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CORRECTION: An earlier item on when Bunker Hill’s girls last won 20 games was incorrect and has been corrected. HobbsDailyReport.com regrets the error.
By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
Things to watch as we approach the final two weeks of the girls’ varsity basketball regular season in the South Fork 2A, Northwestern Foothills 2A and Northwestern 3A-4A:
NORTHWESTERN FOOTHILLS 2A
Year-to-year consistency carries Cavs
East Burke has reached 17 wins (17-3) under head coach Crystal Bartlett for the fourth straight season and eighth in the last nine.
She’s 116-25 in her fifth year, and East Burke also has a good shot at posting its 12th year of 20 or more wins in school history.
The Cavs face Draughn (10-10, 6-4) on the road on Tuesday and they are at home Friday against second place Patton (12-7, 8-2).
Bears continue to chase 20 wins
Bunker Hill (14-6, 7-3) is at West Caldwell (2-13, 1-9) on Tuesday and at home Friday against Draughn (10-10, 6-4) with a chance to reach 15 wins for the 26th time in the last 42 seasons.
The Bears last won 15 or more in back-to-back seasons, which they can do with a win this week, since 2005-06/2006-07.
Bunker Hill has went 20-9 last season. The Bears have not had back-to-back 20-win seasons since 2000-01 (24-2) and 2001-02 (28-2), teams that lost to Ledford in the West 2A Regionals (first round in 2000-01 and in the regional title game the next year).
SOUTH FORK 2A
WHITE
White approaching
her fourth league title
Newton-Conover (17-2, 10-0) is closing in on a South Fork 2A title that would give head coach Slyvia White her fourth during her two tenures guiding the Red Devils.
Newton-Conover faces Lake Norman Charter (6-13, 2-8) on Tuesday in Newton and the Red Devils go to North Lincoln (12-6, 5-5) on Friday.
White’s record at Newton-Conover is 187-79, and a win on Tuesday would give the Red Devils their 20th year (since 1978-79) with at least 18 wins.
Newton-Conover previously won league titles under White in 1990-91, 1991-92 and last season.
Trojans can get 15th win for 40th time in 50 years
Bandys (14-5, 7-3) can reach 15 wins in a season for the 40th time in 50 years with a win on Tuesday over East Lincoln (14-6, 8-2) at Bandys or over West Lincoln (4-16, 1-9) on the road on Friday.
The Trojans have not won 20 in a season since 2014-15 (26-2), the last of eight straight seasons with at least 21 victories.
NORTHWESTERN 3A-4A
HELMS
Hickory’s Helms needs 4 wins to hit 450
The climb toward 450 career wins continues for Hickory head coach Barbara Helms when the Red Tornadoes play Wednesday and Friday.
Hickory is 4-5 overall and 5-3 in the league and has a makeup game Wednesday at home against South Caldwell (9-8, 1-6), and the Red Tornadoes go to Watauga (13-5, 6-2) on Friday.
Helms has 446 career victories in her 20th season – 408 of those at HHS in her 10th year – and she was also previously head coach at East Burke.
Patriots can reach 20 wins for 12th straight year
Freedom (19-0, 8-0) needs a win to reach 20 in season for the 28th time in 42 seasons.
The Patriots have won at least 20 in 11 straight years, the longest stretch in school history.
Freedom goes to South Caldwell (9-8 1-6) on Tuesday and is at Alexander Central (11-8, 3-4) on Friday.