Duplin County lands two new teams in NC state rankings; Lake Norman still chasing history
Five new teams join this week’s N.C. statewide high school basketball rankings from The Charlotte Observer and the News & Observer of Raleigh.
Two of those five teams are from Duplin County.
Meanwhile, all 10 No. 1 teams held onto to the top spot, including the boys’ and girls’ teams at Lake Norman, seeking to become the first school to win NCHSAA 4A titles in both sports in more than 30 years.
The rankings are compiled by longtime N.C. basketball experts Rick Lewis and Alex Bass, co-hosts of The Charlotte Observer’s “Talking Preps” streaming show.
A little on this week’s new teams:
▪ Saint John Paul II joins the girls’ private rankings. The Saints, based in Greenville, have won seven straight games, led Aaliyah Hinnant (18.6 ppg), who is making 50 percent of her field goal attempts.
▪ East Duplin joins the 2A girls’ poll this week. The Panthers, from Beulaville — a town of 1,200 people about 90 minutes from Raleigh — have won four straight games and 13 of their past 14. Senior Jamyah Pickett (10.5 ppg, 9.3 rpg) and Sophomore Kinsey Cave (10.1 ppg, 3.8 apg) lead East Duplin, which plays a home conference game against South Lenoir (1-11) Tuesday.
▪ North Duplin joins the 1A girls’ poll. The Rebels, from Calypso — a town of fewer than 500 about an hour’s drive from Raleigh — have won five straight games. Led by senior Tateyawna Faison (15.5 ppg, 14.1 rpg, 3.5 bpg, 2.5 spg), North Duplin has a big home game Tuesday with Neuse Charter (14-4)
▪ Carmel Christian joins the private school boys’ rankings. The Cougars (12-5) started the season 1-3, but have hit their stride since star player Bryce Slay has returned from injury. Carmel has won 11 of its 13 games, including an upset of Concord Academy last week. Concord Academy fell two spots, from No. 2 to No. 4 this week.
▪ A three-game win streak has helped return past NCHSAA 4A state champion Charlotte Catholic to the 4A boys’ rankings. The Cougars (13-3) play East Mecklenburg at home Tuesday.
NC girls’ rankings
NCISAA
| Rk | School | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1 | Cannon School | 14-5 | 1 |
| 2 | Concord Academy | 15-6 | 2 |
| 3 | Grace Christian | 11-4 | 3 |
| 4 | Wesleyan Christian | 14-5 | 4 |
| 5 | Providence Day | 16-6 | 9 |
| 6 | Greensboro Day | 14-6 | 5 |
| 7 | Victory Christian | 5-3 | 6 |
| 8 | Charlotte Country Day | 13-6 | 7 |
| 9 | Caldwell Academy | 7-1 | 10 |
| 10 | Saint John Paul II | 14-1 | NR |
NCHSAA 4A
| Rk | School | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1 | Lake Norman | 11-1 | 1 |
| 2 | Mallard Creek | 13-2 | 2 |
| 3 | North Mecklenburg | 11-2 | 3 |
| 4 | McDowell | 14-0 | 4 |
| 5 | Southeast Raleigh | 11-1 | 5 |
| 6 | Marvin Ridge | 11-4 | 6 |
| 7 | South Mecklenburg | 13-2 | 7 |
| 8 | Butler | 13-1 | 8 |
| 9 | Apex Friendship | 11-2 | 9 |
| 10 | Watauga | 7-4 | 10 |
NCHSAA 3A
| Rk | School | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1 | Terry Sanford | 12-2 | 1 |
| 2 | North Lincoln | 12-1 | 2 |
