Raleigh Word of God moves to No. 1 in The News & Observer Metro boys basketball rankings following the Rams tournament championship in the Holiday Invitational at Broughton High during the holidays. Undefeated Millbrook remains atop the girls rankings.
Word of God defeated former No. 1 Oxford Webb, 70-57, in the semifinals of the Shavlik Randolph bracket during the tournament. The Rams’ Tyrek Coger, who recently transferred to Word of God, was named as the brackets’ most outstanding player.
The Rams’ ascension from No. 7 to No. 1 thoroughly shakes the boys’ rankings.
The girls’ rankings are more stable with undefeated Millbrook and Southeast Raleigh in the top two positions. Undefeated Chapel Hill climbs to No. 3 with unbeaten Siler City Jordan-Matthews at No. 6 behind Green Hope and Broughton.
Boys basketball
| Team | Record |
| 1. Word of God (7) | 9-1 |
| 2. Clayton (2) | 11-1 |
| 3. Garner (6) | 8-2 |
| 4. Oxford Webb (1) | 10-3 |
| 5. Broughton (5) | 9-3 |
| 6. Hillside (14) | 10-3 |
| 7. Triton (13) | 10-2 |
| 8. Person (4) | 8-4 |
| 9. Knightdale (11) | 9-3 |
| 10. Green Hope (3) | 9-3 |
| 11. Cardinal Gibbons (12) | 6-4 |
| 12. Leesville Road (15) | 7-4 |
| 13. Chapel Hill (NR) | 10-3 |
| 14. Corinth Holders (NR) | 9-1 |
| 15. Carrboro (NR) | 9-2 |
Girls’ basketball
| Team | Record |
| 1. Millbrook (1) | 12-0 |
| 2. Southeast Raleigh (2) | 12-0 |
| 3. Chapel Hill (5) | 11-0 |
| 4. Green Hope (7) | 11-1 |
| 5. Broughton (3) | 9-2 |
| 6. Jordan-Matthews (6) | 13-0 |
| 7. Harnett Central (4) | 9-2 |
| 8. Holly Springs (8) | 11-2 |
| 9. Clayton (9) | 7-2 |
| 10. Hillside (10) | 11-2 |
| 11. Northern Durham (11) | 7-4 |
| 12. Cardinal Gibbons (NR) | 10-3 |
| 13. Wakefield (NR) | 6-4 |
| 14. Smithfield-Selma (14) | 6-2 |
| 15. Enloe (NR) | 7-5 |
