2-9-23 roundup: Pro basketball, football and soccer, High school basketball, Middle school basketball, College basketball and football
By Richard Walker
The N.C. High School Athletic Association basketball regular seasons come to a close tonight and two Gaston County boys teams and one Gaston County girls team are on the cusp of history.
South Point’s boys (20-3, 10-3) needs only to win at North Gaston on Friday night to clinch at least a share of the Red Raiders’ first regular season conference title in school history. Coach Kody Kubbs’ team has won eight straight games after starting 2-3 in league play.
East Gaston’s boys (19-2, 10-1) has already clinched a share of the Southern Piedmont 1A/2A regular season title and will claim the championship outright with a Friday night home win over last-place Highland Tech. Coach Gene Farrar’s team has won seven straight since dropping its lone league game at home against Shelby and had previously won league titles in 1973 and 2005.
And Huss’ girls (16-6, 11-2) has wrapped up at least a share of its first league title since 2005. Coach Bobby Lipscomb’s team can wrap up sole possession with a home win over Ashbrook (15-8, 10-3). It is the Huskies’ 10th league championship and first since 2005. Also, an Ashbrook win and a Cramer (18-5, 10-3) home win over Forestview would create a three-way tie for the title.
Here’s a look at the other are league races:
Southern Piedmont 1A/2A girls: Shelby (20-1, 11-0) has clinched at least a share of the title and will wrap up the championship outright with a home win over Burns. Coach Scooter Lawrence, who will leave the Golden Lions for the head coaching job at Cleveland Community College’s start-up program, has now won four straight league titles.
Western Foothills 3A boys: Hickory (22-1, 13-0) has already clinched its third straight league title.
Western Foothills 3A girls: East Lincoln (23-0, 13-0) has already clinched its second straight title – and coach Jason Otey’s team hopes its can celebrate the 50th anniversary of the school’s first-ever state championship-winner in 1973 when the Lady Mustangs went 29-0 and claimed the first-ever NCHSAA open classification girls basketball tournament.
Catawba Valley 2A boys: West Caldwell (20-2, 13-0) has already clinched its second straight league title.
Catawba Valley 2A girls: East Burke (20-1, 13-0) has already clinched its first league title since 2020.
Catawba Shores 1A/2A boys: Lincoln Charter (19-11, 12-0) has already clinched its ninth straight league title.
Catawba Shores 1A/2A girls: Lincoln Charter (18-4, 8-0) has already clinched its sixth straight league title.
Metro 8 1A boys: Corvian Community (15-6, 10-1) has already clinched the league title.
Metro 8 1A girls: Piedmont Community Charter (17-7, 9-1) clinched at their second league title in three years with Thursday’s win over Corvian Community. Corvian Community (11-9, 8-1) can move into a title for the championship with a Friday night home win over Cabarrus Charter.
(Thursday’s games)
-BOYS
Corvian Community 64, Piedmont CC 58
-GIRLS
Piedmont CC 52, Corvian Community 46: Kennedy Williams had 18 points, Grace East: 14 and Hailey Moore 10 for Piedmont Community Charter.
(Friday’s games)
Ashbrook at Huss
Crest at Kings Mountain
Forestview at Cramer
South Point at North Gaston
Burns at Shelby
Cherryville at Thomas Jefferson
Highland Tech at East Gaston
East Lincoln at North Lincoln
Lincolnton at West Lincoln
(MAC Tournament)
Tuesday’s boys 1st round
No. 3 Northside Christian 64, No. 6 Metrolina Christian 47
No. 4 Gaston Day 69, No. 5 Westminster Catawba 60
Thursday’s boys semifinals at Hickory Grove Christian
No. 1 Gaston Christian 50, No. 4 Gaston Day 35: Cameron Newman and Joe Rhyne had 14 points apiece and Corey Gaines 11 for Gaston Christian and Callum Richard and Chase Owens had 8 points apiece and Kurt Hunter 7 for Gaston Day.
No. 3 Northside Christian vs. No. 2 Concord Academy, 8 p.m.
Friday’s boys championship
7 p.m.
College basketball
ESPNU has selected the Longwood at Gardner-Webb men’s basketball contest as its sixth and final Big South Wildcard broadcast of the 2022-23 season, the Big South Conference office announced on Thursday. The game will move from its current Wednesday, Feb. 22 date to Thursday, Feb. 23 and will tip at 7 p.m. from Paul Porter Arena on the Gardner-Webb campus.
Longwood defeated Gardner-Webb 64-59 on its homecourt on Jan. 18 and has won the last five match-ups.
