Today, the bracket play for the annual Hoopstate Championship officially begins with two highly intriguing matchups. Each year, this event serves as a battle to determine who ultimately comes out victorious as the top independent program in North Carolina. The field features Quality Education, New Life Christian, Winston-Salem Christian (National and Regional), Combine Academy (National and Regional), Piedmont Classical, NC GBB, Word of God, and 1 of 1 Academy. Following Moravian Prep winning the first championship in 2020, Combine Academy has taken home back-to-back titles over the last two seasons. However, it seems like this event could be more competitive this year than ever before. This article will preview the first-round matchups, moving onto Winston-Salem Christian Regional versus Combine Academy Regional.
Winston-Salem Christian Regional (7) vs. Combine Academy Regional (10)
The contest between Winston-Salem Christian Regional and Combine Academy Regional might be one of the most exciting games on the schedule. In looking at the Lions' squad, Coach Holcomb-Faye has a pretty strong depth of talent. Guys like CJ Vaughn, Dontae Watson, Isaiah McAdams, Caden Fitzgibbons, and Darnerian Gibson are among their headlining pieces, but Jai Richburg continues to be a noteworthy young prospect, Emmanuel Black offers a tough, energetic two-way presence, and the rest of this roster can reliably come in and provide meaningful minutes. The Lions have been on somewhat of a skid over their last few games, so this will be the opportunity to keep their season alive.
Meanwhile, the Goats' have quietly been among the more entertaining teams during the current high school season. Coach Respass has a quality group of guys with clearly defined roles. They've primarily been led by the grouping of Dylan Craven, Jacob Brandly, Clinton Efinda, Yohan Gutierrez, and CJ Purdie with guys like Carlin Parker, Abrulrahman Helwa, Logain Cassie, Nyck Clarke, Zhangir Dyussenov, and Chris Ndakazieka all carving out meaningful minutes. Their blend of chemistry and general understanding of each other's strengths is such a massive part of what makes this group such a challenging matchup. They play like a well-oiled machine, and that's not by accident. Given the amount of talent and guys eager to prove themselves from both rosters, this should be an excellent game.