Freedom 21st-year head girls basketball coach Amber Reddick (left) talks with her players during a timeout during their recent game at South Caldwell. The Lady Patriots will likely open the NWC 3A/4A tournament at home on Feb. 18.
East Burke's Braelyn Stilwell (right) moves in for a left-handed layup attempt as Patton's Hayden Carlson looks on during the teams' meeting in Icard in November 2024.
Freedom 21st-year head girls basketball coach Amber Reddick (left) talks with her players during a timeout during their recent game at South Caldwell. The Lady Patriots will likely open the NWC 3A/4A tournament at home on Feb. 18.
All four conferences of which Burke County high schools are members have now announced dates and sites for next week’s basketball tournaments, all of which follow a similar format to last season.
Play in the Catawba Valley 2A, Mountain Foothills 7 1A/2A, and the girls portion of the Western Highlands 1A/2A conference tournaments again opens Monday with first-round games.
Higher seeds will host all opening-round matchups in the CVAC and MF7 as usual, while this year’s WHC tournament is hosted entirely by Mitchell, starting with the first-round games on Monday, and for the boys, on Tuesday.
Those two days’ first-round WHC tournament action will include four games starting at 4 p.m. in Bakersville.
The Northwestern 3A/4A tournament will start Tuesday, with higher seeds hosting first-round games.
Start times at higher seeds in round one of the CVAC, MF7, and NWC tournaments have not yet been announced. Single conference tourney games typically start at 7 p.m., with girls/boys doubleheaders typically starting at 6 p.m.
On Wednesday, all four MF7 semifinals will be played at the site of the No. 1 girls seed (which is also the site of the finals), which appears likely to be Polk County.
Wednesday also features the start of the CVAC and NWC semifinals. In both leagues, the No. 1 seeds are set to play their semifinal matchups on Wednesday, with the two other semifinals involving lower seeds set for Thursday.
The CVAC semis (and finals) are hosted by Catawba Valley Community College once again, while Ashe County will host all advanced-round play in the NWC tourney. Start times have not yet been announced.
East Burke's Braelyn Stilwell (right) moves in for a left-handed layup attempt as Patton's Hayden Carlson looks on during the teams' meeting in Icard in November 2024.
JAMES LYNCH JR. / THE PAPER
The four WHC semifinals will be held Thursday starting at 4 p.m., and all four sets of tournament championship games are scheduled for Friday (times not yet announced).
The East Burke girls are the only county team to attempt to defend their 2023-24 conference tournament title next week, though the Patton boys reached the finals last winter and have a league tournament title this decade, as do both Freedom teams.
All four of those teams either will or could start next week’s league tourney action with early-week games.
Aside from the Lady Cavaliers, who clinched late last week, the Patriot boys have a chance to earn the No. 1 seed in their league. With two home regular-season games remaining, Freedom is currently tied atop the NWC with Watauga and South Caldwell.
Draughn's Noah Chrisco (right) gets a shot up over NCSSM-Morganton's Ben Ellwanger during the teams' recent meeting in Valdese.
JAMES LYNCH JR. / THE PAPER
PROJECTED CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT GLANCE
NOTE: Seedings not yet finalized. Matchups based on standings entering the week of Feb. 10-14.
BOYS
NWC 3A/4A
First round (at higher seeds)
Feb. 18
No. 6 Hibriten at No. 3 Freedom/South Caldwell/Watauga
No. 5 Ashe County at No. 4 Alexander Central
Semifinals
Feb. 19-20 (at Ashe County)
No. 1 Free/South/Wat vs. Ashe/Alex winner
No. 2 Free/South/Wat vs. Free/South/Wat/Hib winner
Championship
Feb. 21 (at Ashe County)
Semifinal winners
MF7 1A/2A
First round (at higher seeds)
Feb. 17
No. 7 Chase at No. 2 R-S Central
No. 6 Polk County at No. 3 Brevard
No. 5 East Rutherford at No. 4 Patton
Semifinals
Feb. 19 (at Polk County)
No. 1 Hendersonville vs. Patt/East winner
R-S/Chase winner vs. Brev/Polk winner
Championship
Feb. 21 (at Polk County)
Semifinal winners
CVAC 2A
First round
Feb. 17 (at higher seeds)
No. 8 Bunker Hill at No. 1 Lincolnton
No. 5 Newton-Conover/West Caldwell at No. 4 Newton-Conover/West Caldwell
No. 6 East Burke/West Lincoln at No. 3 Bandys
No. 7 East Burke/West Lincoln at No. 2 Maiden
Semifinals
Feb. 19-20 (at CVCC)
Linc/BH winner vs. N-C/WC winner
Maid/EB/WL winner vs. Band/EB/WL winner
Championship
Feb. 21 (at CVCC)
Semifinal winners
WHC 1A/2A
First round
Feb. 18 (at Mountain Heritage)
No. 1 Mountain Heritage vs. No. 8 Rosman
No. 4 Mitchell vs. No. 5 Draughn
No. 3 Madison vs. No. 6 Avery County
No. 2 Owen vs. No. 7 NCSSM-Morganton
Semifinals
Feb. 20 (at Mountain Heritage)
MH/Ros winner vs. Mitch/Dra winner
Owen/NCSSM winner vs. Mad/AC winner
Championship
Feb. 21 (at Mountain Heritage)
Semifinal winners
GIRLS
NWC 3A/4A
First round (at higher seeds)
Feb. 18
No. 5 Alexander Central/Hibriten at No. 4 Alexander Central/Hibriten
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PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.