Central Cabarrus caps perfect season, tops Northwood for first state title in 23 years
The Central Cabarrus Vikings — propelled by their brand of fast-tempo pressure — secured their first state championship since the year 2000 with a 65-51 win against the Northwood Chargers.
The win caps off a perfect 32-0 season, and 62-1 run over the past two seasons for the speedy Vikings.
“It was a heck of a game,” Viking head coach Jim Baker said. “Northwood is a very talented and very good team. We had to play very well to beat them. If you look at the polls, we have been ranked one and two since about January. I told some people it was like two trains coming down the track and hitting each other. It was two distinct styles.”
This is the Vikings’ first championship in 23 years, and Baker couldn’t be more proud of his players for the effort they put in all season long to get to where they are now — champions.
The Vikings fell just short of a championship a season ago, falling to West Charlotte in the regional final. For senior Jaiden Thompson, this win is special — despite it not really setting in yet. It has shown him that their hard work has paid off.
“I haven’t really thought too much on it right now,” Thompson said. “Earlier in the season I was telling Gavin (Bullock), ‘Losing isn’t an option.’ We don’t get any more opportunities after this one before it is on to the next step. Getting this win in my last year is something special to do. And being able to do it with the group of guys I have, it was just amazing.”
The Chargers started the game really well. They were able to use their height — primarily their 7-foot-tall center Keenan Parrish — in the paint to rise and shoot over the shorter Viking defenders. Parrish started off 2-for-2 from the field.
Baker took note of that quickly and made adjustments.
“We pressured the post a little more,” Baker said. “We tried to push out the passer. If you play behind somebody, we aren’t really big, so we won’t be able to do that. We just kept talking about — pressure the ball, pressure the ball. Don’t let someone stand there and look at you.”
Vikings guard Adriel Miller was ripping the nets from deep early going 3-for-3 from three-point range in the first quarter. His shooting seemed to be contagious as a few other Vikings would get in on the three-point barrage. Seniors Thompson and Gavin Bullock would get in on the action with Thompson hitting one and Bullock hitting two.
“It was just about staying ready,” Miller said. “Having my teammates trust me as well. After I hit that first one, (my teammates) kept coming back to me. This season I haven’t been the best 3-point shooter, but either way, I show up in practice and have shown that the last four years that I can hit that shot.”
It looked like it was heading for a Central Cabarrus runaway, but junior 4-star Drake Powell of Northwood wouldn’t let his team go down without a fight. Powell hit a few mid-range jumpers in the third quarter bringing the Chargers back within single digits.
The Vikings’ quickness was too much in the end, capping off the game with some closing free throws to end in yet another double-figure win for the Vikings. All but two of the Vikings’ wins this season have been by double figures.
PHOTOS: Central Cabarrus vs. Northwood
This story was originally published March 11, 2023 at 10:32 PM.