By: Evan Rogers
11:00am – The Burlington School vs Raliegh Christian Academy
In the first round of the losers TJ Warren bracket, The Burlington School will face Raleigh Christian Academy. TBS lost a tough game to WSCS in which they struggled to find offense outside of star guard Zion Walker. RCA also lost a tough game, theirs to Word of God, in which they committed 23 turnovers on the way to a 13 point defeat. TBS will have to control WSCS inside, an area that the Lions have dominated all season long. The matchup to watch is Zion Walker against Kobe George. They’re two guards similar in stature that matchup against each others strengths well.
12:30pm – Greenfield School vs Cannon School
In the other losers first round of the TJ Warren bracket, Greenfield will face Cannon. Cannon’s Austin Swartz and Isaiah Henry shined in their opening round loss to Prolific Prep, combining for 46 points. Greenfield struggled against the uber-talented Combine Academy, losing by 39 in round one. Greenfield will need a big time performance from junior Hampton Evans, who scored just 3 points in their loss. The matchup to watch is Isaiah Henry against Kobe Edwards. They’re two of the best young prospects in the state and this meeting on a national stage can propel both of them to another level in terms of attention.
2:00pm – Broughton vs Garner
In the losers first round of the Devonte Graham Bracket, the host school of Broughton will face cross-town rival Garner. Both teams lost to national powers in the opening round and both are also having strong starts to the year in the Raleigh area. Chris Crudup and Tanner Mikulecky both scored 12 in their loss to Don Bosco Prep and they will be looked at to lead the scoring in this one. Broughton put up a respectable effort in their loss to Centennial. They’re a balanced team that should see success in the CAP-6 conference this year. The matchup to watch is McCallum Wright against Tanner Mikulecky. Both are dynamic wings that impact the game on both sides of the ball. If McCallum can help his team slow down Tanner’s scoring efforts, then the Caps could be in for a good night.
3:30pm – Winston-Salem Christian vs Word of God
In the first semifinal of the TJ Warren bracket, Winston-Salem Christian will face Word of God. Both rosters are full of talent and the key to victory will be if Word of God can handle the big and physical WSCS frontcourt. Word of God will need to play aggressively while avoiding foul trouble to contain the size of the Lions. The matchup to watch will be Mayar Wol against Torey Alston. Mayar Wol has shown potential as a rim protector and will have the chance to prove it’s legit by containing the ultra-efficient Torey Alston.
5:00pm – Combine Academy vs Prolific Prep
In the semifinal round of the TJ Warren bracket, Combine Academy will take on Prolific Prep. In the GOATs’ first round contest, Combine used its balance and talented roster to cruise to a blowout win over Greenfield. Four players reached double figures for Combine, led by five-star prospect Trentyn Flowers’ 19 points and eight rebounds. For Prolific Prep, it earned a hard-fought win over Cannon. The Crew were led by the play of their guards, as Trey Greene and Aden Holloway dropped 21 and 19 points, respectively. The matchup to watch will be how Silas Demary Jr. plays against The Crew’s guard tandem of Greene and Holloway. Demary Jr. is a true pass-first guard who excels at getting downhill while both of Prolific Prep’s guards are dynamic scorers.
6:30pm – Centennial vs Don Bosco Prep
In the first semifinal game of the Devonte Graham bracket, two national powers face off in Centennial and Don Bosco Prep. Both teams beat popular local teams in their first-round matchups and the stars shined, Jared McCain and Devin Williams for Centennial and Dylan Harper for Don Bosco Prep. Don Bosco will need to contain the dynamic Williams inside if they want to win this game. The matchup to watch will be Aaron McBride against Dylan Harper. Harper is an extremely productive wing that doesn’t force anything and plays within himself. McBride is an extremely versatile defender that will have as good of a chance as any to slow Harper down.
8:00pm – Millbrook vs Farmville Central
In the final game of the night, two public school powerhouses face off in the Devonte Graham semifinals. Millbrook and Farmville are two programs that are as storied as anyone in the state. Both won state titles in 2021 and both have good odds to win it this season. Millbrook beat Jackson Keith and Southern Durham in the opening round, thanks to a career-high 24 from guard Gabe Cerda. Farmville Central beat Collin Kuhl and Holly Springs in their first round game, thanks to a 31 point explosion from New Orleans commit Jah Short. These two teams are evenly matched in terms of talent, although Millbrook will have the size advantage. The matchup to watch is Jayan Walker against Jah Short. Jayan struggled in game one, scoring just four points, but don’t count on the dynamic scorer having two bad days in a row. Jah will be tasked with guarding Jayan for a portion of the game and his defense will greatly effect the outcome of the game.