The Burlington School (#1) vs. Berean Baptist
Given the fact that 2A NCISAA is arguably the most loaded classification across the private-school ranks, it’s only fitting for top-seeded Burlington School to face off against Berean Baptist in the quarterfinals. The Spartans are the most battle-tested team in this bracket while the Bulldogs have slightly underperformed in terms of preseason expectations. However, records go out the window come playoff time. What does that mean for this specific matchup? Well, Berean will have the two biggest players on the court (Harold Lee and Daniel Mbaeteka), a skilled, athletic, versatile wing (Josiah Sanders), and three highly reliable pieces in Antrell Gilmore, Briceson Martin, and Amari Goggins. On the other side, The Burlington School is extremely balanced. Zion Walker has obviously been one of the most productive high school players over the last few years, but guys like King Gibson, Cam Flippen, Devin Sims, Ty Outlaw, Kaden Hammond, Jordan Durham, and Josh Randolph each play pivotal roles for this group. While the Spartans should still be favorites, it’ll be an interesting battle with several intriguing prospect on both squads.
Gaston Day (#8) vs. Burlington Christian
Staying in stride with the 2A matchups, Gaston Day and Burlington Christian has all the makings of a true playoff test. The Spartans are young, but have been a model of consistent success over the years. Seniors Chase Owens and Kurt Hunter are obvious tone-setters for this group, but the sophomore grouping of Deshawn Coulter, Braylen Todd, Griffen Simpson, Gavin Fields, and Lucas Kimrey have each carved out meaningful roles. Meanwhile, Burlington Christian has quietly exceeded expectations and now stand as a legitimate problem for opponents. Their junior trio of Isaiah Smith, Ian Bush, and Larry Blount has comfortably burdened majority of the production for the Royals. However, freshmen Karon Watlington and Charles Chienggen Pur are already clearly more than young foundational pieces—given their respective production and on-court identities. It might not be a game circled on everyone’s calendar but rest assured, this game could have real implications for the remaining playoff teams.
Gaston Christian (#4) vs. Greensboro Day (#5)
Quite possibly the most enticing quarterfinal contest across all classifications, we have a rematch of last year’s semifinal matchup. Rewinding twelve months, Gaston Christian traveled to Greensboro Day and lost a 30-27 battle. The Eagles now have a different coaching staff and will be hosting rather than traveling. It pretty much goes without saying, but everything starts and stops behind the grouping of Cam Newman, Gabriel Mabor, and Joe Rhyne. Other guys certainly contribute to their success, but those three must perform in order for them to win. Meanwhile, how could anyone ever bet against Freddy Johnson and Greensboro Day? His resume simply speaks for itself. Their overall structure is much different this season, particularly after the departure of Jaydon Young, but guys like Will Otto, Addison Newkirk, Jagger Emerson, Jaden Palmore, Kohi Strickland, and several others have done a great job of maintaining the Bengals’ expectations. There’s no telling how things will shake out, but it should be a memorable battle no matter the end result.