| 3 | Cramer | 13-1 | 3 |
| 4 | South Central | 10-4 | 4 |
| 5 | Rocky Mount | 10-1 | 5 |
| 6 | East Lincoln | 11-3 | 6 |
| 7 | Ben L. Smith | 11-2 | 7 |
| 8 | J.M. Robinson | 11-4 | 8 |
| 9 | Pisgah | 12-2 | 9 |
| 10 | Union Pines | 15-0 | 10 |
NCHSAA 2A
| Rk | School | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1 | East Burke | 13-1 | 1 |
| 2 | North Wilkes | 13-1 | 2 |
| 3 | Seaforth | 12-1 | 3 |
| 4 | T.W. Andrews | 8-0 | 4 |
| 5 | Fairmont | 11-1 | 5 |
| 6 | Goldsboro | 10-2 | 6 |
| 7 | Maiden | 11-2 | 7 |
| 8 | East Duplin | 13-2 | NR |
| 9 | Newton-Conover | 10-2 | 9 |
| 10 | Southeast Alamance | 11-2 | 10 |
NCHSAA 1A
| Rk | School | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1 | Cherokee | 10-1 | 1 |
| 2 | Bishop McGuinness | 9-0 | 2 |
| 3 | Perquimans | 13-0 | 3 |
| 4 | Mountain Heritage | 10-2 | 4 |
| 5 | East Bladen | 12-2 | 6 |
| 6 | Gates | 13-0 | 7 |
| 7 | East Columbus | 7-3 | 8 |
| 8 | North Duplin | 10-3 | NR |
| 9 | Bear Grass Charter | 8-4 | 9 |
| 10 | Pamlico | 11-2 | 10 |
NC boys’ rankings
NCISAA
| Rk | School | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1 | Christ School | 14-0 | 1 |
| 2 | Providence Day | 16-4 | 4 |
| 3 | Forsyth Country Day | 18-3 | 5 |
| 4 | Concord Academy | 19-3 | 2 |
| 5 | Greensboro Day | 20-4 | 3 |
| 6 | Caldwell Academy | 16-7 | 6 |
| 7 | Gaston Christian | 16-5 | 8 |
| 8 | Harrells Christian | 18-2 | 9 |
| 9 | Davidson Day | 14-11 | 7 |
| 10 | Carmel Christian | 12-5 | NR |
NCHSAA 4A
| Rk | School | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1 | Lake Norman | 13-1 | 1 |
| 2 | Green Level | 12-2 | 2 |
| 3 | North Mecklenburg | 11-2 | 3 |
| 4 | New Hanover | 11-2 | 4 |
| 5 | Garner | 10-2 | 5 |
| 6 | Jordan | 10-2 | 6 |
| 7 | Ardrey Kell | 12-1 | 7 |
| 8 | Mooresville | 13-2 | 8 |
| 9 | Independence | 13-2 | 9 |
| 10 | Charlotte Catholic | 13-3 | NR |
NCHSAA 3A
| Rk | School | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1 | Swansboro | 11-0 | 1 |
| 2 | Southern Durham | 11-2 | 2 |
| 3 | Ben Smith | 12-2 | 3 |
| 4 | Southern Lee | 13-0 | 4 |
| 5 | Seventy-First | 8-1 | 6 |
| 6 | Person | 13-1 | 7 |
| 7 | Ashbrook | 12-2 | 10 |
| 8 | Jay M. Robinson | 13-2 | 8 |
| 9 | Crest | 9-1 | 5 |
| 10 | Huss | 8-4 | 9 |
NCHSAA 2A
| Rk | School | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1 | Reidsville | 12-0 | 1 |
| 2 | West Bladen | 14-1 | 2 |
| 3 | Farmville Central | 10-4 | 3 |
| 4 | Washington | 10-5 | 4 |
| 5 | Northwood | 13-2 | 6 |
| 6 | Maiden | 10-2 | 7 |
| 7 | Pine Lake Prep | 11-3 | 5 |
| 8 | Randleman | 12-1 | 9 |
| 9 | Lincolnton | 10-3 | 10 |
| 10 | Bandys | 9-3 | 8 |
NCHSAA 1A
| Rk | School | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1 | Southern Wake Academy | 13-3 | 1 |
| 2 | Queens Grant | 13-6 | 2 |
| 3 | South Stokes | 10-2 | 3 |
| 4 | Bishop McGuinness | 9-2 | 4 |
| 5 | Wilson Prep | 8-3 | 5 |
| 6 | Carolina International | 10-4 | 6 |
| 7 | Washington County | 8-0 | 7 |
| 8 | Corvian Community | 5-5 | 8 |
| 9 | Winston-Salem Prep | 9-1 | 9 |
| 10 | North Stokes | 9-4 | 10 |
