Who is the king of NC boys basketball? We pick the state championship favorites

Before we look ahead to the high school basketball season, which begins officially this week, we need to take a quick look back at last year’s champions.

NCHSAA State Champions

1A Champion: Wilson Prep

Only a few years removed from playing with the Harlem Globetrotters and being a legend at Barton College (including his historic 10 points in the final 45 seconds, widely considered one of the greatest comebacks in collegiate history), coach Anthony Atkinson is deserving of considerable praise for building a championship-level squad in two short seasons. He took over in 2019-2020 and maintained the Tigers previous success, even with folks attempting to shut down their operation on a regular basis. Instead of worrying, this group put their head down, dealt with adversity, and surged forward despite having a month of the season removed due to COVID protocols. Making the title game was only part of the battle, as the Tigers were forced to comeback from a double-digit deficit in the second half to claim victory. Their 7-2 record doesn’t even begin to encompass their challenges.

2A Champion: Farmville Central

Replicating domination is as difficult as anything in high school basketball, especially at a public school, yet coach Larry Williford and Farmville Central have seemingly found the recipe. They’ve essentially built a modern-day dynasty, securing three consecutive state championships while going 76-2 over that span. The Jaguars have suffered major losses each year, and still manage to win the last game of the season. Most recently, they went 15-0 and rolled through the state playoffs behind N.C. player of the year Terquavion Smith. After losing their former leader to NC State, Farmville Central will look to achieve the highly improbable feat of winning four straight championships.

3A Champion: Weddington

Chemistry isn’t quantifiable, but everyone seems to understand its general value—which is why folks were so quick to predict Weddington as a title favorite last summer. Between their talent, cohesive pieces, and specific on-court ideology, Coach Gary Ellington found the perfect storm. They went 18-0 with only a single game being determined by single digits, making them as unstoppable as any team in the state. Although they’ve moved up to 4A, this group kept majority of their core and should remain a strong candidate to win back-to-back titles and become this year’s sleeper team.

4A Champion: Millbrook

After dealing with years of lofty expectations, Millbrook broke through the mold and won the state championship in an extremely unique, unbelievable manner. The term “Cardiac Kids” was coined throughout their playoff run, as their last three postseason games all resulted in overtime finishes. Regardless, Coach Chris Davis and his loaded roster of talent (including three Division I players) completed the task at hand. Expect the Wildcats to rebuild and continue bringing titles to Raleigh.

NCISAA 2021 State Champions

1A Champion: Victory Christian

Although the Kings enjoyed prolonged success across the last decade, their most recent group easily generated more buzz than any season prior. Foundational pieces like Demar Anderson and Zach Stone returned, but the additions of Lewis Duarte, Randi Ovalle, Deiman Reyes, Takai and Tajuan Simpkins (and multiple others) made this team extremely challenging for opponents. Of their seven losses, only three came from North Carolina-based programs. Their depth of talent was simply too much to handle. Following their bloodbath of a regular season, the Kings rolled through the playoffs and won each match-up by at least 14 points.

2A Champion: The Burlington School

Very seldom do the stars align for “revenge” to occur within the high school scene, but The Burlington School actually received such an opportunity. After losing to Northwood Temple in the previous state championship, their coaching staff reloaded the Spartans’ roster, retooled their approach, and refused to be denied in back-to-back seasons. They replaced the six departing seniors with the likes of Jamarii Thomas, Jakel Powell, and Shane Peterson. The new-look roster proved to be better than before, and ultimately pushed a lot of folks into becoming believers. They suffered just a single loss to a non-independent team, but corrected quickly enough to destroy each playoff opponent by twenty points—including their state championship victory over Northwood Temple.

3A Champion: Asheville Christian

Being adaptable has become as important as any trait within the high school scene, and Asheville Christian’s ability to shift and pivot was a major part of their success last season. After starting their season 0-8 (and 1-11), few people were predicting a state championship for the Lions. Their struggles weren’t due to a lack of talent or coaching, simply cohesion. Upon the midseason addition of Florida State recruit DeAnte Green, Asheville Christian immediately began to surge and turn things around for the better. Despite having a brutal path to the championship, they hit their stride at the perfect time and consistently found ways to win close games. Although they finished the season with an 11-16 record, the Lions absolutely earned their state title.

