1-29-26 roundup: Pro football and basketball, College basketball, High school basketball, Middle school basketball
By Richard Walker
The Charlotte Hornets continued their recent hot streak with their 5th straight victory on Thursday.
The Hornets won 123-121 at Dallas for their first 5-game winning streak since Feb. 13-27 of 2023.
Rookie Kon Knueppel (34 points) led a balanced attack for a starting lineup that is now 11-1; The others were Brandon Miller (23 points, 6 rebounds), LaMelo Ball (22 points, 9 assists), Miles Bridges (17 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists) and Moussa Diabate (10 points, 5 rebounds).
The Charlotte Hornets full 2025-26 regular season schedule:
OCTOBER
Wednesday 22 BROOKLYN (W 136-117)
Saturday 25 at Philadelphia (L 121-125)
Sunday 26 at Washington (W 139-113)
Tuesday 28 at Miami (L 117-144)
Thursday 30 ORLANDO (L 107-123)
NOVEMBER
Saturday 1 MINNESOTA (L 105-122)
Sunday 2 UTAH (W 126-103)
Tuesday 4 at New Orleans (L 112-116)
Friday 7 at Miami* (L 108-126)
Monday 10 L.A. LAKERS (L 111-121)
Wed. 12 MILWAUKEE (W 111-100)
Friday 14 at Milwaukee* (L 134-147, OT)
Saturday 15 OKLAHOMA CITY (L 96-109)
Monday 17 at Toronto (L 108-110)
Wednesday 19 at Indiana (L 118-127)
Saturday 22 LA CLIPPERS (L 116-131)
Sunday 23 at Atlanta (L 110-113)
Wednesday 26 NEW YORK* (L 101-129)
Friday 28 CHICAGO* (W 123-116)
Saturday 29 TORONTO (W 118-111, OT)
DECEMBER
Monday 1 at Brooklyn (L 103-116)
Wednesday 3 at New York (L 104-119)
Friday 5 at Toronto (W 111-86 )
Sunday 7 DENVER (L 106-115)
Friday 12 CHICAGO (L 126-129)
Sunday 14 at Cleveland (W 119-111)
Thursday 18 ATLANTA (W 133-126)
Saturday 20 at Detroit (L 86-112)
Monday 22 at Cleveland (L 132-139)
Tuesday 23 WASHINGTON (W 126-109)
Friday 26 at Orlando (W 120-105)
Monday 29 MILWAUKEE (L 113-123)
Wednesday 31 GOLDEN STATE (L 125-132)
JANUARY
Friday 2 at Milwaukee (L 121-122)
Saturday 3 at Chicago (W 112-99 )
Monday 5 at Oklahoma City (W 124-97 )
Wednesday 7 TORONTO (L 96-97 )
Thursday 8 INDIANA (L 109-112)
Saturday 10 at Utah (W 150-95 )
Monday 12 at LA Clippers (L 109-117)
Thursday 15 at L.A. Lakers (W 135-117)
Saturday 17 at Golden State (L 116-136)
Sunday 18 at Denver (W 110-87 )
Wednesday 21 CLEVELAND (L 87-94 )
Thursday 22 at Orlando (W 124-97 )
Saturday 24 WASHINGTON (W 119-115)
Monday 26 PHILADELPHIA (W 130-93 )
Wednesday 28 at Memphis (W 112-97 )
Thursday 29 at Dallas (W 123-121)
Saturday 31 SAN ANTONIO 3:00 p.m.
FEBRUARY
Monday 2 NEW ORLEANS 7:00 p.m.
Thursday 5 at Houston 8:00 p.m.
Saturday 7 at Atlanta 7:30 p.m.
Monday 9 DETROIT 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday 11 ATLANTA 7:00 p.m.
Thursday 19 HOUSTON 7:00 p.m.
Friday 20 CLEVELAND 7:00 p.m.
Sunday 22 at Washington 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday 24 at Chicago 8:00 p.m.
Thursday 26 at Indiana 7:00 p.m.
Saturday 28 PORTLAND 1:00 p.m.
MARCH
Tuesday 3 DALLAS 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday 4 at Boston 7:30 p.m.
Friday 6 MIAMI 7:00 p.m.
Sunday 8 at Phoenix 9:00 p.m.
Tuesday 10 at Portland 10:00 p.m.
Wednesday 11 at Sacramento 10:00 p.m.
Saturday 14 at San Antonio 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday 17 MIAMI 7:00 p.m.
Thursday 19 ORLANDO 7:00 p.m.
Saturday 21 MEMPHIS 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday 24 SACRAMENTO 7:00 p.m.
