Which are the top basketball teams in North Carolina? Check our preseason rankings
For most of the state’s 400-plus public high schools, Friday marks the start of the 2024-25 basketball season, and while some charter schools and privates have already tipped off the season, today The Charlotte Observer and News & Observer of Raleigh debut the preseason statewide rankings.
The rankings will be published on Tuesdays, beginning Nov. 26, and continue until the end of the conference tournaments in February.
The rankings are compiled by longtime N.C. basketball experts Rick Lewis and Alex Bass, who are co-hosts of The Observer’s “Talking Preps” streaming show.
Girls statewide rankings
NCISAA
| Rank | School | Record |
| 1 | Cannon School | 2-1 |
| 2 | Concord Academy | 0-1 |
| 3 | Charlotte Country Day | 1-0 |
| 4 | Wesleyan Christian | 1-0 |
| 5 | Grace Christian | 0-1 |
| 6 | High Point Christian | 0-0 |
| 7 | Providence Day | 0-1 |
| 8 | O’Neal School | 0-2 |
| 9 | Cresset Christian | 1-0 |
| 10 | Wayne Country Day | 0-0 |
NCHSAA 4A
| Rank | School | Record |
| 1 | Rolesville | 0-0 |
| 2 | Watauga | 0-0 |
| 3 | Mallard Creek | 0-0 |
| 4 | Lake Norman | 0-0 |
| 5 | Northern Guilford | 0-0 |
| 6 | South Mecklenburg | 0-0 |
| 7 | Hoggard | 0-0 |
| 8 | North Mecklenburg | 0-0 |
| 9 | Richmond | 0-0 |
| 10 | Marvin Ridge | 0-0 |
NCHSAA 3A
| Rank | School | Record |
| 1 | Terry Sanford | 0-0 |
| 2 | East Lincoln | 0-0 |
| 3 | South Central | 0-0 |
| 4 | A.C. Reynolds | 0-0 |
| 5 | Rocky Mount | 0-0 |
| 6 | Stuart Cramer | 0-0 |
| 7 | E.E. Smith | 0-0 |
| 8 | Ben L. Smith | 0-0 |
| 9 | Scotland | 0-0 |
| 10 | West Rowan | 0-0 |
NCHSAA 2A
| Rank | School | Record |
| 1 | East Burke | 0-0 |
| 2 | J.M. Robinson | 0-0 |
| 3 | Seaforth | 0-0 |
| 4 | North Wilkes | 0-0 |
| 5 | North Pitt | 0-0 |
| 6 | T.W. Andrews | 0-0 |
| 7 | Goldsboro | 0-0 |
| 8 | Saint Paul’s | 0-0 |
| 9 | East Rutherford | 0-0 |
| 10 | Salisbury | 0-0 |
NCHSAA 1A
| Rank | School | Record |
| 1 | Cherokee | 0-0 |
| 2 | Bishop McGuinness | 0-0 |
| 3 | Hayesville | 0-0 |
| 4 | Mountain Heritage | 0-0 |
| 5 | North Rowan | 0-0 |
| 6 | East Columbus | 0-0 |
| 7 | East Bladen | 0-0 |
| 8 | Pamlico County | 0-0 |
| 9 | Perquimans | 0-0 |
| 10 | Gates County | 0-0 |
Boys statewide rankings
NCISAA
| Rank | School | Record |
| 1 | Christ School | 1-0 |
| 2 | Davidson Day | 1-1 |
| 3 | Providence Day | 1-0 |
| 4 | Greensboro Day | 2-0 |
| 5 | Caldwell Academy | 1-0 |
| 6 | The Burlington School | 1-1 |
| 7 | Greenfield | 1-0 |
| 8 | Berean Baptist | 1-0 |
| 9 | High Point Christian | 0-0 |
| 10 | Concord Academy | 1-0 |
NCHSAA 4A
| Rank | School | Record |
| 1 | Lake Norman | 0-0 |
| 2 | Chambers | 0-0 |
| 3 | New Hanover | 0-0 |
| 4 | North Mecklenburg | 0-0 |
| 5 | Green Level | 0-0 |
| 6 | Weddington | 0-0 |
| 7 | Clayton | 0-0 |
| 8 | Mt. Tabor | 0-0 |
| 9 | Holly Springs | 0-0 |
| 10 | Garner | 0-0 |
NCHSAA 3A
| Rank | School | Record |
| 1 | Ben Smith | 0-0 |
| 2 | Swansboro | 0-0 |
| 3 | Southern Durham | 0-0 |
| 4 | Ashbrook | 0-0 |
| 5 | Crest | 0-0 |
| 6 | North Lincoln | 0-0 |
| 7 | First Flight | 0-0 |
| 8 | Northern Nash | 0-0 |
| 9 | Seventy-First | 0-0 |
| 10 | Jay M. Robinson | 0-0 |
NCHSAA 2A
| Rank | School | Record |
| 1 | Reidsville | 0-0 |
| 2 | Farmville Central | 0-0 |
| 3 | West Bladen | 0-0 |
| 4 | Washington | 0-0 |
| 5 | Lincolnton | 0-0 |
| 6 | Lincoln Charter | 0-0 |
| 7 | Maiden | 0-0 |
| 8 | Pine Lake Prep | 0-0 |
| 9 | Hertford | 0-0 |
| 10 | Bandys | 0-0 |
NCHSAA 1A
| Rank | School | Record |
| 1 | Corvian Community | 0-0 |
| 2 | Southern Wake Academy | 1-0 |
| 3 | Queens Grant | 0-2 |
| 4 | Carolina International | 2-0 |
| 5 | South Stokes | 0-0 |
| 6 | Wilson Prep | 0-0 |
| 7 | Eastern Randolph | 0-0 |
| 8 | Bishop McGuinness | 0-0 |
| 9 | Northampton County | 0-0 |
| 10 | Washington County | 0-0 |