4A Champion: Cannon School

Winning back-to-back championships is an incredible feat in any sport or competition setting, but the overall context is what made the Cannon School’s accomplishment even more impressive. The first of these two titles came behind the leadership of a nationally regarded floor general in Jaden Bradley. However, upon Bradley leaving for IMG Academy, this group turned to guys like Jarvis Moss, Karon Boyd, DJ Nix, Elijah Ormiston, and Christian Reeves to maintain their success. Add in young, up-and-coming prospects like Austin Swartz and Jaylen Claggett, and this group looked ready to shock the state. Their path to the title was absolutely brutal, but they pulled through to secure their second straight championship.

Phenom Hoop State Championship (Non-Association teams)

Combine Academy

The knowledge and guidance of an NBA player-turned-coach is incredibly valuable, and perhaps no example is better than coach Jeff McInnis with Combine Academy. Just two short years ago, Coach McInnis shook the grassroots community by announcing his decision to join an independent program that had little to no reputation. These concerns quickly dwindled, as the Goats formed a legitimate powerhouse in a matter of mere months. Despite a highly successful season, they fell short to Moravian Prep in Phenom Hoops’ first HoopState Championship. Naturally, they went back to the drawing board, added even more enticing pieces, and sought out to punish any opponent in their pathway. The Goats went on to go 29-3, asserted themselves as a nationally regarded program, and claimed the second annual HoopState Championship.

2021-22 NCHSAA Sneak Preview

4A REGIONAL PICKS

4A West: J.L. Chambers, Myers Park, North Mecklenburg, and Weddington

4A East: New Bern, New Hanover, Pinecrest, and Richmond

Rick’s Pick: J.L. Chambers

Notes: On paper, J.L. Chambers roster is loaded with talent. 6-2 junior Jaylen Curry will direct the offense with his excellent court vision and timely passes. Curry has improved his perimeter shooting to become a more balanced offensive threat. South Carolina commit Daniel Sanford is a 6-7 post that can play on the interior or the perimeter. He’s strong, active and brings an aggressive mind set to the game. Maurio Hanson, another 6-7 post, can do damage on the interior while 6-5 Nick Dorn is an extremely talented perimeter shooter. Coach Brian Frasier has all the pieces for the title run, but the Western Regionals will provide numerous challenges and biggest hurdle may just be defending 3A state champion Weddington, who is now in the NCHSAA 4A classification.

3A REGIONAL PICKS

3A West: Central Cabarrus, Crest, Mt. Tabor and West Charlotte

3A East: Northwood, South Central, Terry Sanford and West Carteret

Rick’s Pick: West Charlotte

Notes: It’s a coin toss between Central Cabarrus and West Charlotte, but coach Jacoby Davis West Charlotte Lions have length, athleticism and guard play that can take them to the “promised land.” Donovan Raymond, a 6-9 junior, is getting better and 6-6 Chance Morrow, a Louisville football commit, brings versatility and a competitive offensive skill set. Junior point guard Ollie Alford and incoming talented freshman 6-2 Chad Traylor will anchor the backcourt.

Central Cabarrus is spearheaded by the three-headed monster backcourt of 6-0 Jaiden Thompson, who sports a Western Carolina offer, and the Daniel twins, Chase and Carson. While Central Cabarrus may be more of an unknown across the state and somewhat of a dark horse, they play pressure defense and an attacking offense. In the east, South Central returns a starting five that went 13-0, but had to forfeit state playoff game due to COVID and could become this year’s Cinderella story.