Thursday 26 NEW YORK 7:00 p.m.
Saturday 28 PHILADELPHIA 6:00 p.m.
Sunday 30 BOSTON 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday 31 at Brooklyn 7:30 p.m.
APRIL
Thursday 2 PHOENIX 7:00 p.m.
Friday 3 INDIANA 7:00 p.m.
Sunday 5 at Minnesota 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday 7 at Boston 7:30 p.m.
Friday 10 DETROIT 7:00 p.m.
Sunday 12 at New York 6:00 p.m.
Home games in CAPS
All times listed are Eastern
* Denotes Emirates NBA Cup Group Play game
Schedule to be announced following Emirates NBA Cup Group Play: Dec. 9, 10, 13, 16- Emirates NBA Cup Knockout Rounds, Dec. 11, 12, 14, 15- Additional regular-season games for eliminated teams
The Charlotte Hornets 2025 preseason schedule:
Sunday, Oct. 5 Oklahoma City (at N. Charleston Col.) L 114-135
Thursday, Oct. 9 at Oklahoma City L 116-122
Saturday, Oct. 11 at Dallas W 120-116
Wednesday, Oct. 15 Memphis (at First Horizon Col., Gboro) W 145-116
Friday, Oct. 17 at New York L 108-113
High school basketball
The area’s schedule/results:
(Thursday, Jan. 22)
-BOYS
Cramer 63, Bessemer City 62
Queen’s Grant 77, Piedmont Community Charter 57
South Point 85, Burns 67
-GIRLS
Cramer 66, Bessemer City 27
Queen’s Grant 84, Piedmont Community Charter 19
Burns 51, South Point 35
(Friday, Jan. 23)
-BOYS
Forestview 76, North Gaston 54
Huss 88, Ashbrook 86
Kings Mountain 95, Crest 88 (2 OT)
Cramer 85, West Lincoln 42
Cherryville 62, East Gaston 61
Bessemer City 71, Highland Tech 52
Lincolnton 76, Shelby 74
East Lincoln 58, North Lincoln 54
Lincoln Charter 77, Corvian Community 37
Mountain Island Charter 60, Sugar Creek Charter 41
Gaston Christian 72, Hickory Grove Christian 34
Gaston Day 81, Asheville Carolina Day 65
-GIRLS
North Gaston 50, Forestview 45
Huss 68, Ashbrook 44
Crest 49, Kings Mountain 45
Cramer 65, West Lincoln 28
Cherryville 47, East Gaston 32
Highland Tech 61, Bessemer City 51
Lincolnton 56, Shelby 47
North Lincoln 74, East Lincoln 43
Lincoln Charter 58, Corvian Community 22
Mountain Island Charter 55, Sugar Creek Charter 36
Gaston Christian 44, Hickory Grove Christian 23
Asheville Carolina Day 54, Gaston Day 53-
(Thursday, Jan. 29)
-BOYS
Forestview at Kings Mountain, ppd., no date
Huss 74, North Gaston 47: Jaleel Smith (23 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 6 steals) and Ametrius McCoy (10 points, 4 rebounds) led Huss.
Bessemer City 66, Cramer 61
Cherryville 63, Highland Tech 55: Paxton Pruett had 21 points and Talon Dalton 15 for Cherryville and Darius Stinson had 19 points and Coleman Schafer 16 for Highland Tech.
North Lincoln at Hickory, ppd., no date
Lincoln Charter 59, Community School of Davidson 49
Concord Academy 84, Gaston Day 56
Crest at Shelby, ccd.
North Gaston at Highland Tech, ccd.
-GIRLS
Forestview at Kings Mountain, ppd., no date
Huss 67, North Gaston 50
Cramer 75, Bessemer City 30: Oshauna Holland (45 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 9 steals, 2 blocks), Lauren Humphrey (14 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks), Brinley Womack (7 points) and Amasia McDowell (5 points, 3 steals, 1 assist) for Cramer and Saniyah Moore had 13 points for Bessemer City.
Highland Tech 56, Cherryville 34
Lincoln Charter 48, Community School of Davidson 22
Concord Academy def. Gaston Day by forfeit
Crest at Shelby, ccd.
North Gaston at Highland Tech, ccd.
