NCISAA Official Boys Basketball Top Five
After a plethora (a Glen Taylor word) of holiday basketball action and much research scouring the cyber world for scores we bring the first Official NCISAA Basketball Boys Top Five of 2017. With teams travelling as far north as Kentucky and as far south as Florida certainly even the rabid basketball junky got his fill over the holidays. Greensboro Day (3A), Village Christian (2A) and the Burlington School (1A) remain at the top of their respective classifications as we enter the new year.
Only one NCISAA boys team goes into 2017 unscathed. The Burlington School is in the midst of a 59-1 run over the past season and a half and sports a nifty 16-0 mark. Coach Ron Johnson’s Spartans topped last year’s state champions, Trinity Christian on December 20, avenging their only loss in the past two years. That setback came in the 2016 when the Crusaders upset TBS in the state semifinals.
Burlington School strengthened their stronghold on their number one ranking winning the Rotary Holiday Classic in North Charleston SC last week. Also Bucknell signee and perhaps the Spartans top player, John Meeks, made his first appearance of the year in the tournament, finishing with 15 points and six rebounds vs Northwood Academy S.C. Meeks had sat out TBS first thirteen games with a foot injury.
United Faith is the number two team in this week’s poll. The Falcons, under 1st year coach Josh Coley who came over from Carmel Christian, won all three of their contests in the Queen City Challenge over the holidays. Coley has UFCA on the right direction track after several down seasons including one on NCISAA probation.
Perennial challenger Greenfield School moves up to third in this weeks rankings. Led by UNC commit Colby White. The Knight fell in their own Christmas Tournament finals to Fayetteville Academy. Then after Christmas, despite the loss of Octavious Lacey (6’5 Jr F) to a season ending knee injury, the Knights were impressive in the Phenom Sports Joe Miller Invitational in Wilmington. GFS knocked off both highly touted Kinston HS & New Hanover HS before falling to Virginia Academy in the tournament finals
However the hottest team in the entire boys ranks of the NCISAA may be Carolina Day. Coach Trip Cogburn’s troops received a # two seed in last year’s state tournament only to be knocked off in the quarterfinals by Freedom Christian. This year the Wildcats began the season winning only two of their first six games. But since December 2 they have been on fire winning eight straight contests and capping the end of 2016 winning the championship of their own holiday tournament with a 64-40 blowout of a good Fayetteville Academy squad. Included in the winning streak was a win over top ranked Village Christian as well as an overtime win over CAA rival Christ School, their first in over ten years over the Greenies.
Carolina Day faces second ranked Gaston Day in a huge matchup Tuesday night in Gastonia.
Greensboro Day is again tops in the 3A division despite suffering their first loss of the season. The Bengals fell to Hunting Heights Tn in the first round of the Chick Fil A classic in Columbis SC. However the Bengals rebounded with wins over Oldsmar Christian Fl and Gray Collegiate SC and polished off the holidays winning their sixth straight Haeco Invitational at the Greensboro Coliseum. Senior J.P. Moorman, who is headed to Temple, picked up his second straight MVP award in the Haeco Tournament after being honored last season as a junior. Teammates Jordan Perkins, Will Dillard and John Newman were all named to the five member all tournament team.
Wesleyan also had a successful holiday season winning two tournament crowns. The second ranked Trojans captured the Buccaneer Classic at Charlotte Country Day topping Independence HS in the finals and following that up with the Sheetz Holiday Invitational in High Point. The Trojans go into the new year sporting a 15-1 record with only a last second Christ School tip in preventing them from an undefeated year.
Defending 3A title holder Providence Day also had a respectable holiday campaign. The Chargers participated in the Chick Fil A going 2-2 with losses to John Carroll Md and CISAA foe Cannon School. However the Chagers were very impressive in winning the Hoodies House Classic. Last year the Chargers were the first Mecklenberg County school in fifteen years to win the national bracket and they one upped themselves this year with a repeat.
After a win over Seffner Christian Ga in the opener, PDS opened more than a few eyes knocking off national powerhose DeMatha of Hyattsville Md in the semifinals. As if this weren’t enough, the Chargers topped the top ranked 5a school in the state of Kansas 39-37 in the finals. PD’s highly touted junior backcourt of Devon Dotson and Trey Wertz accounted for all 39 points in the title clash with Dotson tossing in 23 and Wertz 16.
