Here is a preview of the players to watch in the various divisions for boys and girls:
NCHSAA 2A — Thursday:
East:
No. 9 Pittsboro Seaforth at No. 8 Beaufort East Carteret
No. 15 St. Pauls at No. 2 Goldsboro
Pittsboro Seaforth junior power forward Jarin Stevenson is ranked at No. 20 in the class of 2024 by Rivals.com, and he has an NC State offer ... St. Pauls freshman Tyson Thompson, a 6-8 center, and versatile freshman guard Josiah Sanders have showed promise. They'll face East Carolina senior commit Ta'Korrie Faison of Goldsboro High.
West:
No. 23 Walkertown at No. 7 Concord Robinson
No. 15 Trinity at No. 2 Reidsville
Reidsville has been dominant with freshmen Kendre' Harrison and Dionte Neal leading the way. Harrison is a 6-7 power forward, who has an NC State offer in football as a tight end/defensive end. Neal is a 5-9 point guard, who also is a standout in football cornerback, wide receiver and in the return game ... Keeping with the football theme, NC State has offered Walkertown sophomore Bryce Baker at quarterback, and he's also a solid shooting guard.
NCHSAA 3A — Thursday:
East:
No. 12 Rocky Mount at No. 5 Southern Durham
NC State offered Southern Durham High sophomore small forward Jackson Keith on Sunday, after he attended the UNC at NCSU game.
West:
No. 24 Kings Mountain at No. 8 Greensboro Southern Guilford
No. 19 Concord Northwest Cabarrus at No. 3 Morganton Freedom
No. 27 Lake Norman Charter at No. 22 West Charlotte
Morganton Freedom sophomore point guard Amore Connelly is one of the most exciting players in the state ... Kings Mountain freshman guard Bradley Floyd has become one to watch in the class of 2026 thanks to a smooth jumper and high basketball IQ ... West Charlotte will try to get back to the state title game behind sophomore point guard Chadlyn Traylor, freshman wing Markus Kerr and senior center Donovan Raymond, who has come back this season from a torn ACL.
NCHSAA 4A — Thursday:
East:
No. 9 Spring Lake Overhills at No. 8 Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons
No. 14 Durham Hillside at No. 3 Raleigh Millbrook
No. 15 Raleigh Sanderson at No. 2 Rockingham Richmond County
New NC State junior commit Paul McNeil and Rockingham Richmond Country will be trying to make a run to the state title game. Former NC State assistant coach Roy Roberson is the coach at Sanderson High ... Raleigh Millbrook sophomore Colt Langdon has been productive throughout the season and Wildcats play an up-tempo style of basketball ... Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons freshman point guard Aiden Smalls has turned a corner the last month and a half. He's scored at least 15 points in nine games since Jan. 4, with a season-high 30 against Matthews (N.C.) Carmel Christian.
West:
No. 17 Charlotte East Mecklenburg at No. 1 Charlotte Myers Park
No. 20 Charlotte Ardrey Kell at No. 4 Greensboro Grimsley
No. 14 Huntersville Hopewell at No. 3 Huntersville North Mecklenburg
No. 7 Unionville Piedmont at No. 10 Charlotte Chambers
No. 18 High Point Southwest Guilford at No. 2 Winston-Salem Mount Tabor
Charlotte Myers Park entered the season with championship aspirations thanks to senior post player Elijah Strong, junior point guard Bishop Boswell, junior wing Sir Mohammed and sophomore power forward Sadiq White. NC State has offered Mohammed ... Greensboro Grimsley had three players that NC State has offered in football — wide receiver/point guard Alex Taylor, a junior, sophomore defensive end/forward Bryce Davis and freshman quarterback/wing Faison Brandon. Sophomore wing Zacch Wiggins is a high major prospect in hoops ... Also on the football side, Winston-Salem Mount Tabor sophomore wing/wide receiver Shamarius Peterkin has an NC State offer ... Huntersville North Mecklenburg junior small forward Isaiah Evans is ranked in the top 50 by Rivals.com, and has an NC State offer ... Charlotte Chambers junior power forward Maurio Hanson Jr. has a mix of mid- and- high-major offers ... Charlotte East Mecklenburg sophomore guard Jonah Lawrence is averaging 20.6 points per game.
NCISAA playoffs — Saturday
NCISAA 4A boys title game
No. 1 Matthews Carmel Christian vs. No. 2 Arden Christ School, 7 p.m. at Lewisville (N.C.) Forsyth Country Day.
Matthews Carmel Christian junior guard Jaeden Mustaf has moved into the state and is gunning to help them repeat as NCISAA state champs. Christ School is led by Wake Forest junior wing commit Bryson Cokley, and senior center Anthony Robinson, who has signed with South Florida.
Girls playoffs — Thursday and Saturday
NCHSAA 1A:
No. 18 Danbury North Stokes at No. 2 Kernersville Bishop McGuinness
NCHSAA 2A:
No. 15 Hertford County at No. 2 Bethel North Pitt
NCHSAA 4A:
No. 11 Charlotte Catholic at No. 6 Waxhaw Marvin Ridge
No. 24 Indian Trail Porter Ridge at No. 8 Charlotte Independence
NCISAA 2A semifinals Thursday
No. 3 Southern Pines O'Neal School at No. 2 Sanford Grace Christian
NCISAA 3A title game Saturday
No. 2 High Point Christian vs. No. 1 Concord Academy, 2 p.m. at Winston-Salem Calvary Day School
NC State has offered junior power forward Sarah Strong of Sanford Grace Christian, junior center Blanca Thomas of Charlotte Catholic, junior point guard Zamareya Jones of Bethel North Pitt and sophomore wing Adelaide Jernigan of Kernersville Bishop McGuiness ... Charlotte Indepedence sophomore guard Kamryn Kitchen has also been emerging as an ACC target ... High Point Christian sophomore forward Kylie Torrence is averaging 14.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game.
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