(Friday, Jan. 30)
Crest at Forestview
North Gaston at Ashbrook
South Point at Huss
Cherryville at Burns
Highland Tech at West Lincoln
Lincolnton at Cramer
Shelby at East Gaston
East Lincoln at West Iredell
Newton-Conover at North Lincoln
Langtree Charter at Lincoln Charter
Mountain Island Charter at Carolina International
Piedmont Community Charter at Cone Leadership
Gaston Day at Gaston Christian
(Monday, Feb. 2)
South Point at Ashbrook
Bunker Hill at East Lincoln
Jackson Day at Piedmont Community Charter
(Tuesday, Feb. 3)
Crest at South Point
Huss at Forestview
Kings Mountain at North Gaston
Bessemer City at Burns
Cramer at Highland Tech
Lincolnton at East Gaston
Shelby at Cherryville
Foard at East Lincoln
North Lincoln at Bandys
Lincoln Charter at Pine Lake Prep
Piedmont Community Charter at NCSSM Morganton
Thomas Jefferson at Mountain Island Charter
Gaston Christian at SouthLake Christian
Gaston Day at Metrolina Christian
(Wednesday, Feb. 4)
Burns at Lincolnton
Shelby at West Lincoln
(Friday, Feb. 6)
Ashbrook at Kings Mountain
Huss at Crest
North Gaston at South Point
Bessemer City at Shelby
Cramer at Cherryville
Highland Tech at Burns
West Lincoln at East Gaston
East Lincoln at Hickory
Bradford Prep at Lincoln Charter
Mountain Island Charter at NCSSM Morganton
Sugar Creek Charter at Piedmont Community Charter
Gaston Christian at Westminster Catawba
SouthLake Christian at Gaston Day
(Saturday, Feb. 7)
West Lincoln at Shelby
Bessemer City at Kings Mountain
(Monday, Feb. 9)
Gaston Christian at Ambassador Christian
(Tuesday, Feb. 10)
Crest at North Gaston
Forestview at Ashbrook
South Point at Kings Mountain
Burns at West Lincoln
East Gaston at Bessemer City
Lincolnton at Highland Tech
Shelby at Cramer
Bunker Hill at North Lincoln
Maiden at East Lincoln
Lincoln Charter at Christ the King
Queen’s Grant at Mountain Island Charter
Westminster Catawba at Gaston Day
Piedmont Community Charter at Cherryville
Asheville School at Gaston Christian
(Thursday, Feb. 12)
Cherryville at North Gaston
(Friday, Feb. 13)
Ashbrook at Crest
Kings Mountain at Huss
South Point at Forestview
Burns at Shelby
Cherryville at Bessemer City
Cramer at East Gaston
Lincolnton at West Lincoln
North Lincoln at Foard
Lake Norman Charter at Lincoln Charter
Mountain Island Charter at Jackson Day
Carolina International at Piedmont Community Charter
Gaston Day at Concord Academy
-END REGULAR SEASON
Pro football
NFL 2025-26 playoff schedule:
-CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS
BYES- AFC Denver (14-3), NFC Seattle (14-3)
(Saturday, Jan. 10)
NFC- No. 5 L.A. Rams (12-5) at No. 4 Carolina (8-9) – L.A. Rams 34-31
NFC- No. 7 Green Bay (9-7-1) at No. 2 Chicago (11-6) – Chicago 31-27
(Sunday, Jan. 11)
AFC- No. 6 Buffalo (12-5) at No. 3 Jacksonville (13-4) – Buffalo 27-24
NFC- No. 6 San Francisco (12-5) at No. 3 Philadelphia (11-6) – San Francisco 23-19
AFC- No. 7 L.A. Chargers (11-6) at No. 2 New England (14-3) – New England 16-3
(Monday, Jan. 12)
No. 5 Houston (12-5) at No. 4 Pittsburgh (10-7) – Houston 30-6
-CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS
(Saturday, Jan. 17)
AFC- No. 6 Buffalo at No. 1 Denver – Denver 33-30 (OT)
NFC- No. 6 San Francisco at No. 1 Seattle – Seattle 41-6
(Sunday, Jan. 18)
AFC- No. 5 Houston at No. 2 New England – New England 28-16
