The Observer’s high school basketball preview for regional counties
The Observer concludes its boys basketball previews for the 2022-23 season with a look at regional counties in the area including Anson, Catawba, Cleveland, Richmond, Rowan and Watauga
Teams To Watch
Bessemer City: The Yellow Jackets’ won 23 games las season, including the South Piedmont 1A/2A conference title, and will look to be even better with all-state guard Randall Pettus (27 ppg) leading the way.
Crest: The Chargers won 24 games, including the Big South conference title last year, and return its all-conference backcourt -- junior A.J. Adams (12 ppg) and senior Tylik Briscoe (12 ppg) -- to make another run at a league title and more into the postseason (third round of playoffs last year).
East Lincoln: The Mustangs’ return four starters from a team that won 23 games a year ago. Seniors Palmer Cricht (9 ppg), Keandre Walker (9 ppg), Tyler Mizzell and Mason Simmons will help East Lincoln battle Hickory for the Western Foothills’ Athletic conference title.
Gaston Day: The Spartans return four starters from a team that went 27-4 and advanced to the NCISAA 2A state semifinals last year. This season, seniors Colin Fayed (9 ppg, Roanoke College commit), Evan Montanari (14.5 ppg, 5 rpg), Callum Richard (13.2 ppg, 10 rpg, East Tennessee State commit) and junior Chase Owens (6 ppg) are all back.
Hickory: The Red Tornadoes have gone 36-4 in the last two years under coach Daniel Willis, including a 26-2 record a year ago. This year, Hickory will look to junior John Holbrook (9 ppg, 8 rpg) and sophomore guard Jamien Little (14 ppg) to lead the way. However, Hickory will also get production from senior Ty Hill (6 ppg), junior Isaiah Littlejohn and Newton Conover transfer Jay Powell (14 ppg). The Red Tornadoes have the experience and talent to contend for a Western Foothills’ 3A conference title and will be motivated in the playoffs after a second round exit ended the 2021-22 season abruptly.
Salisbury: The Hornets won 20 games, including the Central Carolinas’ conference title last year. This season, Salisbury will lean on its backcourt in juniors Mike Geter and Juke Harris (23.1 ppg) to help repeat as conference champions and make a deep playoff run (third round last year)
Shelby: The Golden Lions return four starters, including seniors Jakeith Hamilton (15 ppg) and Daylin Lee (8 ppg) and juniors Dominique Downs and Drew Hollifield (15 ppg) from a team that won 17 games and finished second in the South Piedmont 1A/2A conference. Coach Miles Lawrence (first year as head coach, longtime assistant) is eager to add the tradition of winning, contending for a conference title and more into the playoffs.
Players to Watch
Tylik Briscoe, Crest: The 6-foot-2 all-conference senior guard (12 ppg) leads a team that won 24 games a season ago.
Amore Connelly, Freedom: The 6-foot-2 sophomore gives the Patriots a dynamic backcourt with senior Mehki “Philly” Harris (14.7 ppg) to power an uptempo team.
Zavien Dillingham, Hickory Christian: The 5-foot-11 senior point guard (16.1) is the reigning NCISAA Foothills’ Athletic conference player of the year.
Jakeith Hamilton, Shelby: The 6-foot-4 senior (15 ppg, 7 rpg) plays a lead role on an experienced Golden Lions’ team.
Juke Harris, Salisbury: The 6-foot-5 junior (23.1 ppg) has a breakout sophomore season, getting Division I offers from Illinois, Tennessee, Texas A&M and more.
John Holbrook, Hickory: The 6-foot-8 junior forward (9 ppg, 8 rpg) nearly averaged a double-double as a sophomore.
Carson Kelly, Cherryville: The 6-foot senior guard (21 ppg) is a sharpshooter for the Ironmen.
Randall Pettus, Bessemer City: The 6-foot-1 Northern Kentucky commit can light up the scoreboard in a hurry averaging 27 points, seven assists, seven rebounds and seven steals per game as a junior.
Callum Richard, Gaston Day: The 6-foot-11 senior center, an East Tennessee State commit (13.2 ppg, 10 rpg), anchors the Spartans.
Keandre Walker, East Lincoln: A University of Virginia football commit, Walker is a 6-foot-3 guard/forward (9.3) back to lead a Mustangs’ team that has won 23 or more games in four of the last five seasons (only didn’t win 20 games during COV-19 shortened 2020-21).
Players On the Rise
Dayton Anderson, St. Stephens: The 6-foot-3 senior forward (12 ppg, 5 rpg) is a four-year starter for the Indians.
Will Blackburn, Lincolnton: The 6-foot-3 senior center (16 ppg, 7 rpg) us back to lead a Lincolnton team on the rise.
Devin Brice, Bunker Hill: The 5-10 junior all-conference guard (10 ppg) gives the Bears an experienced backcourt with junior Kaden Bolick (6.2 ppg) and senior Elijah Boston (7.4 ppg).
Luke Cain, North Stanly: The 6-foot-4 senior guard is getting Division III recruiting interest, according to North Stanly coach George Walker.
Owen Cannon, Newton Conover: The 5-foot-11 sophomore (12 ppg) back to lead a Red Devils’ team that should be improved after taking their lumps with a younger team in the last two years (9-30 in that span).
Rondon Clarke, Patton: The 6-foot-4 forward (6.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg) the lone returning starter for the Panthers.
Bradley Floyd, Kings Mountain: The 6-foot-5 freshman should have an immediate impact for the Mountaineers (as one of top ranked players in the state in the class of 2026) along with juniors, Bryson Brown, Curtis Simmons (7.1 ppg, 10.8 rpg) and Zavian Smith.
