By David Rogers. RALEIGH, N.C. — Eight 6A West men’s basketball teams received for the first round of the NCHSAA state playoffs that begin on Tuesday, Feb. 24. Sixteen teams will compete in the first round hoping to advance to the second round.
Among the eight awarded byes in Round 1, were No. 1 seed Ben L. Smith (Greensboro), No. 2 Charlotte Catholic, No. 3 Mount Tabor, No. 4 T C Roberson, No. 5 Freedom, No. 6 Watauga, No. 7 South Caldwell and No. 8 Northern Guilford.
Determining the composition and order of the top eight was surely challenging for those charged with constructing the 6A bracket, given the late season scramble of a logjam at the top of the Northwestern Conference. For much of the season, Freedom looked to be a good bet for a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the West until a convincing loss to Watauga, 75-59, on Feb. 11. The Patriots showed even more vulnerability in losing the Northwestern Conference’s fourth ranked team, South Caldwell, in the NWC tournament semifinals on Feb. 18, 62-55.
As if that couldn’t provide enough consternation, Watauga soundly defeated South Caldwell on the Spartans home court, Feb. 7 (72-59), but then South Caldwell turned the tables on the Pioneers in the NWC tournament championship game, defeating Watauga in Boone, 74-65.
When it all got sorted out by the computers, four of the top seven teams in North Carolina’s 6A classification were from the West, including No. 1 Ben L. Smith, No. 2 Charlotte Catholic, No. 5 Mount Tabor and No. 7 T C Roberson.
Freedom came in as the No. 9 team in the state 6A statistical rankings, Watauga is at No. 14 and South Caldwell at No. 20.
The other two teams from the Northwestern Conference, Alexander Central and St. Stephens, also made it into the 6A state playoffs, but they will be challenged with Round 1 play-in games.
Alexander Central joins Watauga and South Caldwell in the lower half of the 6A West bracket, as the No. 11 seed. In the statistical rankings, ACHS was ranked No. 24. The Cougars face No. 22 seed Central Cabarrus in Round 1, with the winner advancing to play Watauga in Boone for Round 2.
St. Stephens’ finished the regular season at No. 43 in the state 6A rankings and has the No. 21 seed in the 6A West bracket, traveling to play No. 12 seed Kings Mountain in Round 1. The winner will face No. 5 Freedom in Round 2.
The lone 7A member of the Northwestern Conference, McDowell, is seeded No. 20 in the 7A West classification, and will travel to Pfafftown, facing No. 13 Reagan in Round 1. The winner will play No. 4 Hickory Ridge in Round 2.
As the last month of the regular season and the Northwestern Conference tournament demonstrated, come time for the playoffs, the seedings are just a number. Anybody is capable of beating anybody.
Round 2 is scheduled for Feb. 26. The higher seeds are the host schools vs. their Round 1 opponents.
6A West PAIRINGS for State Playoffs
In Round 2…
- No. 1 Ben L. Smith will play the Round 1 winner between No. 16 Piedmont and No. 17 Phillip O. Berry Academy
- No. 8 Northern Guilford will play the Round 1 winner between No. 9 Western Guilford and No. 24 Statesville
- No. 5 Freedom will play the Round 1 winner between No. 12 Kings Mountain and No. 21 St. Stephens
- No. 4 T. C. Roberson will play the Round 1 winner between No. 13 Asheboro and No. 20 Sun Valley
- No. 3 Mount Tabor will play the Round 1 winner between No. 14 Ashbrook and No. 19 Olympic
- No. 6 Watauga will play the Round 1 winner between No. 11 Alexander Central and No. 22 Central Cabarrus
- No. 7 South Caldwell will play the Round 1 winner between No. 10 Dudley and No. 23 Ragsdale
- No. 2 Charlotte Catholic will the Round 1 winner between No. 15 Harding University and No. 18, A.C. Reynolds