NFC- No. 5 L.A. Rams at No. 2 Chicago – L.A. Rams 20-17 (OT)
-CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES
(Sunday, Jan. 25)
AFC- No. 2 New England at No. 1 Denver – New England 10-7
NFC- No. 5 L.A. Rams at No. 1 Seattle – Seattle 31-27
SUPER BOWL
(Sunday, Feb. 8)
At Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara CA, 6:30 p.m., NBC
The Carolina Panthers’ 2025 schedule:
-Preseason
Friday, Aug. 8 Cleveland Browns (L 10-30)
Saturday, Aug. 16 at Houston Texans (L 3-20)
Thursday, Aug. 21 Pittsburgh Steelers (L 10-19)
-Regular season
Sunday, Sept. 7 at Jacksonville Jaguars (L 10-26)
Sunday, Sept. 14 at Arizona Cardinals (L 22-27)
Sunday, Sept. 21 Atlanta Falcons (W 30-0)
Sunday, Sept. 28 at New England Patriots (L 13-42)
Sunday, Oct. 5 Miami Dolphins (W 27-24)
Sunday, Oct. 12 Dallas Cowboys (W 30-27)
Sunday, Oct. 19 at New York Jets (W 13-6)
Sunday, Oct. 26 Buffalo Bills (L 9-40)
Sunday, Nov. 2 at Green Bay Packers (W 16-13)
Sunday, Nov. 9 New Orleans Saints (L 7-17)
Sunday, Nov. 16 at Atlanta Falcons (W 30-27, OT)
Monday, Nov. 24 at San Francisco 49ers (L 9-20)
Sunday, Nov. 30 Los Angeles Rams (W 31-28)
Sunday, Dec. 7 BYE WEEK
Sunday, Dec. 14 at New Orleans Saints (L 17-20)
Sunday, Dec. 21 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (W 23-20)
Sunday, Dec. 28 Seattle Seahawks (L 10-27)
Saturday, Jan. 3 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (L 14-16)
-Playoffs
Saturday, Jan. 10 Los Angeles Rams (L 31-34)
Middle school basketball
The 2026 Gaston County Conference standings:
-BOYS
Belmont 3-0
Holbrook 3-0
York Chester 2-0
Chavis 2-1
Grier 2-1
W.C. Friday 1-2
Southwest 1-2
Stanley 1-1
Mount Holly 0-2
Bessemer City 0-3
Cramerton 0-3
-GIRLS
Belmont 3-0
W.C. Friday 3-0
Holbrook 3-0
Bessemer City 2-1
Grier 2-1
Mount Holly 1-1
York Chester 1-1
Stanley 0-2
Chavis 0-3
Cramerton 0-3
Southwest 0-3
Gaston County Conference results/schedule:
(Thursday, Jan. 29)
-BOYS
Holbrook 45, Southwest 37: Antonio Surratt (25 points, 3 steals, 3 assists), L.J. Sherrill (6 points, 4 steals, 5 assists), Amare Graham (6 points), Isaac Lumene (4 points) and Hudaifah Jamal (4 points) led Holbrook.
Stanley 47, Grier 16: Marcus Showers had 14 points, Jayce Ellerbe 13 and Case Conner 10 for Stanley.
York Chester 47, W.C. Friday 32
Belmont 51, Cramerton 23
Chavis 51, Bessemer City 38: Elias Jackovich had 14 points, Beau Davis 9, Landon Farley 7, Dane Harris 7 and
Brayden Adkins 6 for Chavis and Walter Harris had 26 points and Khyier Marable 8 for Bessemer City.
-GIRLS
Holbrook 51, Southwest 7: Kennedi Johnson (20 points, 4 rebounds, 5 steals, 2 assists), Kyzland Forney (16 points, 6 rebounds, 7 steals, 4 assists, 2 blocks), Caitlyn Lindsay (6 points), Zah’mia Brooks (4 points), Harmony Tucker (2 points), Sophia Harper (2 points) and Malaya Clark (1 point) for Holbrook.
Grier 41, Stanley 25: Moriyah Rainey-Thompson had 23 points and Jeriyah Williams 18 for Grier.
W.C. Friday 28, York Chester 16
Belmont 32, Cramerton 17: Bexley Zinobile had 13 points, Stella McGee 9 and Gemma Norton 8 for Belmont and Kieran Scott 6 points, Eason Hobbs 4 and Sara Garcia 4 for Cramerton.
Bessemer City 39, Chavis 12: Kaliyah Allison had 18 points, Tatum Phinizey 6, Lilly Stiffler 6 and Zayana Crawford 5 for Bessemer City and Lydia Williams had 6 points and Daylee Dalton and A’Lyric Armstrong 2 each for Chavis.
