New Year, meaning we’ve reached the halfway point in the high school basketball schedule. Through the first half of the season, the top teams and players began to separate themselves from the pack, while independent (non-associated) schools have largely dominated the landscape on a national level — Combine Academy, Word of God and Moravian Prep have all been ranked in the top 30 nationally.

However, the success of independent programs doesn’t dampen or diminish the accomplishments of the NCHSAA or NCISAA. Greensboro Day (NCISAA 4A) beat nationally ranked powerhouse Oak Hill Academy earlier in the season, not to mention a stellar performance at the City of Palms event. In the NCISAA, Greensboro Day and Carmel Christian seem to be the two heavyweights in the 4A division. The 3A division is completely wide open with no clear-cut favorites. In the 2A division, it’s The Burlington School Invitational and the defending state champs are locked and loaded for a repeat. In the 1A, as we have been stating since the beginning of the season, it’s a two-team race between United Faith and Greenfield.

Over in the NCHSAA, we’re still going with our early season picks. In the 4A, it’s going to be a dogfight in the western region with Weddington, J.L. Chambers and North Mecklenburg. In the eastern region, look for New Hanover and Wakefield to battle it out. In the 3A, Central Cabarrus and West Charlotte look like the favorites in the western region while Northwood, South Central and West Carteret battle it out in the eastern region. In the 2A, Farmville Central and Kinston will continue to battle for supremacy in the eastern region, while Hendersonville and R-S Central are the two heavy favorites in the western region. In the 1A, Hayesville, Mt. Airy, and Winston-Salem Prep are all having an outstanding season in the western region while Wilson Prep and North Edgecombe are two favorites in the eastern region.

Early Season POY

Each year, folks love to initiate debate about who should be awarded with the title of Gatorade Player of the Year for North Carolina. The award always seems to go to a player who has the right blend of team success and individual production. Through the first few months of the season, players like Freddie Dilione, DeAnte Green, Cade Tyson, Jaylen Curry, and various others have been consistently brought up in the discussion. Each of the aforementioned players have asserted themselves as leaders within their respective programs. Ultimately, these next few months will determine who prevails.

Going forward, the biggest things to keep an eye on are the general morale and motivation levels. It’s easy to get kids amped up for the first game of the season or a big matchup before Christmas, but how will they respond following the holidays?

Additionally, prospects holding scholarship offers from programs they actually like or might want to attend — take them. While it’s not an outsider’s business to lend unsolicited advice, this is still not an ordinary year of recruiting. For those who aren’t careful, there’s a high likelihood of getting burned by the college transfer market yet again. College coaches have maintained that winning games right now (job security) with experienced players is more important than trying to develop prospects out of high school. While it may sound harsh, it’s the simple reality of the situation.

NCHSAA 4A Conference 27

Heritage, Knightdale, Millbrook, Rolesville, Wake Forest and Wakefield

Wakefield (11-1) comes in No. 2 in our Sweet 16 Raleigh ranking and are considered one of the top teams in the NCHSAA. Coach Garrett Stevens has quality wins over Northwood (48-40), No. 9 Enloe (52-37), No. 16 Apex (81-56). Wakefield is led by Ellija Preddy 6-0 averaging 13.6 PPG while six other players averaging between 5-9 points. Wakefield’s lone loss came to No. 5 Jordan high school.

Don’t count out Millbrook

Defending 4A state champion Millbrook is currently 4-7, but don’t count out Coach Chris Davis’s team. They have played an extremely difficult schedule, losing to No. 5 Jordan, No. 3 Broughton, Pinecrest, Northwood, No. 4 Cleveland, The Burlington School and North Mecklenburg at the John Wall. Millbrook is led by Jaylan Bowen, a 5-9 senior who is averaging 24.2 PPG while Cee Jay Jordan 6-5 senior is averaging 16.6 PPG. In addition, Colt Langdon, a 6-8 freshman who is considered one of the top players in the state for his class is also having an outstanding year averaging 15.0 PPG

Sleeper team is Wake Forest

Coached by Gregory Ackles, Wake Forest loss the first three games of the season, but since then, they have won seven straight games. While Wake Forest didn’t crack our Sweet 16 for this coming week, Coach Ackles has a lot to look forward too. He has a relatively young team and has excellent team balance as six players are averaging in double figures. Leading the way is AJ Smalls 6-2 junior at 14.7 PPG, Jaevian Alston 6-6 sophomore 12.3 PPG, Dashaun Grant 6-0 junior at 10.8 PPG, Nigel Lucas 6-1 junior at 10.3 PPG, and Jaden Valentine 6-0 senior at 10.0 PPG.

