HobbsDailyReport.com
CHAPEL HILL – The second set of state boys’ basketball playoff pairings on Saturday — which still have another 20 minutes to be reviewed before they could be finalized (as of 3:30 p.m.) – have two first-round rematches among Greater Hickory area schools.
Changes to the first batch of pairings released, needed because some game scores were missing on MaxPreps (part of the seeding equation), now mean South Fork 2A foes Newton-Conover and Maiden and Northwestern 2A rivals Patton and Draughn would play in Tuesday’s opening round.
No. 22 Newton-Conover (16-11), which tied Lake Norman Charter for third in the South Fork 2A), would travel to No. 11 Maiden (22-4).
No. 26 Patton (14-12), which tied Bunker Hill for second place in the Northwestern Foothills 2A, would go to league champion Draughn (21-5, No. 7).
In the second draft, all of the area boys’ teams with state playoff bids remained in except North Lincoln (8-15), which dropped from No. 32 to out of the postseason.
Games and seeds not changing were No. 27 Lincolnton (10-14) at No. 6 Mountain Heritage (19-2) and No. 32 North Surry (9-14) at No. 2 East Lincoln (25-2).
In the reshuffle, the area teams went from 11 first-round games scheduled to seven with these changes:
- Bunker Hill (16-10) fell one spot to No 16 but still got a home game, against No. 17 Lexington (17-9) instead of against No. 18 Salisbury (17-8).
- Bandys (10-12) was No. 28 and scheduled to play at No. 5 West Stokes (19-6) but is now No. 30 and on the road at No. 3 Shelby (20-5).
- Hibriten (20-5) dropped two spots, to No. 21, and goes to No. 12 Walkertown (19-7) after first being scheduled to play at No. 14 Franklin (17-7).
- Lake Norman Charter (10-12) dropped a spot, to No. 25, and goes to No. 8 Wheatmore (19-7) after originally being spotted to play at No. 9 North Davidson (22-5).
There are also changes in the West 3A bracket:
- Hickory (22-4) is up one spot, to No 8, and at home against No. 25 Asheboro (16-9) after being No. 9 and at home against No. 24 Weddington (15-11).
- Freedom (25-2) stayed No. 3 but has a new opponent, No. 30 West Henderson (13-11) instead of Northern Guilford (11-14).
- Alexander Central (17-9) moved up two spots, to No. 24, and goes to No. 9 Southern Guilford (21-4). Originally, the Cougars were headed to No. 7 Statesville (16-9).
- Watauga (13-12), not in the first pairings, got in a No. 32 and earned a game at top-seeded Southwest Guilford (26-0).
In 4A, there was no change for McDowell (10-15) as the Titans face No. 9 Winston-Salem Reynolds (18-6) on the road.
The girls’ brackets have been finalized by the NCHSAA.
PRELIMINARY STATE HIGH SCHOOL
BASKETBALL PLAYOFF PAIRINGS
(First round games on Tuesday, start times TBA)
GIRLS
(FINALIZED)
West 2A
No. 18 Madison (16-10) at No. 15 BANDYS (16-8)
No. 20 Canton Pisgah (13-12) at No. 13 BUNKER HILL (19-8)
No. 21 PATTON (18-8) at No. 12 W. Wilkes (18-8)
No. 28 N. Wilkes (14-12) at No. 5 NEWTON-CONOVER (23-4)
No. 29 Ashe County (13-11) at No. 4 E. BURKE (21-5)
No. 31 FRED T. FOARD (12-14) at No. 2 Salisbury (22-4)
West 3A
No. 20 WATAUGA (16-9) at No. 13 Mount Tabor (18-8)
No. 23 Ashbrook (16-8) at No. 10 HICKORY (17-7)
No. 31 A.C. Reynolds (7-17) at No. 2 FREEDOM (26-1)
West 4A
No. 7 McDOWELL ((17-9), bye
BOYS
(first released, see new post with finalized brackets)
West 2A
No. 18 Salisbury (17-8) at No. 15 BUNKER HILL (16-10)
No. 19 HIBRITEN (20-5) at No. 14 Franklin (17-7)
No. 21 NEWTON-CONOVER (16-10) at No. 12 E. Rutherford (19-5)
No. 23 South Point (14-11) at No. 10 MAIDEN (22-4)
No. 24 LAKE NORMAN CHARTER (10-12) at No. 9 N. Davidson (22-5)
No. 25 PATTON (14-12) at No. 8 Wilkes Central (22-3)
No. 26 W. Stanly (13-13) at No. 7 DRAUGHN (21-5)
No. 27 LINCOLNTON (10-14) at No. 6 Mountain Heritage (19-2)
No. 28 BANDYS (10-12) at No. 5 W. Stokes (19-6)
No. 31 N. Surry (9-14) at No. 2 E. LINCOLN (25-2)
No. 32 N. LINCOLN (8-15) at No. 1 Forest Hills (24-2)
West 3A
No. 24 Weddington (15-11) at No. 9 HICKORY (22-4)
No. 26 ALEXANDER CENTRAL (17-9) at No. 7 Statesville (16-9)
No. 30 Northern Guilford (11-14) at No. 3 FREEDOM (25-2)
West 4A
No. 24 McDOWELL (10-15) at No. 9 W-S Reynolds (18-6)
