Trio of Triangle high school basketball teams power toward the regional quarterfinals

Two days after the Apex Friendship and Panther Creek girls won NCHSAA 4A state playoffs openers at home and Green Level won on the road, Panther Creek joined Green Level on the road Thursday. While the venues might have changed among the powerful Southwest Wake 4A Conference trio, the outcomes stayed the same.

Panther Creek tallied a season-high scoring total in Thursday’s 83-50 win at Cardinal Gibbons, the Cap Six regular season and tournament champions. The Catamounts’ scorched the nets for nine 3-pointers, six by Madison Jordan (22 points). Panther Creek (21-5) built a 14-point lead after the first quarter, and continued persevering.

Amira Ofunniyin and Taylor Barner added 18 and 17, respectively, for the victors along with 12 from Olivia Tucker.

Green Level (24-4) won 55-53 at Swett (Pembroke). Apex Friendship (26-2) stopped visiting Holly Springs 73-52.

Apex Friendship, Panther Creek, and Green Level will avoid each other for another round, and thus, possibly secure three of four state quarterfinal berths among the Eastern region.

Deuces gone

The Panther Creek boys made seven 3-pointers on the way to a 61-56 win at New Hanover, the 4A Eastern region’s No. 2 seed. Both of the bracket’s No. 2 seeds now are eliminated. Last Tuesday, Northwest Guilford (No. 31) defeated No. 2 A.C. Reynolds (Asheville) in the Western region.

Panther Creek will visit Apex Friendship (a 64-61 second-round winner over Athens Drive) in Saturday’s third round. This game will complete a third girls’/boys’ doubleheader in as many rounds to be hosted by Apex Friendship.

Millbrook teams keep rolling

The Millbrook girls’ 55-41 win over visiting Athens Drive preceded the Wildcats boys 52-49 rally against Hillside.

Millbrook’s girls will host Garner (a 51-44 winner over Southeast Raleigh) on Saturday, when the Wildcats boys visit Jordan, which defeated visiting Hoggard (Wilmington) 54-50 Tuesday.

3A beach trips

Southern Durham and Northwood will head east for Saturday’s third round. Southern Durham (which defeated visiting E.E. Smith-Fayetteville 61-56 on Tuesday) will visit West Carteret, while Northwood (an 80-40 victor Tuesday over West Brunswick) will travel to First Flight (Kill Devil Hills). Northwood and West Carteret met in last season’s 3A state semifinals (won by Northwood).

Around the state

Rocky Mount and South Central (Winterville) athletic directors/boys’ basketball coaches Mike Gainey (Rocky Mount) and Chris Cherry (South Central) will have most unique predicaments Saturday. The Gryphons and Falcons boys — seeded eighth and first, respectively — will meet in the 3A playoffs third round at South Central. The schools’ girls’ teams — No. 5 South Central and No. 4 Rocky Mount — will meet at Rocky Mount.

Gainey’s wife Pam coaches the Gryphons girls. Fifty miles separate the schools’ campuses.