Charlotte Hoops Challenge highlights busy basketball week

The Charlotte Hoops Challenge Friday highlights a busy week in high school basketball locally. That event, which runs Friday and Saturday at Myers Park High School, features the top seven girls teams in the Observer’s Sweet 16 field.

The boys field is especially loaded, too. It features three of the top five Sweet 16 teams, two nationally ranked teams and two candidates for national player of the year.

Raleigh Word of God and High Point Christian are both ranked in most national polls. Word of God senior Rawle Alkins, a 6-4 shooting guard, and High Point Christian 6-10 senior forward Edrice “Bam” Adebayo, are among 50 candidates to win the Naismith Trophy as national high school player of the year.

Word of God will play Sweet 16 No. 1 Providence Day Friday at 7:30 p.m. High Point Christian will play Providence Day Saturday at 7:30. The Chargers, who played at Huntersville’s SouthLake Christian Tuesday, began the season with games against three national powers -- Oak Hill (Va.), Mountain Mission (Va.) and High Point Wesleyan. After this weekend, the Chargers face another national power in NCISAA 3A champ Greensboro Day Dec. 1.

On Dec. 19, Providence Day plays in the nationally reknown Chick-Fil-A Classic in Columbia, S.C., and opens with Greenforest Academy (GA), when the Chargers will face another national player of the year candidate in Greenforest 7-foot junior center Ikechukwu Obiagu.

Here’s a rundown of this week’s other top games:

No. 3 Rocky River girls vs. No. 7 Charlotte Christian, Charlotte Hoops Challenge at Myers Park, Friday, 2 p.m.: A rare public-private matchup and one between teams with legitimate state title contention hopes. Charlotte Christian’s Kerstie Phills is averaging around 25 points per game and will lead her team against an athletic Ravens team, expected to challenge Myers Park for a Southwestern 4A league title.

Collins Hill (Ga) vs. Olympic, Charlotte Hoops Challenge at Myers Park, Friday, 4:30 p.m.: Former Olympic High coach Ty Baumgardner, who led the Trojans to a magical undefeated state championship run a few years ago, is now coaching at Collins Hill and returns to take on his old squad. Olympic lost several starters to transfer, all players who look like college recruits, so this game doesn’t quite the “juice” it might have had.

Northside Christian vs. No. 1 Providence Day girls, Charlotte Hoops Challenge at Myers Park, Friday, 6 p.m.: Two of the state’s best interior players, Providence Day’s Janelle Bailey and Northside’s Eleah Parker, battle in a game that matches 6-time state 3A private school champ against Providence Day against 2015 NCISAA 2A state runner-up Northside.

Mooresville vs. No. 2 North Mecklenburg, Leroy Holden Classic at North Meck, Friday, 7:30 p.m.: The Vikings have gotten off to a 3-0 start this season and feature senior point guard Davion Mintz, a Creighton signee, and 6-6 Jaylen McManus, one of the state’s top unsigned seniors. Mooresville is a big rival and sure to bring a big crowd, as it hunts a very big upset.

No. 1 Providence Day girls vs. No. 4 Ardrey Kell, Charlotte Hoops Challenge at Myers Park, Saturday, noon: Another rare public-private matchup between state title contenders.

No. 5 Concord Robinson vs. No. 3 Butler, Charlotte Hoops Challenge at Myers Park, Saturday, 4:30 p.m.: Two of the area’s top guards -- and two of the area’s top teams hook up. Robinson’s Lavar Batts Jr. is the top-ranked N.C. recruit in the class of 2017. Butler senior RaeQuan Scott is one of the area’s most dynamic scorers at the guard spot.

No. 2 Myers Park girls vs. No. 5 Davidson Day, Charlotte Hoops Challenge at Myers Park, Saturday, 6 p.m.: Another big-time girls public-private matchup chock full of college recruits, including Davidson Day’s Maya Caldwell and Myers Park’s Chanin Scott, a Kentucky signee.

Charlotte Area Tournaments Week of Nov. 23-29

Brad Thompson Shootout

Tuesday, Nov. 24

At Porter Ridge

West Stanly vs. Olympic, 4 (Girls)

West Stanly vs. Olympic, 5:30 (Boys)

Piedmont at Porter Ridge, 7 (Girls)

Piedmont at Porter Ridge, 8:30 (Boys)

Spartan Classic

At Sun Valley

Tuesday, Nov. 24

Cuthbertson vs. Union Academy, 4 (Girls)

Cuthbertson vs. Union Academy, 5:30 (Boys)

East Mecklenburg at Sun Valley, 7 (Girls)

East Mecklenburg at Sun Valley, 8:30 (Boys)

Charlotte Hoops Challenge

Friday, Nov. 27

At Myers Park

Gym 1

Rocky River vs. Concord First Assembly, 12:30 (Boys)

