Nine new teams join NC statewide high school basketball rankings as playoffs loom
Nine new teams join the N.C. high school statewide basketball poll.
The final rankings will release next month.
The polls are sponsored by The Charlotte Observer and the News & Observer of Raleigh and are compiled by longtime in-state basketball experts Alex Bass and Rick Lewis, co-hosts of The Observer’s streaming Talking Preps show.
Four new teams debut in the girls’ rankings:
▪ There are three new teams in the NCISAA girls’ poll: Asheville School, which has won seven straight games; Crossroads Christian, which has won four in a row; and unbeaten Rocky Mount Academy.
▪ There’s one new team in the public school girls’ rankings: 1A Northside-Pinetown is 22-1 and has won 13 straight games, powered by senior Olivia Jane Cahoon, a senior averaging 19.7 poiints, 4.2 rebounds, 4.5 steals and 3.5 assists per game.
There are five new boys’ teams this week:
▪ Former NCISAA state champion Carmel Christian joins the private school poll. Carmel will host No. 2 Providence Day in a state semifinal game at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
▪ Mint Hill’s Independence High is one of two new teams in the 4A rankings. The former two-time state champs won a share of the Southwestern 4A conference championship Friday and have won four of their past five games. Also in the 4A poll this week are the Green Level Gators from Cary. Green Level has won four straight led by senior Isaac Ericksen, who is averaging 18.1 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists.
▪ Hickory High is new to the 3A poll. The Red Tornadoes have won six straight games.
▪ Washington joins the 2A poll. The alma mater of NBA legend Dominique Wilkins is on a five-game win streak, led by junior Chaise Smith, a point guard averaging 20 points, 6.3 assists and 2.2 steals per game.
Girls’ rankings
NCISAA
| Rk | School | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1 | Grace Christian | 20-4 | 1 |
| 2 | Wesleyan Christian | 24-6 | 2 |
| 3 | Providence Day | 25-7 | 3 |
| 4 | Cannon School | 24-7 | 4 |
| 5 | Concord Academy | 25-6 | 5 |
| 6 | Greensboro Day | 21-9 | 6 |
| 7 | Victory Christian | 13-9 | 9 |
| 8 | Asheville School | 20-4 | NR |
| 9 | Crossroads Christian | 14-2 | NR |
| 10 | Rocky Mount Academy | 20-0 | NR |
NCHSAA 4A
| Rk | School | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1 | Lake Norman | 22-1 | 1 |
| 2 | North Mecklenburg | 21-2 | 2 |
| 3 | McDowell | 24-0 | 3 |
| 4 | Southeast Raleigh | 23-1 | 4 |
| 5 | Butler | 21-2 | 5 |
| 6 | Mallard Creek | 21-3 | 6 |
| 7 | Wakefield | 19-3 | 7 |
| 8 | Chapel Hill | 21-3 | 8 |
| 9 | Hoggard | 23-1 | 9 |
| 10 | Hickory Ridge | 17-7 | 10 |
NCHSAA 3A
| Rk | School | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1 | Terry Sanford | 21-3 | 1 |
| 2 | North Lincoln | 22-1 | 2 |
| 3 | South Central | 20-4 | 3 |
| 4 | Rocky Mount | 19-1 | 4 |
| 5 | J.M. Robinson | 20-4 | 5 |
