After an exciting week of NCHSAA semifinal games, we have reached the final stop: state championships. All the time, effort, and competition since November have ultimately led to this one game. While there has been a lot of discussion surrounding the realignment of classifications, each of these teams has fought against worthy opponents to reach this stage. Despite restructuring, there is still plenty of talent in every classification. With games beginning Wednesday, we will take a closer look at each matchup, moving over to Vance Charter and Thomas Jefferson (1A) …
After an incredible comeback victory in the semifinal contest, Vance Charter finds itself in a real position to win it all. Trailing by as much as 18 points in the second half, they completely dominated Southern Wake in the final period to mount an unbelievable comeback. Between notable performances from Nick Pentoney (20 points), Gary Wilkins (19 points), and meaningful buckets late from Keyan Richardson (8 points), it was ultimately enough to advance this group forward. In terms of quality opponents, Southern Wake had as much talent as any team in this classification. Now, this group should feel like they can beat anyone. Will they be able to keep things close from the start? Can their productive veterans continue to set the tone?
Meanwhile, Thomas Jefferson Classical showed some fight during its semifinal showdown against Jackson Day. They secured an early lead, allowed things to get close in the third quarter, and then pulled away in the final period. Guys like Kenyon Surratt (18 points), Chase Kollack (12 points), and Chance Malachi (11 points) led the way in scoring, but others like Ben Fuller, Gaige Lawson, and Bryson Luther were also vital to the success of this group. Will Luther have a bounce-back performance? Can guys like Surratt and Kollack maintain their strong production? Will they be able to contain Wilkins inside the paint? All these questions will be answered tomorrow.