Rocky River vs. Charlotte Christian, 2 (Girls)

Grace Christian vs. Carmel Christian, 3:30 (Boys)

Victory Christian vs. Burlington School, 5 (Boys)

Gym 2

South Mecklenburg vs. Central Cabarrus, 1:30 (Girls)

South Mecklenburg vs. Davidson Day, 3 (Boys)

Collins Hill vs. Olympic, 4:30 (Boys)

Northside Christian vs. Providence Day, 6 (Girls)

Word of God vs. Providence Day, 7:30 (Boys)

Saturday, Nov. 28

At Myers Park

Gym 1

Hopewell vs. Grace Christian, 12:30 (Boys)

Hopewell vs. Northside Christian, 2 (Girls)

Burlington School vs. Word of God, 3:30 (Boys)

Cannon School vs. Olympic, 5 (Boys)

Gym 2

Providence Day vs. Ardrey Kell, Noon (Girls)

Concord First Assembly vs. Collins Hill, 1:30 (Boys)

Myers Park vs. Charlotte Catholic, 3 (Boys)

Jay M. Robinson vs. Butler, 4:30 (Boys)

Myers Park vs. Davidson Day, 6 (Girls)

Providence Day vs. High Point Christian, 7:30 (Boys)

Leroy Holden Classic

Friday, Nov. 27

At North Mecklenburg

Community School of Davidson vs. Lake Norman Charter (Girls)

Mooresville at North Mecklenburg (Girls)

Community School of Davidson vs. Lake Norman Charter (Boys)

Mooresville at North Mecklenburg (Boys)

Saturday, Nov. 28

At North Mecklenburg

Loser CSD-Lake Norman Charter vs. Loser Mooresville-North Mecklenburg (Girls)

Loser CSD-Lake Norman Charter vs. Loser Mooresville-North Mecklenburg (Girls)

Winner CSD-Lake Norman Charter vs. Winner Mooresville-North Mecklenburg (Boys)

Winner CSD-Lake Norman Charter vs. Winner Mooresville-North Mecklenburg (Boys)

Marvin Ridge Classic

Fri., Nov. 27

At Marvin Ridge

York Prep vs. Metrolina Christian, 5:30 (Boys)

Berry at Marvin Ridge, 7 (Boys)

Sat., Nov. 28

Berry vs. Metrolina Christian, 1 (Boys)

York Prep at Marvin Ridge, 2:30 (Boys)

Regular Games

Tuesday, November 24

Ardrey Kell at Weddington

Burns at East Gaston

Butler at South Mecklenburg

Cannon School at Concord First Assembly

Carson at Central Cabarrus

Charlotte Country Day at Victory Christian

Charlotte Latin at Greensboro Day

Christ the King at Carmel Christian

Crest at Ashbrook

Comenius at Carolina Christian

Davidson Day at Gaston Day

Fort Mill vs. Lower Richland or River Bluff in Lower Richland Thanksgiving Tip-Off

Garinger at West Mecklenburg

Harding at West Charlotte

Highland Tech at South Point

Jay M. Robinson at West Rowan

Lake Norman at Forestview

Maiden at West Iredell

Metrolina Christian at Covenant Day

Myers Park at Providence

North Gaston at Bessemer City

North Hills Christian at Community School of Davidson

North Iredell at West Wilkes

North Stanly at Mount Pleasant

Piedmont Charter at Hunter Huss

Providence Day at SouthLake Christian

Queens Grant at Charlotte Christian

Sugar Creek Charter at Cherryville

Thomas Jefferson Academy at Mountain Island Charter

Vance at Berry

West Lincoln at Draughn

Winston-Salem Christian at Statesville Christian

Wednesday, November 25

Crossroads Charter vs. R.J. Reynolds in Roscoe Turner Classic (at Parkland High)

Fort Mill vs. TBD in Lower Richland High Thanksgiving Tip-Off

South Iredell at Elkin

Vance at Parkland (Boys)

Friday, November 27

Charlotte United Christian vs. National Christian in Bull City Classic (at Hillside High), 3:20

Evelyn Mack vs. Tennessee Prep in Bull City Classic (at Hillside High), 10:20 a.m.

Greensboro Day vs. SouthLake Christian (at Wheatmore High)

Saturday, November 28

Charlotte United vs. Bull City Prep or Indiana Prep in Bull City Classic

Evelyn Mack vs. Swish City Prep or Capitol Christian in Bull City Classic

Forest Hills vs. Riverside in Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at UNC Asheville (Girls)

Forest Hills vs. Crest in Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at UNC Asheville (Boys)

Vance vs. West Forsyth in Bobby Martin Classic (at RJ Reynolds High) (Boys)

This story was originally published November 24, 2015 at 7:17 PM with the headline "Charlotte Hoops Challenge highlights busy basketball week."