(Thursday’s games)
Charlotte 62, UTEP 53: The visiting 49ers (14-10, 5-8) snapped a three-game losing streak with the victory.
Eastern Kentucky 84, Queens 80: The host Royals (16-10, 6-7) lost despite a 27-point effort from A.J. McKee.
Gardner-Webb 61, Radford 48: Anthony Selden 14 points led four double-figures for the Bulldogs (14-11, 9-4), who won their sixth straight contest in a nationally-televised Big South Conference road game.
(Saturday, Feb. 11)
Bellarmine at Queens
Belmont Abbey at Chowan
Charlotte at North Texas
Fordham at Davidson
(Sunday, Feb. 12)
Denmark Tech at Gaston College
Middle school basketball
Gaston County Conference standings through Feb. 9:
-BOYS
Southwest 6-0
Belmont 5-1
Mount Holly 4-1
Grier 4-1
Holbrook 3-2
Chavis 2-3
Cramerton 2-3
Stanley 2-4
York Chester 2-4
W.C. Friday 0-5
Bessemer City 0-6
-GIRLS
Holbrook 5-0
Belmont 5-1
Mount Holly 4-1
Southwest 4-2
Cramerton 3-2
W.C. Friday 2-3
York Chester 2-4
Stanley 2-4
Chavis 1-4
Grier 1-4
Bessemer City 1-5
(Thursday’s games)
-BOYS
Belmont 49, W.C. Friday 24: Hunter Gerould had 14 points, Ashton Caskey 7 and Cayden Rumph and Jeremiah Holt 6 apiece for Belmont.
Cramerton 35, Bessemer City 8: Sean Barnett had 8 points, Jordan Littlejohn 7, Marcus Rhodes and Semaj Hart 6 apiece and Trenden England 5 for Cramerton.
Southwest 51, Mount Holly 24: Zaiyir Phillips had 18 points, Jakelan Littlejohn 15 and Karma Minter 14 for Southwest.
Holbrook 63, Stanley 31: Savion Lindsay (25 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists) and Dyson Britt (16 points) led Holbrook.
Grier 55, York Chester 22: O’Brian Lockhart (12 points, 6 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists), Juan Arias (11 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals) and
Tylik Griggs (6 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals) led Grier.
-GIRLS
Belmont 35, W.C. Friday 24: Stella Absher had 21 points and Ella Gibson 6 for Belmont and Allison Smith had 15 points for W.C. Friday.
Cramerton 29, Bessemer City 10: Jyi’Yanna Watkins had 10 points, Ava Cabe 6 and Cameron Smith 4 for Cramerton.
Southwest 24, Mount Holly 12: Sariyah McCorkle had 17 points and Aubrey Bennett 5 for Southwest.
Holbrook 48, Stanley 17: Jakyra Sadler (14 points, 6 steals, 4 assists), Sophie Arrowood (13 points), Jaleila Littlejohn (7 points, 9 steals), Shemia McCoy (6 points, 10 steals, 6 assists), and Arianna McDowell (6 points, 11 rebounds) led Holbrook.
Grier 22, York Chester 19
(Monday’s games)
Chavis at Belmont, Cramerton at York Chester, W.C. Friday at Stanley, Grier at Southwest, Holbrook at Mount Holly
College football
Cramer’s Markiss Nelson committed to play at Louisburg College.
And Mountain Island Charter’s Nate Eaton committe to play at Virginia-Lynchburg.
Pro basketball
Well out of the playoff picture and in contention for the league’s worst record, the Charlotte Hornets traded away two players who have made a combined 77 starts with an eye on playing younger players the rest of the season.
Charlotte received future draft picks, 25-year-old forward Svi Myikhailiuk and a veteran (Reggie Jackson) with whom the team is expected to reach a contract buyout agreement.
Mason Plumlee was averaging 12.2 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 56 starts this season for the Hornets before being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers for Jackson and a 2028 second round draft pick.
And Jalen McDaniels was averaging 10.6 points and 4.8 rebounds in 56 games (21 starts) for the Hornets before he was shipped to the Philadelphia 76ers, with Matisse Thybulle and two second round draft picks to the Portland Trail Blazers and Myikhailiuk and 2023 and 2027 second round draft picks to the Hornets.
Myikhailiuk is a fifth-year NBA veteran who was averaging 3.1 points in 13 games this season.