NCHSAA 4A Conference 28

Athens Drive, Broughton, Cardinal Gibbons, Enloe, Leesville Road, and Sanderson

Broughton is currently 7-4 and ranked No. 3 in our Raleigh Sweet 16 poll. Coached by Clarence Coleman, they have lost twice to 2A state power Farmville Central, NCISAA 1A state power Greenfield and Life Christian (FL) in overtime at the John Wall. Broughton has quality wins over Apex (89-86) and Millbrook (86-78) to add to their season resume. Leading the way is Will Otto 6-3 junior at 23.0 PPG, Grady Bizyak 6-3 senior 13.4 PPG and 7.4 RPG and McCallum Wright 6-3 junior at 11.1 PPG.

Raleigh Enloe coached by Emanuel “Poobie” Chapman currently sits with a 6-3 record and No. 9 ranking in the Sweet 16 poll. All three loses came to quality teams such as No. 15 Hillside, No. 12 Wakefield, and NCISAA 2A power Northside Christian. Josh Laney 6-1 senior leads the way averaging 20.0 PPG

NCHSAA 4A Conference 29

Apex, Apex Friendship, Cary, Green Hope, Green Level, Holly Springs, Middle Creek, and Panther Creek.

Conference 29 is one of the most competitive 4A conferences in the state. There is tremendous balance as six teams are currently ranked in the Raleigh Sweet 16. Now, let’s take a closer look at some of the top teams in the conference.

Panther Creek coached by Shawan Robinson is currently 8-3 and ranked No. 6. Panther Creek is led by Jordan Snell 6-2 senior 14.0 PPG, Amari Odom 6-4 junior 13.3 PPG, 5.2 APG, and 5.3 RPG, James Daly 6-8 senior 9.3 PPG and 7.5 RPG, and David Tator 6-2 junior 6.7 PPG. Coach Robinson looks to be the team to beat in the strong Conference 29.

Apex Friendship coached by PJ Lowman is currently 6-2 and ranked No. 7 with tough losses to Pine Forest and Panther Creek. Gabe Proctoer 6-2 senior is a lights out shooter and one of the more confidence players in the state. Look for Apex Friendship to mount a serious challenge for the regular season conference championship.

Holly Spring coached by L.J. Hepp is currently 10-3 and ranked No. 8. Both losses were by slim margins to Apex Friendship (2) Middle Creek (1) and Fuquay Varina (1). Holly Springs is led by Collin Kuhl 6-7 junior and Jada Kearney 6-1 senior.

Cary High School coached by Scott Walton currently has a 7-3 record and No. 14 ranking.

Apex is coached by Kevin Frey and checks in at No. 16 ranking and an 8-5 record. Tough losses to Broughton, Athens Drive, Green Level, Panther Creek and Wakefield, but has rebounded nicely in an upset win over Overhills. Apex is led by Patrick Malotte 6-8 senior 14.8 PPG, Sam Martin 6-9 junior 11.1 PPG, 7.9 RPG, Kody Frey 6-5 freshman 10.3 PPG, and Troy Barbee 6-5 junior at 8.6 PPG and 5.3 RPG.

NCHSAA 4A Conference 30

C.E. Jordan, Chapel Hill, East Chapel Hill, Hillside, Northern Durham, Riverside, Southern Alamance

C.E. Jordan coached by Derek Ross sports an 9-2 record and No. 5 ranking losing only to The Burlington School and Millbrook. That being said, Jordan has quality wins over No. 6 Panther Creek and No. 2 Wakefield. Jordan is led by Clash Peters 6-9 junior 12.7 PPG and 11.0 RPG for the double double, Jayan Walker 6-5 sophomore 12.6 PPG, and Ronald Bridges at 9.9 PPG.

