Previewing N.C. Championships

Katheryn Lyons and Bishop McGuiness are among those playing for North Carolina public school championships on Saturday.

The North Carolina public schools will crown their basketball champions on Saturday, highlighting a lot of great teams and Division 1 talent.

In the 4A division, the undefeated South View High School Tigers (31-0) from Hope Mills, N.C., will square off against The Greensboro Grimsley High School Whirlies (30-1).

Cetera DeGraffenreid

South View advanced with a 51-37 victory over Wilmington Laney High School. South View was led by sophomore point guard Amber Calvin, who became the first sophomore in South View history to score 1,000 points in her career. Grimsley got past West Charlotte 58-51 behind junior Trumae Lucas’ 26 points. The game will be held at the Dean E. Smith Center on the campus of the University of North Carolina at 5:00 p.m.

In 1A, the Bishop McGuiness Villains (31-1), of Kernersville, N.C., will face The East Bladen High School Eagles (25-6) at North Carolina State University's Reynolds Coliseum at noon. LaToya Kemp led the East Bladen with 26 points in a 62-58 victory over Pender County. Bishop McGuiness edged conference foe East Surry 69-65. Katheryn Lyons, a Maryland recruit, led the Villains with 18 points, while Temple-bound Marli Bennet paced East Surry with 19 points. All four of East Surry’s losses this year were to Bishop McGuiness.

The 3A championship games will feature the Winston-Salem Carver Yellow Jackets (28-3) against the Cougars of Southwest Edgecombe High School (25-2). Southwest Edgecombe was led by twins Dominique and Monique Hudson (both Garner-Webb recruits), who combined for 30 points in defeating Greensboro Dudley 64-45. Carver dropped previously undefeated Hickory 79-61. Brittany Strachan, a 6-foot-2 N.C. State recruit, paced Carver with 29 points, including four three-pointers, while LaShaunda Pratt (Boston College) added 24. Kelley Harrow scored 24 and Karsyn Jarrett added 18 for Hickory. The 3A championship game will be at 5 p.m. at N.C. State.

The Graham High School Red Devils (31-1) will meet the Sylva Smoky Mountain High School Lady Mustangs (29-1) for the 2A championship. Graham dispatched Whiteville 84-46 to move on to the finals. Smoky Mountain, led by 41 points from Cetera DeGraffenreid (North Carolina), beat East Davidson 66-52. DeGraffenreid became fourth leading scorer in North Carolina girls basketball with 3,039 career points. These teams will meet at noon in Chapel Hill.

Harry Ball is a former AAU coach and director for the Wake County Sting, in Raleigh, N.C.

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