Here’s the 2022-23 Charlotte Hornets schedule:
(15-41 record)
October
19 at San Antonio (W 129-102)
21 New Orleans (L 112-124)
23 at Atlanta (W 126-109)
26 at New York (L 131-134, OT)
28 at Orlando (L 93-113)
29 Golden State (W 120-113, OT)
31 Sacramento (L 108-115)
November
2 at Chicago (L 88-106)
4 at Memphis (L 99-130)
5 Brooklyn (L 94-98)
7 Washington (L 100-108)
9 Portland (L 95-105)
10 at Miami (L 112-117, OT)
12 at Miami (L 115-132)
14 at Orlando (W 112-105)
16 Indiana (L 113-125)
18 at Cleveland (L 122-132, 2 OT)
20 at Washington (L 102-106)
23 Philadelphia (W 107-101)
25 Minnesota (W 110-108)
28 at Boston (L 105-140)
December
2 Washington (W 117-116)
3 Milwaukee (L 96-105)
5 L.A. Clippers (L 117-119)
7 at Brooklyn (L 116-122)
9 New York (L 102-121)
11 at Philadelphia (L 113-131)
14 Detroit (L 134-141, OT)
16 Atlanta (L 106-125)
18 at Denver (L 115-119)
19 at Sacramento (W 125-119)
21 at L.A. Clippers (L 105-126)
23 at L.A. Lakers (W 134-130)
26 at Portland (L 113-124)
27 at Golden State (L 105-110)
29 Oklahoma City (W 121-113)
31 Brooklyn (L 106-123)
January
2 L.A. Lakers (L 115-121)
4 Memphis (L 107-131)
6 at Milwaukee (W 138-109)
8 at Indiana (L 111-116)
10 at Toronto (L 120-132)
12 at Toronto (L 114-124)
14 Boston (L 106-122)
16 Boston (L 118-130)
18 at Houston (W 122-117)
21 at Atlanta (W 122-118)
23 at Utah (L 102-120)
24 at Phoenix (L 97-128)
26 Chicago (W 111-96)
29 Miami (W 122-117)
31 at Milwaukee (L 115-124)
February
2 at Chicago (L 98-114)
3 at Detroit (L 112-118)
5 Orlando (L 113-119)
8 at Washington (L 104-118)
10 at Boston, 7:30 p.m.
11 Denver, 7 p.m.
13 Atlanta, 7 p.m.
15 San Antonio, 7 p.m.
24 at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
25 Miami, 7 p.m.
27 Detroit, 7 p.m.
March
1 Phoenix, 7 p.m.
3 Orlando, 7 p.m.
5 at Brooklyn, 6 p.m.
7 at New York, 7:30 p.m.
9 at Detroit, 7 p.m.
11 Utah, 7 p.m.
12 Cleveland, 5 p.m.
14 Cleveland, 7 p.m.
17 Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
20 Indiana, 7 p.m.
23 at New Orleans, 8 p.m.
24 at Dallas, 7:30 p.m.
26 Dallas, 1 p.m.
28 at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m.
31 Chicago, 7 p.m.
April
2 Toronto, 1 p.m.
4 Toronto, 7 p.m.
7 Houston, 7 p.m.
9 at Cleveland, 1 p.m.
Pro soccer
Charlotte FC and the Charleston Battery on Thursday announced the upcoming friendly between the two teams scheduled for this Saturday has been moved to Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium due to impending inclement weather in the Charleston area.
The decision to move the match from Charleston was made out of reasonable caution for player and fan safety and to allow preseason preparations to go uninterrupted for both clubs. The match will be free for fans on a limited basis with priority going to those that purchased tickets to the originally scheduled match in Charleston. The remaining allotment will be open to Season Ticket Members. Further ticketing details will be distributed later this afternoon.
Fans who bought tickets to the game in Charleston will receive communication from the Battery regarding their tickets.
