
Every year, there are a few teams that have the right recipe of talent, veterans, and overall chemistry to contend for a state championship. These teams can emerge in a variety of different ways, but we’ve become accustomed to seeing squads go undefeated for large stretches of the season. Right now, North Carolina only has three association teams without a loss: Christ School, Reidsville, and Swansboro. We’ve come to expect this type of success from Christ School and Reidsville (simply given how they’ve performed in recent years), so seeing Swansboro shining is truly incredible.
The Pirates have found impressive balance within their senior-led roster. Their top five in points, rebounds, assists, and steals are all seniors. The grouping of Tayvion Tangiora, Jermaine Cunningham, Jonah Holt, Elijah McCallister, and Chase Grogg completely set the tone for this team. Before looking at their individual production, it’s worth noting that those five account for 93% of the total scoring (and similar percentages for the other major statistical categories).
Each guy brings something different to the table, so let’s dive into their respective numbers. Tangiora is a strong, physically overwhelming post player averaging 19.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 1.0 SPG, and 2.6 BPG while shooting an exceptional 68% from the floor. Cunningham is a rugged, athletic, well-rounded guard with great size, toughness, and instincts. He’s averaging 18.4 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 4.6 APG, 3.7 SPG, and 1.5 BPG while shooting 51% from the floor. Holt offers a balanced, athletic identity and naturally impacts the game on either side of the ball. He’s averaging 13.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 2.0 APG, and 1.5 SPG while shooting 47% from the floor. McCallister stands out as a reliable playmaker and primary shooter (both in terms of volume and percentage). He’s averaging 10.4 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 3.8 APG, and 2.3 SPG while shooting 36% from beyond the arc. Rounding out this group, Grogg does the dirty work and fills in the gaps as needed, averaging 6.1 PPG, 4.0 RPG, and 1.5 SPG. There’s certainly a lot to like about Swansboro’s roster, so it’ll be exciting to see if they can maintain this level of success going forward.