Here’s how we see it this week. All bubble teams are listed alphabetically.
3A BOYS
1.Greensboro Day..20-1..Holidays defeated Southlake, Hickory Grove, Oldsmar Christian Fl , Gray Collegiate SC, Grimsley HS, Dudley HS & NW Guilford lost to Huntington Heights, Tn—This week—Tues @ Charlotte Christian, Thur Piedmont Classical, Sat Metrolina
2.Wesleyan..15-1..Holidays defeated Ravenscroft, Metrolina, Pinewood Prep SC, Independence HS, Southern Guilford, HP Christian & SW Guilford—This week Tues Hickory Grove, Thur Cannon
3.Providence Day..12-5..Holidays defeated Westlake Ga, Seffner Christian Christian Fl, DeMatha, Md & Dunrise Christian Ks lost to John Carroll Md & Cannon—This week—Tues FCD, Fri York Prep, Sat @ Christ School
4.Charlotte Christian..14-2..Holidays defeated Rabun Gap, Liberty Co Ga, Cardinal Newman SC, Boone Fl & Lake Minneola Fl lost wo West orange Fl—This week Tues Greensboro Day, Fri @ Ravenscroft, Sat @ Cary Academy
5.Cannon School..10-8..Holidays defeated Porter Gaud SC, Providence Day, University School Fl, lost to Robinson HS, Hillcrest Prep Az, & Wheeler Ga—This week—Thur Wesleyan
On the bubble…Christ School 11-5, Durham Academy 14-3, HP Christian 11-4
2A BOYS
1.Village Christian..15-2..Holidays defeated Hampton Christian, Chapel Hill HS, Eastern Alamance, Mountain Mission Va & Asheville Christian lost to Carolina Day—This week—Tues Australia Travelers, Fri @ Oak Hill
2.Gaston Day..10-3..Holidays defeated Calvary Day, Bullis Md & Keenan SC lost to Newton Ga—This week—Tues Carolina Day, Fri @ Northside
3.Carolina Day..10-4..Holidays defeated Rocky Mount, Village Christian, Greenville Tech, Calvary Day & Fayetteville Academy—This week—Tues @ Gaston Day
4.Concord 1st Assembly..11-5..Holidays defeated Hammond School SC, Fayettevile Christian & Durham Hillside lost to Durham Faith Assembly—This week—Fri Westminister Catawba
5.Carmel Christian..10-4..Holidays defeated United Faith & Lee Al, lost to Seffner Christian Ga & Sunrise Christian Ks—This week—Thur @ Woodlawn, Fri Christ the King
On the bubble..Fayetteville Academy 13-3, Freedom Christian 6-7, St Davids 8-3
1A BOYS
1.Burlington School..16-0..Holidays defeated Trinity Christian, West Stokes, Northwood Academy SC, Beckmar Ga & Porter Gaud SC—This week Tues @ Oakwood, Fri @ Calvary Day, Sat @ Cape Fear Christian
2.United Faith..14-2..Holidays defeated Gaston Christian, Harding HS, York Prep, & Myrtle Beach Christian lost to Carmel Christian—This week—Tues Covenant Day, Fri Woodlawn, Sat Word of God
3.Greenfield..10-7..Holidays defeated Grace Christian, Durham Faith Assembly, New Hanover HS & Kinston HS lost to Fayetteville Academy, Word of God & Virginia Academy—This week—Tues @ Wayne Christian, Fri Trinity Christian
4.Trinity Christian..10-6..Holidays defeated Lincoln Charter lost to Burlington Christian, FCD, New Hanover HS, Word of God & Miller School, Va—This week—Fri @ Greenfield, Sat @ SW Guilford
5.Northwood Temple..14-8..Holidays defeated Cresset Christian, Cape Henry Collegiate, New Life Christian, National Christian & Thornlea, Canada lost to Bishop Sullivan, Hillcrest Prep, Az & University School, Fl—This week—Mon Australia Select, Fri @ Neuse Christian
On the bubble..Cape Fear Christian 11-7, Statesville Christian 13-4, Wayne Country Day 11-7