High school basketball gameday: Myers Park girls’ coach going for historic win Tuesday
Myers Park girls’ basketball coach Barbara Nelson said she’ll be happy to finally get her 800th high school victory.
For the past several weeks, Nelson has found herself answering the same question — a lot — most every Tuesday and Friday night:
How many is that?
“I think I’ll be glad to get it over with,” she said Friday night.
Nelson won her 799th game Friday, when Myers Park beat Ballantyne Ridge 60-18. Tuesday, Nelson will try to win her 800th game when the Mustangs (8-11, 6-1 SoMECK conference) play at Palisades (8-10, 3-4).
Myers Park is on top of the conference standings, just ahead of Ardrey Kell (11-7, 5-1) and South Mecklenburg (15-3, 5-1).
Tuesday, the Mustangs will try to make Nelson just the second N.C girls’ coach to get to 800. She already has nine state championships.
Southwest Edgecombe’s Sandra Langley got her 800th win in 2021 and now has 857. Langley started the program at the school in 1978 and has been its only coach. She’s coached for 47 years.
Nelson, in her 39th season, is second in all-time wins ahead of McDowell’s Mike Silver and Pine Forest’s Thomas Jackson, who both have 650.
Nationally, 35 girls’ basketball coaches have reached 800 wins.
Now Nelson — whom The Observer named the top girls’ Mecklenburg County coach of the past 40 years — has a chance to join that list.
Here is a preview of the other top Tuesday and Wednesday games, along with a complete schedule:
TUESDAY
(Boys) Ambassador Christian (14-4) at No. 6 Carmel Christian, 7 p.m. — This one should be entertaining. Ambassador Christian, a first-year program coached by former Myers Park bench boss Scott Taylor, has won seven in a row. Carmel Christian is playing well, with impressive recent victories over Weddington, Concord Academy and High Point Wesleyan. Bryce Slay is averaging 19 points a game.
(Boys) No. 14 Charlotte Catholic (15-4, 6-1 Southwestern 4A) at No. 10 Independence (14-4, 5-1), around 7:30 p.m. — Independence won the teams’ first meeting, 63-51 in December, and the Patriots did it with their customary tough defense. They held the Cougars to 31% shooting from the floor (and just 16%, on 3-of-18, from three-point range). Lusemo Macharia led the Patriots in that first meeting, with 17 points and 12 rebounds.
(Girls) Community School of Davidson (12-5, 7-1 Catawba Shores 1A-2A) at Lincoln Charter (10-6, 8-0), around 6 p.m. — In the teams’ first meeting, on Dec. 17, Lincoln Charter erased a third-quarter deficit and beat the Spartans 51-44. Taylor Riggenbach scored 19 points that night for Lincoln Charter, and she’s been leading the team in recent weeks. The Eagles defended the Spartans’ Regan Downey closely that night, but she still scored 17 points.
(Girls) Porter Ridge (14-3, 1-1 Southern Carolina 4A) at No. 11 Marvin Ridge (13-5, 3-0), around 6 p.m. — If nothing else, this game gives you a chance to see Porter Ridge sophomore Ashanti Taylor, who is averaging 33.8 points, 10.3 rebounds and 5.2 steals a game. She is outstanding. But Marvin Ridge plays excellent defense and is led by Kate Schindler (17.1 ppg). The Mavericks have hopes of going a long way in the playoffs this year.
(Boys) Western Foothills 3A battles — Hickory at North Lincoln, and Statesville at East Lincoln, around 7:45 p.m. — These four teams are tied atop the conference with 6-2 records. The first Hickory-North Lincoln game, back in early January, was a thriller, with Hickory winning 80-78. North Lincoln’s Kellen Karr came up huge, with 17 points and 18 rebounds. East Lincoln trounced Statesville 99-74 in early January, scoring 56 first-half points. Jackson Fannon scored 31 points for East Lincoln that night, while Statesville’s M.J. Gladden had 17 points and nine rebounds.
(Boys) No. 2 Providence Day (21-4, 6-0 CISAA) at Charlotte Country Day (14-10, 2-2), around 7 p.m. — Nick Hailey scored 19 points for Providence Day in Friday’s victory at Covenant Day, and he has been a consistent force for the Chargers. The host Buccaneers badly need a victory here to stay in the CISAA race.
