Charlotte,NC – West Charlotte’s remarkable run through the NCHSAA state playoffs will continue this Saturday afternoon in Raleigh. Seniors Patrick Williams, Quinten Thomas and Cartier Jernigan will suit up in the maroon and vegas gold for the last time in their high school careers. Thirty years from now, they will reminisce on the 2018-2019 season in much of the same way R&B star Mary J. Blige reminisced on the love she had back in 1993.
The North Carolina 4A state championship game will be held inside the 70 year old William Neal Reynolds Coliseum on the campus of NC State. Western Regional champions West Charlotte (25-6) will battle Eastern Regional champions South Central (29-1) for a shot at state supremacy. West Charlotte won the crown eight years ago, while South Central is seeking its first state title in school history. The South Central Falcons are not only fighting for the legacy of a school, but the legacy of the town in which it stands. Here is what you need to know about the only team standing in the way of West Charlotte and it’s claim to magnificence.
Located 20 minutes south of Greenville,NC, Winterville has a population of approximately 9,600 residents. South Central is its only high school. The school opened its doors in 2002 and is no stranger to successful basketball teams. Currently on a 19 game winning streak, the Falcons have posted a mind boggling 83-4 record over the past 3 seasons to go along with three consecutive trips to the NCHSAA Eastern Regional finals. This season, the team is currently ranked number six nationally by USA Today and have manhandled their way through the state playoffs with a 28 point average margin of victory.
South Central is home to 6’10 junior big man Day’ron Sharpe. Sharpe has committed to take the two hour trip west on highway 264 and play for coach Roy Williams at the University of North Carolina. Sharpe received offers from high caliber programs such as Virginia, East Carolina and Georgetown. Being a longtime Carolina fan, he chose the Tarheels . “I think Roy liked his combination of good feet and good hands”, InsideCarolina.com staff writer Sherrell McMillan told the Charlotte Basketball Network. “He’s a great rebounder and he is ascending. For South Central, he does a little bit of everything. His biggest impact will be on defense. He’s very long and a good shot blocker. Just a solid big man”. McMillan has spent the last ten years covering Carolina recruits along with game and team analysis.
The Falcons are eager to win a state title and according to Sharpe, by any means necessary. Following his team’s 75-49 state quarterfinals victory over Raleigh Wakefield, Sharpe notified local reporters of his message to the team, “I told the team we need to come out here and bust them (Wakefield) in the mouth. We’ve been fighting for this for the past three years and it’s time for us to get over the hump.” West Charlotte has no fear of physicality and if the battle in the paint goes according to plan, fans could see the kind of aggressiveness that 90’s era basketball enthusiasts clamor to see .
Though Sharpe may be the Falcon’s highest rated prospect, he bosts a dynamic supporting cast around him. The Lions are facing a well balanced attack on both ends of the floor. South Central’s backcourt is led by 6’1 senior point guard Shykeim Phillips. The two time all conference selection has received scholarship offers from Old Dominion, East Carolina, Western Carolina and UNC-Asheville to name a few. The speedy guard has formed a dynamic one-two punch with Sharpe and teams have yet to find an answer for his innate ability to attack the rim. West Charlotte is one of the few teams in the state that can throw multiple defenders his direction. 5’10 guard Jahzeer Baker is the team’s three point specialist and has range anywhere on the court. 6’3 forward Jeremy Lewis is the team’s enforcer in the paint. On the wing is 6’5 swingman Shy’Quan Jones. A long forward who can do it all. “I am very versatile”, Jones told Greenville’s WITN after receiving Player of the Week honors this week from the network. “I’m very strong. My ability attack in all aspects, on the dribble, on the defensive end, rebound everything”.
For fans, the stage is setting up to be witnesses to an absolute classic in the making. Observing both West Charlotte and South Central on the basketball court, they each have a style of play that eerily resemble one another. Both feature dominant ACC-bound big men who know how to finish strong at the rim, above average guard play, excellent three point shooters, athleticism all around the floor, a deep bench, amazing ball handlers whom have the ability to penetrate and each team looks to get out on the break, forcing opponents to play at a dizzying pace.
Game attendees are sure to see a physical, fast-paced contest in which no team should hang its head following the sound of the final buzzard. The 4A state championship game is just under 96 hours away and this is what dreams are made of.
Other Game Notes:
Each game will stream live on the NFHS Network with monthly passes for $9.95 per month.
Tickets to the Championships can be purchased at the gate, or digital tickets can be purchased in advance through the NCHSAA’s partnership with GoFan.
Tickets are $15.00 for the State Championships if purchased at the venue.
