Don’t tell Chambers it’s shorthanded. Cougars make a jump in Observer’s Sweet 16 poll
Chambers High School lost two of the best players in the state as transfers, but the Cougars are still playing quality basketball.
The Cougars beat N.C. 4A Eastern Regional champion and state finalist Wilmington New Hanover, 80-66, at Saturday’s George Lynch Invitational to improve to 3-1.
Chambers jumps from No. 11 to No. 5 in the first regular-season Sweet 16 boys’ basketball poll of the season.
The Cougars are playing without two top 100 talents. Tarris Bouie, who has committed to Alabama, transferred to SPIRE (OH) Academy. Markus Kerr transferred to Brewster (NH) Academy and reclassified back into the junior class.
Elsewhere in the boys’ poll, there are two new teams: Butler (1-0) is No. 14, and 3-0 Weddington checks in at No. 16.
New No. 1 in the girls’ poll
Preseason No. 1 Cannon School (4-2) fell to No. 8, and North Mecklenburg’s girls take over the top spot, meaning the north Mecklenburg County is home to the No. 1 boys’ and No. 1 girls’ teams in the region.
North Mecklenburg (2-0) beat No. 12 North Lincoln (1-1) 79-49 Saturday.
New this week in the girls’ poll are 5-0 Gaston Christian, 6-1 Gaston Day and 2-1 Hickory Ridge.
Note: The Sweet 16, which began in 1984, ranks the top teams in The Observer’s coverage area, which currently includes NCHSAA and NCISAA teams in Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln and Union counties.
The boys’ poll is ranked by Rick Lewis and the girls’ poll by Randall Clark. Both men are longtime N.C. high school basketball experts and co-hosts of The Observer’s streaming show, which will shift focus from football to basketball in January.
Observer boys’ Sweet 16
Rk., School, Rec., Prvs.
1. North Mecklenburg (1-0), 1
2. Davidson Day (5-1), 2
3. Gaston Christian (9-0), 6
4. Concord Academy (7-0), 9
5. Chambers (3-1), 11
6. Queen’s Grant (4-3), 3
7. West Charlotte (1-0), 8
8. Myers Park (1-2), 4
9. Mooresville (1-0), 10
10. Independence (1-0), 14
11. Providence Day (0-4), 5
12. Charlotte Catholic (2-0), 16
13. Hunter Huss (0-1), 13
14. Butler (1-0), NR
15. Hickory Ridge (2-1), 15
16. Weddington (3-0), NR
Observer girls’ Sweet 16
Rk., School, Rec, Prvs.
1. North Mecklenburg (2-0), 2
2. Mallard Creek (2-0), 3
3. Lake Norman (2-0), 5
4. Providence Day (3-0), 6
5. Porter Ridge (2-0), 7
6. Marvin Ridge (1-1), 4
7. Queen’s Grant (5-0), 12
8. Cannon School (4-2), 1
9. Gaston Christian (5-0), NR
10. Stuart Cramer (0-0), 9
11. Ardrey Kell (2-1), 10
12. North Lincoln (1-1), 11
13. South Mecklenburg (1-1), 13
14. Gaston Day (6-1), NR
15. Hough (2-0), NR
16. Hickory Ridge (2-1), 15