WEDNESDAY
(Girls) Jackson Day (14-8, 4-1 Metro 1A) at Queen’s Grant Charter (10-4, 2-0), around 5:30 p.m. — Two of the area’s top 1A girls’ programs square off. Queen’s Grant Charter has two of the region’s best players, in freshman Za’Miya Bynum (28.9 ppg) and junior Misa Garris (20.7 ppg). Laylah Toscano (15.4 ppg, 4.3 spg) leads Jackson Day.
The schedule
(Unless otherwise listed, all matchups are girls-boys doubleheaders, with girls’ games at 6 p.m. and boys’ games following)
TUESDAY
Queen City 3A-4A
Chambers at Hough
Hopewell at Mallard Creek
North Mecklenburg at Harding
West Mecklenburg at West Charlotte
SoMeck 4A
Ardrey Kell at Ballantyne Ridge
Myers Park at Palisades
South Mecklenburg at Berry Academy
Southwestern 4A
Butler at Providence
Charlotte Catholic at Independence
Garinger at East Mecklenburg
CISAA
Charlotte Christian at Covenant Day, 5:30 p.m.
Providence Day at Charlotte Country Day, 5:30 p.m.
Charlotte Latin at Cannon School, 5:30 p.m.
Greater Metro 4 4A
A.L. Brown at Lake Norman
Hickory Ridge at Mooresville
West Cabarrus at Cox Mill
Southern Carolina 4A
Porter Ridge at Marvin Ridge
Sun Valley at Cuthbertson
Big South 3A
Crest at Forestview
North Gaston at Hunter Huss
South Point at Ashbrook
Stuart Cramer at Kings Mountain
South Piedmont 3A
East Rowan at Jesse Carson
Lake Norman Charter at Concord
South Rowan at Northwest Cabarrus
West Rowan at Jay M. Robinson
Western Foothills 3A
Hickory at North Lincoln
St. Stephens at North Iredell
Statesville at East Lincoln
West Iredell at Fred T. Foard
Rocky River 2A-3A
Anson County at Central Academy
Piedmont at Monroe
West Stanly at Parkwood
Catawba Valley 2A
Bandys at East Burke
Newton-Conover at Lincolnton
West Caldwell at Bunker Hill
West Lincoln at Maiden
Catawba Shores 1A-2A
Community School of Davidson at Langtree Charter
Corvian Community at Langtree Charter
Mountain Island Charter at Christ the King
Pine Lake Prep at Bradford Prep
Southern Piedmont 1A-2A
Bessemer City at Thomas Jefferson Academy
Cherryville at Shelby
Highland Tech at Burns
Yadkin Valley 1A-2A
Mount Pleasant at Gray Stone Day
South Stanly at Albemarle
Union Academy at North Stanly
Metro 1A
Piedmont Community Charter at Sugar Creek Charter
Valor Prep at Queen’s Grant Charter
Metrolina Athletic
Concord Academy at SouthLake Christian, 5:30 p.m.
Hickory Grove Christian at Gaston Christian, 5:30 p.m.
Westminster Catawba at Metrolina Christian, 5:30 p.m.
Foothills Athletic
Statesville Christian at Hickory Christian, 5:30 p.m.
Nonconference
Ambassador Christian at Carmel Christian (boys), 7 p.m.
Ambassador Christian at Liberty Prep (girls), 6:30 p.m.
Elevation Prep at Winston-Salem Christian (boys)
Gaston Day at Legion Collegiate (SC) (boys), 5:30 p.m.
Gaston Day at UR Academy (girls), 5:30 p.m.
Nation Ford at Weddington
State Line Christian at Cabarrus Stallions (girls), 7 p.m.
Victory Christian at Fletcher School (girls), 5 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
Big South 3A
Forestview at Stuart Cramer
Rocky River 2A-3A
Parkwood at Central Academy
Piedmont at West Stanly
Southern Piedmont 1A-2A
Thomas Jefferson Academy at Shelby
Metro 1A
Jackson Day at Queen’s Grant Charter, 5:30 p.m.
Nonconference
A.L. Brown at Rocky River (girls), 7 p.m.
Central Cabarrus at East Mecklenburg
Hickory Ridge at Albemarle (girls), 6 p.m.
Lincoln Charter at Combine Academy (boys), 7 p.m.
Monroe at Sun Valley (boys), 7 p.m.
Mount Pleasant at North Rowan
1 of 1 Academy at Legion Collegiate (SC) (girls), 7 p.m.
THURSDAY
Metro 4 4A
Hickory Ridge at West Cabarrus
CISAA
Cannon School at Charlotte Country Day, 5:30 p.m.