Pro football
Here’s the 2022-23 NFL playoff schedule:
-Wild Card weekend
Jan. 14-16
(AFC)
No. 1 Kansas City – bye
No. 5 L.A. Chargers at Jacksonville – Jacksonville 31-30
No. 7 Miami at No. 2 Buffalo – Buffalo 34-31
No. 6 Baltimore at No. 3 Cincinnati – Cincinnati 24-17
(NFC)
No. 1 Philadelphia – bye
No. 7 Seattle at No. 2 San Francisco – San Francisco 41-23
No. 6 N.Y. Giants at No. 3 Minnesota – N.Y. Giants 31-24
No. 5 Dallas at No. 4 Tampa Bay – Dallas 31-14
-Confererence semifinals
Jan. 21-22
(AFC)
No. 4 Jacksonville at No. 1 Kansas City – Kansas City 27-20
No. 3 Cincinnati at No. 2 Buffalo – Cincinnati 27-10
(NFC)
No. 6 N.Y. Giants at No. 1 Philadelphia – Philadelphia 38-7
No. 5 Dallas at No. 2 San Francisco – San Francisco 19-12
-Conference championship games
Jan. 29
NFC – No. 2 San Francisco at No. 1 Philadelphia – Philadelphia 31-7
AFC – No. 3 Cincinnati at No. 1 Kansas City – Kansas City 23-20
-Super Bowl
Feb. 12
At Glendale, Ariz. – Philadelphia vs. Kansas City, 6:30 p.m. (FOX)
Auto racing
The 2023 NASCAR schedule (with winners in parentheses):
Feb 5 Clash at The Coliseum, Los Angeles CA (Martin Truex, Jr.)
Feb 16 Duel No. 1, Daytona Beach FL, 7 p.m. on FS1
Feb 16 Duel No. 2, Daytona Beach FL, 8:45 p.m. on FS1
Feb 19 Daytona 500, Daytona Beach FL, 2:30 p.m. on FOX
Feb 26 NASCAR Cup Series at California, Fontana CA 3:30 p.m. on FOX
Mar 5 NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas, Las Vegas NV, 3:30 p.m. on FOX
Mar 12 NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix, Avondale AZ, 3:30 p.m. on FOX
Mar 19 NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta, Hampton GA, 3:30 p.m. on FOX
Mar 26 NASCAR Cup Series at Circuit of the Americas, Austin TX, 3:30 p.m. on FOX
Apr 2 NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond, Richmond VA, 3:30 p.m. on FS1
Apr 9 NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol, Bristol TN, 7 p.m. on FOX
Apr 16 NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville, Martinsville VA, 3 p.m. on FS1
Apr 23 NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega, Lincoln AL, 3 p.m. on FOX
Apr 30 NASCAR Cup Series at Dover, Dover DE, 2 p.m. on FS1
May 7 NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas, Kansas City KS, 3 p.m. on FS1
May 14 NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington, Darlington SC, 3 p.m. on FS1
May 21 NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Open Race, North Wilkesboro NC, 6 p.m. on FS1
May 21 NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race, North Wilkesboro NC, 8 p.m. on FS1
May 28 NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte, Concord NC, 6 p.m. at FOX
Jun 4 NASCAR Cup Series at World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison IL, 3:30 p.m. on FS1
Jun 11 NASCAR Cup Series at Sonoma, Sonoma CA, 3:30 p.m. on FOX
Jun 25 NASCAR Cup Series at Nashville, Lebanon TN, 7 p.m. on NBC
Jul 2 NASCAR Cup Series at Chicago, Chicago IL, 5:30 p.m. on NBC
Jul 9 NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta, Hampton GA, 7 p.m. on USA
Jul 16 NASCAR Cup Series at New Hampshire, Loudon NH, 2:30 p.m. on USA
Jul 23 NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono, Long Pond PA, 2:30 p.m. on USA
Jul 30 NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond, Richmond VA, 3 p.m. on USA
Aug 6 NASCAR Cup Series at Michigan, Brooklyn MI, 2:30 p.m. on USA
Aug 13 NASCAR Cup Series at Indianapolis Road Course, Speedway IN, 2:30 p.m. on NBC
Aug 20 NASCAR Cup Series at Watkins Glen, Watkins Glen NY, 3 p.m. on USA
Aug 26 NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona, Daytona Beach FL, 7 p.m. on NBC
(Cup Playoffs)
Sep 3 NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington, Darlington SC, 6 p.m. on USA
Sep 10 NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas, Kansas City KS, 3 p.m. on USA
Sep 16 NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol, Bristol TN, 7:30 p.m. on USA
Sep 24 NASCAR Cup Series at Texas, Fort Worth TX, 3:30 p.m. on USA
Oct 1 NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega, Lincoln AL, 2 p.m. on NBC
Oct 8 NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte, Concord NC, 2 p.m. on NBC
Oct 15 NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas, Las Vegas NV, 2:30 p.m. on NBC
Oct 22 NASCAR Cup Series at Miami, Homestead FL, 2:30 p.m. on NBC
Oct 29 NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville, Martinsville, 2 p.m. on NBC
Nov 5 NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix, Avondale AZ, 3 p.m. on NBC