HobbsDailyReport.com
ICARD – Rather than a playoff game on Friday afternoon, a draw will determine the No. 3 and No. 4A boys’ basketball state 2A playoff seeds from the Northwestern Foothills 2A.
The athletic departments at Bunker Hill and Hibriten announced early Friday they’ve agreed a draw will determine who gets the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds.
The schools will conduct the draw Friday night at East Burke, site of the conference tournament.
The Bears and Panthers tied for third in the Northwestern Foothills 2A regular season (each at 7-5) and both lost in the league tournament semifinals on Thursday night.
Based on North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) rules, the two schools had a choice — play a playoff game to determine seeding or mutually agree to break the tie in a different way.
The winner of the draw will get the No. 3 seed and the loser will be No. 4, with pairings for the state playoffs to be released on Saturday.
Bunker Hill is 13-12 overall and Hibriten is 17-6, and the teams split in the regular season with Bunker Hill winning 60-53 at Hibriten and the Panthers beating the Bears 64-55 in overtime in Claremont.
Top-seeded Patton (19-5) eliminated Bunker Hill from the league tournament on Thursday, winning 58-56 to reach Friday night’s 8 p.m. title game against No. 2 seed Draughn (20-6).
Draughn downed Hibriten 46-36 in the other semifinal on Thursday night at East Burke.
The league’s girls’ tournament championship game is Friday at 6:30 p.m. at East Burke, pitting No. 1 East Burke (24-1) against No. 2 Patton (15-10).