High School Basketball Gameday 12.10.15

Elevator

↑RaeQuan Scott, Butler: Senior guard committed to Lees McRae Thursday.

↑Vance: After winning six games in the 2014-15 season, Vance is 7-2 this season and on a six-game win streak. Vance got 53 combined points from guards Marcus Neal and Cam Hamilton in Wednesday’s 73-65 win over Hunter Huss.

↑Ray Kowalksi, Concord: Senior, signed to play at Southeast Mississippi State, topped 30 points twice this week and averages 25.6 for Concord (5-1), No. 3 in the Observer’s Sweet 16 poll.

↑Sage Surratt, East Lincoln: career-high 37 points, 10 rebounds in Wednesday’s 71-51 win against North Lincoln. Cameron Dollar had 15 points and sophomore Coleson Leach had a career-high nine points.

Notes

▪ Mountain Island Charter beat Cherryville 77-71 Wednesday and Patrick Austin posted his fourth double-double in five games: 14 points, 13 rebounds. Shaddai Boots had 27 points and seven assists for MIC.

▪ Two of the area’s hottest teams are in Union County. Cuthbertson, which made the N.C. 3A Western regionals last season, is 7-0. Weddington (7-1) has won six straight behind junior forward Ryan Schwieger, who is averaging 19 points, nine rebounds and three assists. The teams meet at Cuthbertson Jan. 5.

▪ Vance girls’ freshman Dazia Lawrence set a school scoring record in her first game this season. She hasn’t let up. She had 28 points, nine rebounds in Wednesday’s 66-42 win over Hunter Huss. Sophomore Ahlana Smith added 18 points, seven rebounds, five steals, four assists and two blocks. Vance plays at Kannapolis Brown Friday.

Friday’s Top Girls’ Games

No. 2 Hopewell (7-0, 1-0 MECKA 8) at No. 3 Mallard Creek (6-0, 1-0), 6 p.m.: Mallard Creek upset Myers Park last week, ending the Mustangs’ 93-game win streak against Mecklenburg County teams. Now, Mallard Creek faces another test against one of the league title favorites. Hopewell doesn’t have a double-figure scorer but averages nearly 20 steals per game.

No. 4 Myers Park (5-1) at No. 11 Hough (5-3), 6 p.m.: Myers Park, the two-time reigning N.C. 4A champion, is allowing just 44 points per game. Hough comes off a 46-34 loss to No. 2 Hopewell this week and faces its second straight top 5 team.

Friday’s Top Boys’ Games

No. 2 North Mecklenburg (8-0, 1-0) vs. No. 8 West Charlotte (3-2, 1-0) at J.C. Smith, Friday, 7:30 p.m.: One of the top rivalries in Mecklenburg County renews. North Mecklenburg appear to be one of the state’s best teams, regardless of class. The Vikings’ average margin of victory is 34.2 points. West Charlotte has lost two of its past three games.

No. 7 Cox Mill (7-0, 4-0 South Piedmont 3A) at No. 3 Concord (5-1, 3-1), 7:30 p.m.: Concord was upset 72-67 by Hickory Ridge Monday, when North Carolina coach Roy Williams came to watch Concord 6-7 sophomore point guard Rechon Black. The Spiders want to keep pace with unbeatn conference rivals Concord Robinson and Cox Mill. Cox Mill got 18 points and seven rebounds from Messiah Baptiste to beat Lake Norman Charter 69-66 Wednesday.

Hickory Ridge (4-1, 2-1 South Piedmont 3A) at No. 4 Concord Robinson (5-0, 3-0), 7:30 p.m.: Hickory Ridge goes for its second big upset in the week, facing Robinson and junior point guard Lavar Batts Jr., who is averages 23 points, four rebounds and four assists.

Schedules

This story was originally published December 10, 2015 at 3:49 PM with the headline "High School Basketball Gameday 12.10.15."