NCHSAA 4A Conference 26

Seniors leading the way for Cleveland High School

Cleveland High School coached by Justin Batts is currently 9-1 and ranked No. 4 in our Raleigh Sweet 16 poll. Cleveland’s lone loss came to 4A power D.H. Conley by the score of 55-51 on the road. That being said, Cleveland has quality wins over Pincrest and Millbrook. Coach Batts has plenty of senior leadership and scoring balance to make a deep playoff run. Leading the way is Trey Fields 6-6 senior 16.5 PPG and 8.8 RPG, Baron Williams 5-10 senior 16.2 PPG, Dylan Wiggins 6-6 senior 16.2 PPG and 7.5 RPG, Dylan Smith 6-3 senior 9.9 PPG and 10.2 RPG, and Chance Wolf 6-0 senior at 9.7 PPG.

TBS wins John Wall

Given its relevance and increasing popularity over the years, The John Wall Holiday Invitational has undoubtedly become a proving ground for any team in the national spotlight. The Burlington School entered the season as a consensus top-three team in North Carolina private school basketball, and only further solidified their status by winning the prestigious event. Although the Spartans’ program has seen a ton of success throughout the last decade, one could argue Coach Ryan Bernardi is bringing the organization to new heights. Furthermore, this group has consistently gone toe-to-toe against traditional powerhouses. Doing so with in-state talent not only makes The Burlington School worthy of national headlines, but it helps cement North Carolina’s wide depth of talent as the Hoopstate.

Heading into conference play

After the shift into the new calendar year, high school basketball is gearing up for conference play. While it may seem insignificant to some, these games often determine the real who’s who of all areas in the state. Think of the intercity battles that take place, especially given how much realignment has occurred throughout the state for competitive balance. These games ultimately play a massive part in the seeing for the playoffs, and one loss could tank a team — whether by being a lower seed or getting knocked out completely. Conference play is where the cream rises to the top.

Can Weddington and Central Cabarrus run the table?

Weddington is the defending NCHSAA 3A state champion. They went 18-0 last season and are currently 11-0 and are now one of the top 4A teams in the state. Coach Gary Ellington has done a masterful job and we look for Weddington to run the table in the regular season and win the 4A Conference 58 championship. Led by Chase Lowe 6-5 “do it all” senior point guard, look for Weddington to challenge traditional powers North Mecklenburg, Ardrey Kell and J.L. Chambers for the 4A western regional championship.

Central Cabarrus is currently 11-0 and coached by Jim Baker. Coach Baker may be challenged on the road by rival Concord, but we expect the up-tempo Central Cabarrus to be “up” for the challenge. Led by the backcourt trio of Jaiden Thompson 6-0 junior 20.3 PPG, Chase Daniel 5-11 sophomore 16.2 PPG, 4.1 APG, 4.0 RPG, and 4.6 SPG, Carson Daniel 5-11 sophomore 12.4 PPG, 5.3 APG, 3.8 RPG, and 3.9 SPG. Central Cabarrus is averaging 81.8 PPG while dishing out an average 18.4 APG and an amazing 20.3 SPG.

Elevator Up (Lake Norman and Mooresville)

Don’t look now, but Lake Norman and Mooresville are both ranked in the Charlotte Observer Sweet 16 poll. Lake Norman is currently 11-2 and ranked No. 15. Coach by Grant Hodges, the “Lake Show” has a lot to be optimistic about. They have been realigned to 4A Conference 57. Lake Norman did lose a tough road game to West Cabarrus, but have a huge home game against conference favorite Cox Mill this coming Friday. Leading the way is the 1-2 punch of Cole Calloway 6-4 junior and Tre McKinnon 6-5 freshman. Calloway and McKinnon are averaging 18.8 PPG and 13.6 PPG respectively. While they are getting most of the media attention and rightfully so, Henderson Williams 6-4 junior is averaging 13.4 PPG and 8.3 RPG while Davis Wagner 6-5 senior is averaging almost a “double double” with 10.4 PPG and 8.9 RPG. Whether Coach Hodges can overtake traditional power Cox Mill mains to be seen, but one thing is crystal clear, Lake Norman is a team on the rise.

It’s been a long time since Mooresville was relevant in boys’ basketball, but second year coach Armard Moore definitely has the Blue Devils on track. Coach Moore is currently 8-1 with the lone loss coming to the hands of Cox Mill on the road (71-69) That being said, what coach Moore has done at Mooresville has been tremendous. Senior KC Shaw has led the way with significant contributions coming from Christian Herring, Dane Stewart and Evaan Ezhlian.

This story was originally published January 5, 2022 at 5:30 AM with the headline "As NC high school basketball hits the new year, time to reflect on top teams, players."