(Monday, Feb. 2)
Mount Holly at Grier
Southwest at W.C. Friday
Stanley at Cramerton
York Chester at Chavis
Belmont at Bessemer City
BYE – Holbrook
(Wednesday, Feb. 4)
Stanley at Mount Holly
York Chester at Holbrook
Belmont at Grier
Bessemer City at W.C. Friday
Chavis at Cramerton
BYE – Southwest
(Thursday, Feb. 5)
Holbrook at W.C. Friday
Cramerton at Mount Holly
Southwest at Chavis
Bessemer City at Stanley
York Chester at Belmont
BYE – Grier
(Monday, Feb. 9)
Grier at Cramerton
Holbrook at Chavis
Mount Holly at Bessemer City
Southwest at Belmont
Stanley at York Chester
BYE – W.C. Friday
(Thursday, Feb. 12)
Chavis at W.C. Friday
Bessemer City at Grier
Belmont at Holbrook
York Chester at Mount Holly
Stanley at Southwest
BYE – Cramerton
(Tuesday, Feb. 17)
Cramerton at Bessemer City
W.C. Friday at Belmont
Grier at York Chester
Holbrook at Stanley
Mount Holly at Southwest
BYE – Chavis
(Thursday, Feb. 19)
Belmont at Chavis
York Chester at Cramerton
Stanley at W.C. Friday
Southwest at Grier
Mount Holly at Holbrook
BYE – Bessemer City
(Monday, Feb. 23)
Bessemer City at York Chester
Chavis at Stanley
Cramerton at Southwest
W.C. Friday at Mount Holly
Grier at Holbrook
BYE – Belmont
(Thursday, Feb. 26)
Semifinals: No. 4 at No. 1, No. 3 at No. 2
(Tuesday, March 3)
Boys final
(Wednesday, March 4)
Girls final
College basketball
Here are the recent results/upcoming schedule for area teams:
(Saturday, Jan. 17)
Queens 87, Stetson 81
Presbyterian 92, Gardner-Webb 55
Forsyth Tech 84, Cleveland CC 71
Brunswick CC 68, Gaston College 63
Chowan 90, Belmont Abbey 69
Fayetteville State 95, J.C. Smith 83
(Sunday, Jan. 18)
Charlotte 73, East Carolina 70
(Monday, Jan. 19)
Mount Olive 64, Belmont Abbey 61
(Wednesday, Jan. 21)
Davidson 68, Fordham 63
Longwood 91, Gardner-Webb 56
Cleveland CC 90, Guilford Tech 86
Queens 87, North Alabama 62
J.C. Smith 90, Shaw 77
Gaston College 72, Caldwell Tech 62
(Thursday, Jan. 22)
Emmanuel 71, Belmont Abbey 61
(Friday, Jan. 23)
Cape Fear CC 87, Gaston College 78
Charlotte 73, Tulane 70
Gardner-Webb 67, USC Upstate 65
(Saturday, Jan. 24)
Cleveland CC at Fayetteville, ppd., no date
J.C. Smith at Livingstone, ppd., Feb. 7
West Georgia 74, Queens 66
VCU 75, Davidson 69
(Tuesday, Jan. 27)
King 77, Belmont Abbey 62
(Wednesday, Jan. 28)
Central Arkansas 100, Queens 90
George Mason 60, Davidson 52
Charlotte 80, Temple 76 (OT)
(Thursday, Jan. 29)
UNC-Asheville 69, Gardner-Webb 50
J.C. Smith 76, Winston-Salem State 64
(Friday, Jan. 30)
Cleveland CC at Catawba Valley CC, 7 p.m.
Gaston College at Wake Tech, 3 p.m.
Rice at Charlotte, 7 p.m.
(Saturday, Jan. 31)
Queens at Bellarmine, 2 p.m.
Cleveland CC at Southwest Virginia, ppd., Feb. 25
Erskine at Belmont Abbey, ppd. Feb. 16
J.C. Smith at Claflin, 4 p.m.
Davidson at Richmond, 4:30 p.m.
(Monday, Feb. 2)
Gardner-Webb at Charleston Southern, 6 p.m.
(Tuesday, Feb. 3)
Saint Louis at Davidson, 9 p.m.
(Wednesday, Feb. 4)
Converse at Belmont Abbey, 7 p.m.
Longwood at Gardner-Webb, 7 p.m.
Charlotte at Wichita State, 7:30 p.m.
Livingstone at J.C. Smith, 7:30 p.m.
USC Salkehatchie at Gaston College, 8 p.m.
(Thursday, Feb. 5)
Jacksonville at Queens, 7 p.m.
(Friday, Feb. 6)
Loyola Chicago at Davidson, 6 p.m.
(Saturday, Feb. 7)
Gardner-Webb at Presbyterian, 2 p.m.
Richard Bland at Gaston College, 2 p.m.
North Florida at Queens, 3 p.m.
Belmont Abbey at Francis Marion, 4 p.m.
J.C. Smith at Livingstone, 4 p.m.
Davidson-Davie CC at Cleveland CC, 7 p.m.
(Sunday, Feb. 8)
Charlotte at Memphis, 2 p.m.