2A REGIONAL PICKS

2A West: East Lincoln, Hendersonville, Lincoln Charter, and R-S Central

2A East: Cummings, Farmville Central, Kinston, and Washington

Rick’s Pick: Farmville Central

Notes: We could easily see a repeat performance of the 2021 state title game between Hendersonville and Farmville Central. Coach Larry Williford has won three state championships in a row and has a star on his hands in 6-3 junior Jah Short. Missing is Terquavion Smith, but rest assured, Williford will have this team ready for that title run. Team chemistry and a sense of pride playing for one of the strongest high school programs in the state runs deep. To put it simply, Farmville Central just knows how to win. For Hendersonville, 6-foot junior Keenan Wilkins and 6-1 senior Dwight Canady return and form one of the strongest backcourts in the western part of the state. Wilkins averaged 23 points per game while Canady averaged 22 and would love to get another shot at the state championship.

1A REGIONAL PICKS

1A West: Bishop McGuinness, Hayesville, Mountain Heritage, and North Rowan

1A East: East Carteret, Henderson Collegiate, Hertford, and Wilson Prep

Rick’s Pick: Bishop McGuinness

Notes: Josh Thompson coached Bishop McGuinness to a state championship in 2009 and most recently in 2019. He has a cagey and veteran team returning and has built a nice blend of movable pieces and excellent team chemistry.

NCISAA Sneak Preview

4A FAVORITES

4A: Cannon, Carmel Christian, Christ School, Greensboro Day, and Providence Day

Rick’s Pick: Greensboro Day

Notes: Right off their upset win over nationally ranked Oak Hill in the Phenom Hoops Battle of the GOATS, Greensboro Day’s roster is filled with D1 talent. Talent along with coaching expertise will be too much for opposing teams to handle. Senior point guard Nik Graves, a 6-3 Charlotte signee, showcases poise and maturity while backcourt mate, 6-4 Jaydon Young, looks fully recovered from summer injuries and was terrific in the upset win over Oak Hill. On the wings, coach Freddy Johnson has sharpshooters in 6-5 Michael Zanoni (Mercer signee), 6-7 Jackson Noble, and 6-6 Hough transfer Graham Worland. And 6-10 post CJ Collins provides rim protection and rebounds extremely well.

3A FAVORITES

3A: Asheville Christian, Concord Academy, Forsyth Country Day, and Gaston Christian

Rick’s Pick: Concord Academy

Notes: Concord Academy recently traveled to Asheville Christian and lost on a last second shot. Of all the divisions, the 3A has “multi-favorites” that can lay claim to the crown. The key for Asheville Christian is to constantly feed the ball to Florida State signee Deante Green as their main scoring option. Look for Concord Academy to build chemistry during the season and be primed for that championship run. Langston Boyd, a 6-4 junior wing, already sports high major offers from Wake Forest, and has size, strength and athleticism at the point guard position. Throw in the likes of 6-5 junior sharpshooter Noah Van Bibber and up and comer in 6-9 sophomore Kany Tchanda and once the team has a chance to build chemistry, it could be the team to beat in the NCISAA 3A.

2A FAVORITES

2A: The Burlington School, Gaston Day, Northside Christian, Trinity Academy, Wayne Country Day, and Westminster

Rick’s Pick: The Burlington School

Notes: Coach Ryan Bernardi has accumulated a wealth of talent at The Burlington School. He has led them to back-to-back state championship games and winning last year’s title. In the end, The Burlington School simply has too much talent to overcome. Their current team is objectively Bernardi’s deepest and most talented group throughout his coaching tenure. Not only have they kept foundational pieces (Zion Walker and Shane Peterson), but their new additions provide the Spartans with a variety of unique dynamics. While visibly talented, their ability to buy-in as a group will ultimately determine their success.

1A FAVORITES

Rick’s Pick: United Faith

Notes: It will be a two-team race with Greenfield School, but United Faith has the “X” factor in Xavier McKelvy. McKelvy has the ability to take over a game on both ends of the court. Additionally, Lance Gill and Marcus Willis have proven themselves as reliable foundational pieces (and obvious college prospects). The incoming transfer of Alex Bates only makes them more talented. Given the addition of coach Tamar Slay, the Falcons will be among the more exciting teams on a nightly basis.

This story was originally published November 17, 2021 at 6:30 AM.