Catawba Shores 1A-2A
Corvian Community at Christ the King
Metro 1A
Piedmont Community Charter at Carolina International School, 5:30 p.m.
Nonconference
Elevation Prep at Oak Ridge Military (boys), 7 p.m.
Forsyth Home Educators at Cabarrus Stallions
Lab Univ. Prep at Grace Academy (boys), 6:30 p.m.
Lake Norman Christian at Liberty Prep (boys), 7:30 p.m.
Lee Park Prep at Walnut Grove Christian (boys), 6 p.m.
Millers Creek Christian at Statesville Christian (boys), 6 p.m.
Providence Classical at Gaston Day (girls), 6 p.m.
South Charlotte Thunder at Hickory Christian, 5:30 p.m.
Union Academy at Valor Prep
UR Academy at Fletcher School (girls), 4 p.m.
Victory Christian at Ambassador Christian, 5:30 p.m.
FRIDAY
Queen City 3A-4A
Chambers at Harding
Hough at West Mecklenburg
North Mecklenburg at Mallard Creek
West Charlotte at Hopewell
SoMeck 4A
Ballantyne Ridge at Olympic
Berry Academy at Ardrey Kell
Palisades at South Mecklenburg
Southwestern 4A
East Mecklenburg at Butler
Independence at Garinger
Rocky River at Charlotte Catholic
CISAA
Cannon School at Providence Day, 5:30 p.m.
Charlotte Christian at Charlotte Country Day, 5:30 p.m.
Covenant Day at Charlotte Latin, 5:30 p.m.
Greater Metro 4 4A
Cox Mill at A.L. Brown
Hickory Ridge at South Iredell
Lake Norman at West Cabarrus
Southern Carolina 4A
Marvin Ridge at Cuthbertson
Weddington at Porter Ridge
Big South 3A
Ashbrook at Kings Mountain
Forestview at South Point
Hunter Huss at Crest
North Gaston at Stuart Cramer
South Piedmont 3A
Central Cabarrus at South Rowan
Concord at West Rowan
Jay M. Robinson at Jesse Carson
Northwest Cabarrus at Lake Norman Charter
Western Foothills 3A
East Lincoln at West Iredell
Fred T. Foard at Statesville
Hickory at St. Stephens
North Iredell at North Lincoln
Rocky River 2A-3A
Forest Hills at Piedmont
Parkwood at Anson County
West Stanly at Monroe
Catawba Valley 2A
East Burke at Newton-Conover
Lincolnton at Bandys
Maiden at West Caldwell
West Lincoln at Bunker Hill
Catawba Shores 1A-2A
Christ the King at Bradford Prep
Community School of Davidson at Corvian Community
Langtree Charter at Lincoln Charter
Mountain Island Charter at Pine Lake Prep
Southern Piedmont 1A-2A
Cherryville at Bessemer City
Shelby at Highland Tech
Thomas Jefferson Academy at East Gaston
Yadkin Valley 1A-2A
Albemarle at Union Academy
Gray Stone Day at North Stanly
South Stanly at Mount Pleasant
Metro 1A
Queen’s Grant Charter at Sugar Creek Charter, 5:30 p.m.
Valor Prep at Piedmont Community Charter, 5:30 p.m.
Metrolina Athletic
Gaston Day at Westminster Catawba, 5:30 p.m.
Hickory Grove Christian at Concord Academy, 5:30 p.m.
Metrolina Christian at SouthLake Christian, 5:30 p.m.
Foothills Athletic
University Christian at Salem Baptist, 5 p.m.
Nonconference
Arborbrook Christian at Victory Christian (girls), 7:30 p.m.
Cabarrus Stallions at Surry Homeschool
Carmel Christian at Gaston Christian (boys), 7 p.m.
Davidson Day at Ambassador Christian (boys), 7 p.m.
Jackson Day at Lab Univ. Prep (boys), 6 p.m.
Lake Norman Christian at South Charlotte Thunder (boys), 6:45 p.m.
North Hills Christian at Victory Christian (boys), 7:30 p.m.
Socrates Academy at Gaston Christian (girls), 5:30 p.m.
SATURDAY
Nonconference
Elevation Prep at New Life Christian (boys), 3 p.m.
North Mecklenburg vs. North Tampa Christian, in Longhorn Classic at Milton (GA) (boys), 3 p.m.
Victory Christian at Providence Day (boys), 2:30 p.m.