An unbeaten team from Cabarrus County joins The Observer’s Sweet 16 basketball rankings
There is one new team in The Charlotte Observer’s Sweet 16 regional poll this week.
The media company started the poll in the 1984-85 season and it ranks the top boys’ and girls’ high school basketball teams in its coverage zone.
As for the new team this week? Welcome unbeaten Carolina International to the rankings.
Not heard of the Comets? That’s OK. Carolina International is a 1A public charter school from Concord that plays in the N.C. High School Athletic Association.
The Comets’ boys’ team is 9-0 and just completed back-to-back wins against 3A Greensboro Dudley and 4A Marvin Ridge.
Junior KJ Shouse (18 ppg, 6.6 rpg) and senior Landon Griffin (15 ppg, 2.0 apg) lead Carolina International, which is one of three unbeatens in the regional poll this week. No. 1 Lake Norman (8-0) and No. 8 Hopewell (8-0) are the other two.
Girls’ Sweet 16 rankings
| Rk. | School | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1 | Cannon School | 12-3 | 1 |
| 2 | Lake Norman | 9-1 | 2 |
| 3 | Mallard Creek | 8-1 | 3 |
| 4 | North Mecklenburg | 6-1 | 4 |
| 5 | Marvin Ridge | 8-1 | 5 |
| 6 | South Mecklenburg | 9-2 | 6 |
| 7 | Concord Academy | 12-5 | 7 |
| 8 | Butler | 9-1 | 8 |
| 9 | Hough | 7-1 | 9 |
| 10 | North Lincoln | 6-1 | 10 |
| 11 | Cramer | 8-1 | 11 |
| 12 | Hickory Ridge | 7-2 | 12 |
| 13 | Robinson | 6-3 | 13 |
| 14 | Porter Ridge | 10-1 | 14 |
| 15 | East Lincoln | 5-3 | 15 |
| 16 | Victory Christian | 4-3 | 16 |
Boys’ Sweet 16 rankings
| Rk. | School | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1 | Lake Norman | 8-0 | 1 |
| 2 | Providence Day | 11-3 | 2 |
| 3 | Concord Academy | 15-2 | 3 |
| 4 | North Mecklenburg | 9-2 | 4 |
| 5 | Davidson Day | 11-8 | 5 |
| 6 | Ardrey Kell | 7-1 | 8 |
| 7 | Gaston Christian | 12-3 | 9 |
| 8 | Hopewell | 8-0 | 10 |
| 9 | Mooresville | 9-2 | 11 |
| 10 | Independence | 9-1 | 15 |
| 11 | Charlotte Catholic | 9-1 | 6 |
| 12 | Queens Grant | 9-4 | 13 |
| 13 | J.L. Chambers | 5-5 | 7 |
| 14 | Carmel Christian | 11-4 | 12 |
| 15 | Weddington | 8-3 | 14 |
| 16 | Carolina International | 9-0 | NR |
This story was originally published December 23, 2024 at 6:30 AM.
