All Brackets: https://www.ncisaa.org/playoff-brackets/?sport=13¤tyear=1
It’s that time of the year again. Private school basketball has concluded its regular season schedule and will begin postseason play this Tuesday. With the first round only days away, it feels like the ideal time to take a closer look at each classification and highlight some of the potential title winners. It’s always worth remembering these are merely previews and predictions that have no actual impact on the games being played. Let’s dive into each…
Although cases could be made for the other classifications, the NCISAA 2A bracket is arguably the most difficult road to a title. We all know about the top four seeds in Caldwell Academy, The Burlington School, Greenfield School, and Harrells Christian. Each of those teams could win a title, and folks wouldn’t be surprised. However, it doesn’t take long to notice how many strong teams are playing first-round games. The next four seeds, Wayne Country Day, Trinity Christian, Gaston Day, and Burlington Christian, could legitimately beat any opponent on any night. While that’s an abundance of talent, there’s still more. Additionally, the likes of Fayetteville Academy, Berean Baptist, Freedom Christian, and Northwood Temple only further solidify this as an incredibly talented bracket of teams.
The top-seeded Eagles have been as battle-tested as any team in the state. Led by the grouping of Jaylen Cross, Cole Cloer, King Kendrick, Ayden Johnson, and Neal Swindell, they certainly have the talent to warrant being a favorite entering postseason play. On the other side of the bracket, The Burlington School simply knows how to compete. The veteran trio of Kaden Hammond, Cam Flippen, and Drew Johnson will be critical to the Spartans’ success.
Holding the third seed, Harrells Christian has been quite dominant for most of the season. Antonio McKoy continues to shine as a focal point, while guys like Dashaun McKoy, Zicareian McNeil, and Amir Moore each stand out as huge x-factors. Meanwhile, Greenfield has generated a lot of buzz behind the play of Kobe Edwards but also has a balanced roster of meaningful contributors. Players like Braxten Dubose, Isaiah Thomas, Drew Lucas, Simon Quinn, and Cameron Moore each made a strong impact for the Knights.
Again, this is a loaded classification with nearly a dozen teams that can realistically compete for a state championship. There are several enticing matchups within this bracket, including a potential rematch between Greenfield and Caldwell, so it’ll be fascinating to follow over these next few weeks.