The NCHSAA basketball playoffs kick off Tuesday, and the NCISAA playoffs have entered the semifinals Tuesday.
Here is a preview of the players to watch in the various divisions for boys and girls:
NCHSAA 2A:
East:
No. 24 Granville Central at No. 9 Pittsboro Seaforth
No. 18 Burlington Cummings at No. 15 St. Pauls
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 ... Burlington Cummings sophomore shooting guard/quarterback/defensive back Johnniyus Sharpe is averaging 22.0 points per game ... St. Pauls freshman Tyson Thompson, a 6-8 center, and versatile freshman guard Josiah Sanders have showed promise.
West:
No. 19 C.S. of Davidson at No. 14 Rutherfordton-Spindale Central
No. 23 Walkertown at No. 10 Monroe
No. 31 Lincolnton 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 ... The Wolfpack also have offered in football Monroe sophomore athlete Jordan Young, who also plays basketball ... Sophomore power forward Zymicah Wilkins has been a beast in the paint and has expanded the range on his jumper for Rutherfordton-Spindale Central High.
NCHSAA 3A:
East:
No. 28 Leland North Brunswick at No. 5 Southern Durham
No. 19 Hillsborough Orange at No. 14 Morehead City West Carteret
NC State offered Southern Durham High sophomore small forward Jackson Keith on Sunday, after he attended the UNC at NCSU game ... Hillsborough Orange freshman wing Cole Cloer has emerged as one of the top class of 2026 prospects in the state.
West:
No. 24 Kings Mountain at No. 9 Hendersonville West Henderson
No. 30 West Jefferson Ashe County at No. 3 Morganton Freedom
No. 22 West Charlotte at No. 11 Franklin
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:
East:
No. 25 Greenville D.H. Conley at No. 8 Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons
No. 30 Durham Riverside at No. 3 Raleigh Millbrook
No. 31 Maxton Purnell Sweet 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 ... 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 eight games since Jan. 4, with a season-high 30 against Matthews (N.C.) Carmel Christian.
West:
No. 31 Hudson South Caldwell at No. 1 Charlotte Myers Park
No. 17 Charlotte East Mecklenburg at No. 16 Jamestown Ragsdale
No. 29 Waxhaw Marvin Ridge at No. 4 Greensboro Grimsley
No. 30 Concord West Cabarrus at No. 3 Huntersville North Mecklenburg
No. 23 Harrisburg Hickory Ridge at No. 10 Charlotte Chambers
No. 31 Union County Porter Ridge 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
NCISAA 4A boys
No. 5 Charlotte Providence Day at No. 1 Matthews Carmel Christian
Matthews Carmel Christian junior guard Jaeden Mustaf has moved into the state and is gunning to help them repeat as NCISAA state champs ... Providence Day sophomore shooting guard Nick Hailey has a beautiful lefty jumper.
Girls playoffs
NCHSAA 1A:
No. 31 Hayesville at No. 2 Kernersville Bishop McGuinness
NCHSAA 2A:
No. 31 Burlington Cummings at No. 2 Bethel North Pitt
NCHSAA 4A:
No. 22 Pfafftown Reagan at No. 11 Charlotte Catholic
No. 25 Charlotte Ardrey Kell at No. 8 Charlotte Independence
NCISAA 2A:
No. 7 Fayetteville Trinity Christian at No. 2 Sanford Grace Christian
NCISAA 3A:
No. 3 Greenville John Paul II Catholic at No. 2 High Point Christian
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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