There’s a new No. 1 team in The Observer’s Sweet 16 high school basketball polls
The latest Charlotte Observer Sweet 16 high school basketball polls don’t have many changes in the rankings.
There are no new teams in the boys’ poll, for example, though a few teams did move around a good bit.
Charlotte Catholic (11-2) jumped from No. 14 to No. 11, threatening to break into the top 10.
Marvin Ridge (12-3), formerly No. 5, fell to No. 12, after losing, 72-54, at Charlotte Catholic Friday.
Ardrey Kell’s girls (12-3) are the only new team in either poll. The Knights have won six straight games, including Friday’s 49-47 win at home over Rocky River.
But there is a change at the top of the girls’ poll.
Mallard Creek jumped from No. 8 to No. 4 after upsetting previous No. 1 North Meck at home Tuesday.
This week, North Meck fell to No. 2 and Lake Norman moved up a spot to No. 1.
Lake Norman, which won the 2024-25 Sweet 16 championship, is the reigning N.C. 4A state champion.
This season, the Wildcats are 10-1, with their only loss coming to N.C. small school state power Cherokee, the reigning 1A state champion. Lake Norman has won three straight games and plays at South Iredell (6-8) on Friday.
Note: The Sweet 16 polls, which began in the 1984-85 school year, rank the top teams in The Observer’s coverage area, which includes NCHSAA and NCISAA teams in Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln and Union counties.
The rankings are compiled by longtime N.C. high school basketball experts Randall Clark and Rick Lewis, co-hosts of The Observer’s streaming Talking Preps show.
Sweet 16 boys’ basketball rankings
Rk, School, Rec., Prvs.
1 Concord Academy (18-2), 1
2 Queens Grant (17-3), 2
3 North Mecklenburg (12-2), 3
4 West Charlotte (11-2), 4
5 Hunter Huss (13-2), 6
6 Gaston Christian (19-4), 7
7 Davidson Day (14-8), 8
8 Providence Day (12-5), 9
9 Ardrey Kell (13-2), 10
10 Jay M. Robinson (11-1), 11
11 Charlotte Catholic (13-2), 14
12 Marvin Ridge (12-3), 5
13 Mooresville (12-2), 13
14 East Lincoln (13-1), 15
15 Myers Park (9-5), 16
16 Butler (12-3), 12
Sweet 16 girls’ basketball rankings
Rk, School, Rec, Prvs.
1 Lake Norman (10-1), 2
2 North Mecklenburg (12-2), 1
3 Marvin Ridge (12-3), 6
4 Mallard Creek (11-4), 8
5 Providence Day (14-3), 4
6 Queens Grant (15-2), 5
7 Porter Ridge (12-3), 3
8 North Lincoln (11-3), 7
9 Cannon School (12-5), 9
10 Stuart Cramer (12-1), 10
11 South Meck (11-3), 14
12 East Lincoln (12-2), 15
13 Gaston Christian (12-3), 11
14 Northwest Cabbarus (11-3), 12
15 Concord Academy (14-7), 16
16 Ardrey Kell (12-3), NR