| 6 | Pisgah | 21-2 | 6 |
| 7 | East Lincoln | 19-5 | 7 |
| 8 | Cramer | 22-2 | 8 |
| 9 | Ben L. Smith | 20-3 | 9 |
| 10 | Union Pines | 22-1 | 10 |
NCHSAA 2A
| Rk | School | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1 | East Burke | 23-1 | 1 |
| 2 | North Wilkes | 23-1 | 2 |
| 3 | T.W. Andrews | 20-1 | 3 |
| 4 | Fairmont | 21-1 | 4 |
| 5 | Southeast Alamance | 21-2 | 5 |
| 6 | Goldsboro | 22-2 | 6 |
| 7 | East Duplin | 22-2 | 8 |
| 8 | Seaforth | 21-2 | 9 |
| 9 | Kinston | 20-3 | 10 |
| 10 | Maiden | 20-4 | 7 |
NCHSAA 1A
| Rk | School | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1 | Cherokee | 20-2 | 1 |
| 2 | Bishop McGuinness | 21-2 | 2 |
| 3 | Mountain Heritage | 20-3 | 3 |
| 4 | East Bladen | 21-3 | 4 |
| 5 | Albemarle | 20-4 | 5 |
| 6 | Perquimans | 22-2 | 6 |
| 7 | East Columbus | 15-4 | 7 |
| 8 | Gates | 21-1 | 8 |
| 9 | North Duplin | 19-4 | 9 |
| 10 | Northside-Pinetown | 22-1 | NR |
Boys’ rankings
NCISAA
| Rk | School | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1 | Christ School | 24-2 | 1 |
| 2 | Providence Day | 27-4 | 2 |
| 3 | Concord Academy | 30-3 | 3 |
| 4 | Forsyth Country Day | 27-5 | 4 |
| 5 | Greensboro Day | 29-5 | 5 |
| 6 | Caldwell Academy | 24-9 | 6 |
| 7 | Harrells Christian | 30-2 | 7 |
| 8 | Davidson Day | 22-12 | 8 |
| 9 | Gaston Christian | 25-7 | 10 |
| 10 | Carmel Christian | 17-8 | NR |
NCHSAA 4A
| Rk | School | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1 | Lake Norman | 23-1 | 1 |
| 2 | North Mecklenburg | 22-2 | 2 |
| 3 | New Hanover | 22-2 | 3 |
| 4 | Garner | 21-2 | 4 |
| 5 | West Forsyth | 22-2 | 6 |
| 6 | Sanderson | 21-3 | 9 |
| 7 | Jordan | 21-3 | 5 |
| 8 | Hoggard | 19-4 | 10 |
| 9 | Independence | 19-5 | NR |
| 10 | Green Level | 20-4 | NR |
NCHSAA 3A
| Rk | School | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1 | Swansboro | 19-1 | 1 |
| 2 | Southern Durham | 22-2 | 2 |
| 3 | Crest | 19-2 | 4 |
| 4 | Ben Smith | 21-3 | 5 |
| 5 | Jay M. Robinson | 21-3 | 6 |
| 6 | Ashbrook | 21-3 | 7 |
| 7 | Seventy-First | 17-3 | 8 |
| 8 | Southern Lee | 19-3 | 3 |
| 9 | Person | 22-2 | 9 |
| 10 | Hickory | 15-4 | NR |
NCHSAA 2A
| Rk. | School | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1 | Reidsville | 23-0 | 1 |
| 2 | West Bladen | 23-1 | 2 |
| 3 | Farmville Central | 20-4 | 3 |
| 4 | Northwood | 22-2 | 4 |
| 5 | Randleman | 21-1 | 5 |
| 6 | Salisbury | 21-3 | 7 |
| 7 | Kinston | 18-4 | 8 |
| 8 | Maiden | 19-4 | 9 |
| 9 | Lincolnton | 19-5 | 6 |
| 10 | Washington | 18-6 | NR |
NCHSAA 1A
| Rk | School | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1 | Southern Wake Academy | 22-4 | 1 |
| 2 | Queens Grant | 21-7 | 2 |
| 3 | South Stokes | 22-2 | 3 |
| 4 | Bishop McGuinness | 21-2 | 4 |
| 5 | Washington County | 17-2 | 6 |
| 6 | Wilson Prep | 17-5 | 5 |
| 7 | Carolina International | 19-7 | 7 |
| 8 | College Prep & Leadership Academy | 19-5 | 8 |
| 9 | Corvian Community | 17-6 | 9 |
| 10 | Wake Prep Academy | 21-3 | 10 |
