North Duplin junior point guard Addy Higginbotham, right, and her teammates seek to “three-peat” as the Carolina 1A tournament champions this week. The Rebels will host the semifinals and finals. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Postseason play is here.
Week-long tournaments in three conferences — Carolina 1A, Neuse Six 2A and Quad County 3A — tip off Monday and conclude Friday.
Carolina 1A tournament host North Duplin received opening-round byes in both brackets.
The Rebel boys claimed the league’s top seed and automatic playoff bid after winning the program’s first regular-season title since 2002. They’ll entertain either fourth-seeded Lakewood or fifth-seeded Hobbton on Wednesday. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
“I want us to keep rolling in the conference tournament,” said ND head coach Jeff Byrd, whose team entered league play 4-8. “I think anybody can win this tournament. There are three or four good teams in this league. I’m telling them we’ve got to come out with the same intensity [every night].”
Two-time defending tournament champion Rosewood faces either third-seeded Neuse Charter or sixth-seeded Hobbton on Thursday. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
On the girls’ side, Union claimed the No. 1 seed.
The Spartans collected their first regular-season championship since 2010 when they competed in the Tri-County Conference. They claimed three straight Super Six crowns from 2007-09.
Union awaits the Rosewood-Neuse Charter winner.
The Rebel girls start their “three-peat” journey Wednesday against the Lakewood-Hobbton winner. Tip-off is 6 p.m.
“Over the weekend, I’m going to be watching film,” ND head coach John Oliver said. “I’m going to see if we can’t do something different than we’ve been doing. We do still need to put pressure on the ball.”
Quad County 3A
Southern Wayne is the reigning QCC tournament title-holder.
Hampered by injuries and a depleted lineup all season, the fifth-seeded Saints hit the road Tuesday for an opening-round battle at fourth-seeded South Johnston.
Tip-off is 6 p.m.
“I can’t take anything away from our girls,” SW head coach Ricky Lofton said. “They really have stood together, worked hard. We have gotten better and better. We’ll see how it goes.”
On the boys’ side, the seventh-seeded Saints travel to second-seeded Wilson Hunt. Tip-off is 6 p.m. Monday.
A playoff qualifier last season, Southern Wayne (9-15 overall) finds itself on the bubble. Head coach Brian West feels his team must reach the QCC tournament final to have any hope of breaking into the 32-team eastern bracket.
Here are the opening-round pairings, game times and sites for all three tournaments:
GIRLS
Carolina 1A
Quarterfinals
Monday’s Games
(at Lakewood HS, Salemburg)
6 p.m. — #5 Neuse Charter (12-14) vs. #4 Rosewood (6-18)
7:30 p.m. — #6 Hobbton (0-20) at #3 Lakewood (10-10)
Neuse Six 2A
Quarterfinals
Monday’s Games
(at Beddingfield High School, Wilson)
3 p.m. — #5 Spring Creek (8-15) vs. #4 North Johnston (15-7)
6 p.m. — #3 Beddingfield (17-5) vs. #6 Princeton (5-16)
Quad County 3A
Quarterfinals
Tuesday’s Games
6 p.m. — #8 Smithfield-Selma (0-22) at #1 Wilson Fike (20-3)
6 p.m. — #5 Southern Wayne (9-15) at #4 South Johnston (12-11)
6 p.m. — #6 West Johnston (8-14) at #3 C.B. Aycock (12-12)
6 p.m. — #7 East Wake (4-18) at #2 Wilson Hunt (11-12)
BOYS
Carolina 1A
Quarterfinals
Tuesday’s Games
(at Neuse Charter, Smithfield)
6 p.m. — #5 Hobbton (5-18) vs. #4 Lakewood (8-12)
7:30 p.m. — #6 Union (0-21) at #3 Neuse Charter (10-18)
Neuse Six 2A
Quarterfinals
Monday’s Games
(at Beddingfield HS, Wilson)
4:30 p.m. — #5 Princeton (6-14) vs. #4 Eastern Wayne (10-13)
7:30 p.m. — #6 Spring Creek (7-16) vs. #3 Beddingfield (16-7)
Quad County 3A
Quarterfinals
Monday’s Games
6 p.m. — #8 Smithfield-Selma (3-19) at #1 East Wake (20-4)
6 p.m. — #5 C.B. Aycock (12-12) at #4 South Johnston (9-14)
6 p.m. — #6 Wilson Fike (6-16) at #3 West Johnston (13-11)
6 p.m. — #7 Southern Wayne (9-15) at #2 Wilson Hunt (16-7)
