Last Bandys-Shelby playoff game was at Shelby nearly 2 decades ago
By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
Tidbits about the high school boys’ basketball teams from the South Fork 2A, Northwestern Foothills 2A and Northwestern 3A-4A that are in the state playoffs, which begin Tuesday night at the higher seed(s):
2A
No. 17 Lexington (17-9) at No. 16 Bunker Hill (16-10), 7:30 p.m.: The Bears are making their second straight postseason appearance and 12th in 13 years … Bunker Hill has not won a state playoff game since 2012-13 and has lost in the first round in 10 of its last 11 appearances … The Bears have made the state playoffs 24 times in the last 41 years with one trip to the West Regional, in 1988-89 when they beat Newton-Conover before falling 70-52 to Farmville Central in the state 2A title game. Winner gets: No. 32 N. Surry (9-14) or No. 1 E. Lincoln (25-2).
No. 21 Hibriten (20-5) at No. 12 Walkertown (19-7), 6:30 p.m.: The Panthers’ 19th postseason bid is also their fifth in a row … Hibriten has been ousted in the first round in its last two postseason games (by High Point Andrews, Marvin Ridge) … The Panthers have made it to the West Regional once, falling 72-52 in 3A to Concord in 2009-10. Winner gets: No. 28 W. Stanly (13-13) or No. 5 W. Stokes (19-6).
No. 22 Newton-Conover (16-11) at No. 11 Maiden (22-4), 6 p.m.: The Red Devils are in the postseason for the first time since 2014-15, when they finished a run of six straight years in the state playoffs … This 
is Newton-Conover’s 28th playoff team in 41 years but the Red Devils have only one West Regional bid (falling 73-72 to Bunker Hill in 1988-89) … Maiden is making its fourth straight postseason appearance and 25th in 41 years … The Blue Devils reached the state playoffs 17 times in 19 years starting in 1986-87 … Maiden has five West Regional appearances, the last in the 2004-05 2A final against Thomasville (Bulldogs 76, Blue Devils 67) … This will be the fourth game of the year between the Red Devils and Blue Devils – Maiden won 51-45 in Newton on Jan. 18 and 51-43 in Maiden on Feb. 12 and the Red Devils won a South Fork 2A tournament semifinal at Maiden 49-45 on Feb. 21. Winner gets: No. 27 Lincolnton (10-14) or No. 6 Mountain Heritage (19-2).
No. 25 Lake Norman Charter (10-12) at No. 8 Wheatmore (19-7), 7 p.m.: The Knights return to the postseason after missing out last season … In the six seasons before that, they got to the second round once, the third round four times and the fourth round once. Winner gets: No. 24 South Point (14-11) or No. 9 Wilkes Central (22-3)
No. 26 Patton (14-12) at No. 7 Draughn (21-5), 7 p.m.: Patton has six straight postseason appearances, in a row, and that’s all of them in school history … The Panthers were eliminated in the third round last season by Mountain Heritage (67-62) … Draughn, in its 11th year open, is making its fourth state playoff appearance and third straight. The teams have played three times this season: Draughn won 63-54 at Patton on Jan. 22, 77-64 on Feb. 15 at Draughn and 70-63 in a Northwestern Foothills 2A semifinal on Jan. 21 at East Burke. Winner gets: No. 23 Winston-Salem Atkins (18-9) or No. 10 N. Davidson (22-5)
No. 27 Lincolnton (10-14) at No. 6 Mountain Heritage (19-2): The Wolves are in the state playoffs for the fifth straight year and 11th time in 12 years… Lincolnton has reached the postseason 33 times in 41 years … The Wolves have not made the West Regionals since the 1999-2000 season. Winner gets: No. 22 Newton-Conover (16-11) or No. 11 Maiden (22-4)
No. 30 Bandys (10-12) at No. 3 Shelby (20-5): The Trojans are making back-to-back trips to the state playoffs for the first time since 2008-09/2009-10 … It’s their 28th bid since 1970-71… Bandys’ postseason history includes 21 straight bids starting in 1972-73, highlighted by state 2A finishes or second, fourth, second and state champion from 1978-79 through 1981-82… The Trojans’ 2-8 record against the Golden Lions (since 1970-71) includes one previous postseason game — in 2000-01 won 64-55 by Shelby in the second round at Shelby … Both of Bandys’ wins over Shelby, while they were in the same league, were at Bandys (68-59 in 2001-02 and 60-59 in 2003-04). Winner gets: No. 19 Salisbury (17-8) or No. 14 Mount Pleasant (21-5)
No. 32 North Surry (9-14) at No. 1 East Lincoln (25-2): The Mustangs are in the postseason for the 15th year in a row and for the 23rd time in 41 years … East Lincoln has played in two state title games, falling 60-43 to Kinston in the 2014-15 2A championship and 81-71 to Farmville Central the next year … The Mustangs’ conference finishes in the 15 years are seven league titles, two seconds, one tie for second, two thirds, one tie for third, one fourth and one tie for fourth; they are 171-41 in conference games in that stretch. Winner gets: No. 17 Lexington (17-9) or No. 16 Bunker Hill (16-10)
3A
No. 24 Alexander Central (17-9) at No. 9 Southern Guilford (21-4): The Cougars are in the state playoffs for the fifth time in six years and for the 11th time in Ed Wills’ 15 seasons as their head coach … Alexander Central is making its 19th postseason appearance in 41 years. Winner gets: No. 25 Asheboro (16-9) or No. 8 Hickory (22-4).
No. 25 Asheboro (16-9) at No. 8 Hickory (22-4): The Red Tornadoes’ string of consecutive state playoff bids is at 18 and they have missed only once in the last 25 seasons … In the last 41 seasons, Hickory has had a state playoff team in 34 seasons … The Red Tornadoes are chasing their 11th West Regional bid… Hickory has been to three state title games, losing each time (1995-96, 1996-97, 2011-12). Winner gets: No. 24 Alexander Central (17-9) or No. 9 Southern Guilford (21-4).
CASEY ROGERS
No. 30 West Henderson (14-11) at No. 3 Freedom (25-2): The Patriots are almost automatic when it comes to postseason bids – 13 straight and 29 in the last 31 seasons … Head coach Casey Rogers, a star guard while playing for his dad, Terry, at Freedom is 13-for-13 as a head coach and state playoff bids … Freedom has nine West Regional appearances and won state titles in 1993-94, 1997-98 and 2013-14. Winner gets: No. 19 Greensboro Smith (13-12) or No. 14 Sun Valley (15-9).
No. 32 Watauga (13-12) at No. 1 SW Guilford (26-0): The Pioneers are back in the postseason after missing for three straight seasons to snap a string of 10 state playoff bids in a row … They are in the state playoffs for the 19th time in 41 years… Watauga’s last playoff game was in 2015-16, a first-round 4A loss to West Charlotte (84-54). Winner gets: No. 18 Waynesville Tuscola (19-7) or No. 17 Winston-Salem Parkland (15-10).
4A
No. 24 McDowell (10-15) at No. 9 Winston-Salem Reynolds (18-6): The Titans are in the postseason for the fourth straight season and 20th time in 21 years … Over a 41-year period, McDowell has failed to get into the state playoffs only five times … The Titans have three West Regional appearances, the last in 2006-07 … McDowell has been ousted in the first round in three of its last four appearances. Winner gets: No. 8 Butler (20-6).
