By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
East Burke, as West No. 2 seed in the 2A girls’ bracket, will be at home on Tuesday night when the state basketball playoffs begin.
The Cavs (26-1) get a visit from No. 31 West Davidson (10-12) at a time to be announced and are chasing their 16th straight win.
Other area teams with first-round home games are Maiden in 2A, East Lincoln, Freedom and North Lincoln in 3A and Alexander Central and Watauga in 4A.
1A
Draughn (13-12), seeded No. 24 visits No. 9 Queen’s Grant (17-4) in its playoff opener.
2A
No. 12 seed Maiden (22-5) is at home, facing No. 20 Wheatmore (14-10). The Blue Devils are 7-2 in their last nine games.
No. 17 Newton-Conover (18-6), 4-3 in its last seven games, opens the postseason at No. 16 Surry Central (15-8).
No. 19 Bandys (16-8), making its 47th appearance in the state playoffs, goes to No. 14 North Surry (16-9). The Trojans have won 106 postseason games and advanced to the West Regionals 20 times, most among girls’ and boys’ teams in the state.
In their last and only meeting, Bandys upended North Surry 60-49 in the first round of the West Regional in Greensboro in the 2011-2012 season.
No. 28 Lincolnton (13-12) is at No. 5 Lincoln Charter (19-6). The Wolves have lost five of their last seven games.
3A
No. 3 North Lincoln rides a 24-game win streak into a home first round battle against No. 30 Crest (10-12).
Freedom (14-11), seeded eighth, has a home game against No. 25 Ashbrook (11-12) while No. 12 East Lincoln (21-6) entertains No. 21 Hibriten (13-12). Hibriten beat the Mustangs 77-66 in Lenoir in early December.
No. 22 North Iredell (17-9) will travel to No. 11 North Buncombe (16-9) and No. 26 Fred T. Foard (15-11) goes to No. 7 Oak Grove (18-7).
No. 29 Ashe County (9-17) hopes to snap a 12-game skid when it visits No. 4 A.C. Reynolds (16-10).
4A
Watauga (19-5, No. 3 seed)) has won six straight and 14 of 15 games as it plays host to No. 30 Asheville Roberson (9-15).
No. 11 South Caldwell (18-8) is at home, facing No. 22 Charlotte Catholic (17-10). The Spartans have won nine of their last 10 games.
No. 16 Alexander Central (15-11) welcomes No. 17 Porter Ridge (16-8) to Taylorsville. The Cougars started the season 9-2.
STATE GIRLS BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS
(First round games for area schools, scheduled Tuesday at times to be announced. Second round games are Friday, the third round is the following Tuesday and the fourth round the following Friday The West Regionals and state title games are March 10-15 at Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem.
1A
No. 24 DRAUGHN (13-12) at No. 9 Queens Grant (17-4)
2A
No. 17 NEWTON-CONOVER (18-6) at No. 16 Surry Central (15-8)
No. 19 BANDYS (16-8) at No. 14 N. Surry (16-9)
No. 20 Wheatmore (14-10) at No. 13 MAIDEN (22-5)
No. 28 LINCOLNTON (13-12) at No. 5 LINCOLN CHARTER (19-6)
No. 31 W. Davidson (10-12) at No. 2 E. BURKE (26-1)
3A
No. 21 HIBRITEN (12-13) at No. 12 E. LINCOLN (21-6)
No. 22 N. IREDELL (17-9) at No. 11 N. Buncombe (16-9)
No. 25 Ashbrook (11-12) at No. 8 FREEDOM (14-11)
No. 26 FRED T. FOARD (15-11) at No. 7 Oak Grove (18-7)
No. 29 ASHE COUNTY (10-14) at No. 4 A.C. Reynolds (16-10)
No. 30 Crest (10-12) at No. 3 N. LINCOLN (25-1)
4A
No. 17 Porter Ridge (16-8) at No. 16 ALEXANDER CENTRAL (15-11)
No. 22 Charotte Catholic (17-10) at No. 10 S, CALDWELL (18-8)
No. 30 Asheville Roberson (9-15) at No. 3 WATAUGA (19-5)
COMPLETE BRACKETS: www.nchsaa.org