Corey Gaines, Gaston Christian: The 5-foot-9 senior (8.3 ppg, 5 apg) is part of a guard-heavy lineup with classmate Preston Shuford (6.2 ppg), junior Joe Rhyne (10.6 ppg) and freshman Cameron Newman (6 ppg).
Kenneth Greene, Ashbrook: The 6-foot-3 junior (10 ppg) is back to help the Green Wave try to move up in the Big South conference standings.
Jacob Joyner, Stuart Cramer: The 5-foot-10 senior (8.9 ppg) will pair with classmate Justin Rocquemore (8.5 ppg), to give the Storm a dynamic backcourt to build on their 20-win season last year.
Jay Powell, Hickory: The Newton Conover transfer (14 ppg), 6-foot-4 sophomore adds an instant scoring punch to the Hickory lineup.
Zaydin Pritchard, Draughn: The 6-foot-2 senior (11.4 ppg) back to lead the Wildcats to another Western Highlands’ 1A/2A conference title.
Jaquis Rumph, South Point: The 6-foot senior point guard (9.5 ppg) a key player on a veteran team that returns four senior starters including Sullivan Absher (5.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg, Notre Dame football commit), Jackson Blee (7.6 ppg, William & Mary football commit) and Sean Gore (5.1 ppg).
Preseason All-Regional Team
Tylik Briscoe, Crest, 6-2, Sr.
Amore Connelly, Freedom, 6-2, So.
Jakeith Hamilton, Shelby 6-4, Sr.
Juke Harris, Salisbury, 6-5, Jr.
Carson Kelly, Cherryville 6-0, Sr.
Randall Pettus, Bessemer City, 6-1, Sr.
Callum Richard, Gaston Day, 6-11, Sr.
Preseason Player of the Year: Juke Harris, Salisbury, 6-5, Jr.
Interesting Notes
Gray Stone Day is eager to get back in the win column after losing 35 straight games (0-19 last year).
Hickory Christian basketball coach Bryan Jones had a historic first year as head coach leading Hickory Christian to their first NCISAA Foothills’ Athletic conference title ever and return all five starters this season.
First-year Lincolnton basketball coach Jalen Littlejohn is returning to his alma mater (2012 graduate) after serving as an assistant coach most recently at East Lincoln.
Shelby basketball coach Miles Lawrence is in his first year as head coach after serving as an assistant coach for the last nine seasons under Aubrey Hollifield. Lawrence has been a part of every state title Shelby has won including as a player in 2009, an assist coach in 2020 and 2021 (girls).
The South Point basketball team student manager, Preston Howell, is a member of Team USA National Wheelchair basketball team that participated in the World Championships in the Philippines in September.
Regional Conference Predictions
Big South Conference
Crest; 2. Kings Mountain; 3. South Point; 4. Ashbrook; 5. Forestview; 6. Stuart Cramer; 7. Hunter Huss; 8. North Gaston
Catawba Shores’ 1A/2A Conference
Lincoln Charter; 2. Community School of Davidson; 3. Pine Lake Prep; 4. Christ the King; 5. Mountain Island Charter; 6. Langtree Charter; 7. Bradford Prep.
Catawba Valley 2A Conference
West Caldwell; 2. Maiden; 3. Lincolnton; 4. Bunker Hill; 5. Newton Conover; 6. Bandys; 7. East Burke; 8. West Lincoln.
Central Carolinas’ 1A/2A Conference
Salisbury; 2. Thomasville; 3. North Rowan; 4. Lexington; 5. West Davidson; 6. South Davidson; 7. East Davidson.
Metrolina Athletic Conference
Concord Academy; 2. Northside Christian; 3. Gaston Day; 4. Gaston Christian; 5. Westminster Catawba; 6. Metrolina Christian; 7. SouthLake Christian; 8. Hickory Grove.
Metro 8, 1A Conference
Carolina International; 2. Piedmont Charter; 3. Corvian Charter; 4. Queens Grant; 5. Sugar Creek Charter; 6. Cabarrus Charter; 7. Apprentice Way.
Mountain Foothills’ 2A Conference
Hendersonville; 2. East Rutherford; 3. R.S. Central; 4. Patton; 5. Brevard; 6. Polk County; 7. Chase.
NCISAA Foothills’ Athletic Conference
Davidson Day; 2. Hickory Christian; 3. Statesville Christian; 4. University Christian.
Northwestern 3A/4A Conference
Freedom; 2. Hibriten; 3. Alexander Central; 4. Ashe County; 5. Watauga; 6. South Caldwell.
Rocky River 2A/3A Conference
Monroe; 2. Parkwood; Forest Hills; 4. West Stanly; 5. Anson County; 6. Central Academy.
South Piedmont 3A Conference
Central Cabarrus; 2. Concord; 3. Lake Norman Charter; 4. East Rowan; 5. Northwest Cabarrus; 6. West Rowan; 7. Carson; 8. South Rowan.
Southern Piedmont 1A/2A Conference
Shelby; 2. Bessemer City; 3. East Gaston; 4. Burns; 5. Cherryville; 6. Thomas Jefferson Academy; 7. Highland Tech.
Western Foothills’ Athletic 3A Conference
Hickory; 2. East Lincoln; 3. North Lincoln; 4. North Iredell; 5. St. Stephen’s; 6. Statesville; 7. Fred T. Foard; 8. West Iredell.
Western Highlands’ 1A/A Conference
Draughn; 2. Mountain Heritage; 3. Avery County; 4. Mitchell; 5. Owen; 6. Madison; 7. Rosman.
Yadkin Valley 1A/2A Conference
Jay M. Robinson; 2. Mount Pleasant; 3. North Stanly; 4. Albemarle; 5. Union Academy; 6. South Stanly; 7. Gray Stone Day.
This story was originally published November 10, 2022 at 12:59 PM with the headline "The Observer’s high school basketball preview for regional counties."