The high school basketball Sweet 16: Cleveland, Millbrook rise. Who is the new No. 1?
Fewer than two weeks remain before we know who will be crowned state champions, but the tournament has already had plenty of shaking up. Top seeds remain in some places, but not in others, and where there are upsets, there are poll shakeups, as witnessed below.
With only one loss and where it’s still alive in the NCHSAA 4A bracket, Cleveland (not just a football school) has ascended to the top spot here in the Sweet 16.
Millbrook, not even in the poll just shy of the season’s midway point, has reached No. 2 with a great conference and postseason run.
Here’s how the rest of the top area teams shake out:
Triangle area boys high school basketball Sweet 16
| Rank | Team | League | Div. | Rec. |
| 1 | Cleveland | NCHSAA | 4A | 29-1 |
| 2 | Millbrook | NCHSAA | 4A | 20-8 |
| 3 | Panther Creek | NCHSAA | 4A | 21-7 |
| 4 | Trinity Academy | NICSAA | 2A | 26-3 |
| 5 | Jordan | NCHSAA | 4A | 23-4 |
| 6 | Apex Friendship | NCHSAA | 4A | 20-7 |
| 7 | Holly Springs | NCHSAA | 4A | 24-5 |
| 8 | Hillside | NCHSAA | 4A | 19-5 |
| 9 | Wake Forest | NCHSAA | 4A | 18-7 |
| 10 | Wakefield | NCHSAA | 4A | 19-8 |
| 11 | Southern Durham | NCHSAA | 3A | 20-7 |
| 12 | Cary Christian | NCISAA | 3A | 21-9 |
| 13 | Cardinal Gibbons | NCHSAA | 4A | 16-11 |
| 14 | East Wake | NCHSAA | 3A | 19-6 |
| 15 | Ravenscroft | NCISAA | 4A | 14-9 |
| 16 | Athens Drive | NCHSAA | 4A | 16-9 |
This story was originally published February 28, 2022 at 6:00 AM.