Seven new teams join The Observer’s Sweet 16 basketball polls this week
Seven new teams join The Charlotte Observer’s Sweet 16 poll this week.
The Sweet 16, which began in the 1984-85 season, ranks the top teams in the media company’s coverage area, which includes schools in the following counties: Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lancaster, Lincoln, Union and York.
Rankings are based on strength of schedule, strength of a classification, team success within that classification and head-to-head competition between teams ranked in the Sweet 16. It does not consider how ranked teams would fare against each other — or other unranked teams — unless those teams actually meet.
The Sweet 16 champions, named at the end of the season, will get a banner to hang in the school’s gym.
▪ Four of the seven new teams are in the boys’ poll: 10-5 Davidson Day, 14-5 Providence Day, 11-2 Hopewell and 11-5 Covenant Day.
Davidson Day has won two in a row since back-to-back losses to NCISAA 2A state champion Burlington School (65-60) and No. 5 Lake Norman (76-64). It plays University Christian Tuesday and at Providence Day Thursday. Providence Day has also won two in a row.
Hopewell, which lost to No. 7 Chambers on a buzzer-beater Friday, has won four of its last five games, and plays at West Mecklenburg Tuesday and hosts No. 2 North Mecklenburg Thursday.
Covenant Day has won seven straight games, led by senior forward Michael Marcus Jr., a Carmel Christian transfer who leads the team in scoring (13.1) and rebounds (7.1) per game.
▪ There are three new teams in the girls’ poll: 12-2 Rock Hill South Pointe, 12-3 Rock Hill and 9-3 Northwest Cabarrus.
South Pointe, coached by former Butler High state championship-winning coach Stephanie Butler-Graham, has won 10 straight games. The Stallions play at Catawba Ridge Tuesday.
Rock Hill, which lost to South Pointe earlier this season, has won six straight games, and Northwest Cabarrus has won three straight and hosts Carson High from Rowan County on Tuesday.
