The Sam Moir Christmas Classic, which runs from Wednesday through Friday of this week, figures to be a North Rowan showcase, but one thing we’ve learned about this tournament over the years is to expect the unexpected.
The past five years have seen five different schools claim boys championships. Second-seeded Davie County, which won last year for only the second time in history, is the defending boys champ. But the overwhelming favorite is top-seeded North, with West Rowan and South Rowan looming as darkhorses. East Rowan and Salisbury are good enough to upset someone.
On the girls side, the unbeaten Cavaliers, are huge favorites to defend their crown and win their third title in four years. They’ve been dominating in December.
Just how good have the North girls been?
“They’ve been putting the pressure on us,” laughs North boys coach Kelly Everhart. “They’ve been tough to follow.”
West, East and Davie have the best shot to slow down the Cavaliers.
Tournament pairings are in the Local Sports Schedule.
A capsule look at each of the teams:
Boys
North Rowan
Seed: No. 1
Coach: Kelly Everhart
Record: 7-0
Last championship: 1996
Last MVP:Richard Hailey
Total championships won: 5
Strengths: Experience, quickness, defense
Weakness: None to speak of
Best game: 70-55 pounding of West Rowan in Mount Ulla
Worst game: 65-61 struggle over A.L. Brown in opener
Top player: 6-5 senior Bryan McCullough has scored 20-plus points six times
Underrated player: Defensive ace Chris Phillips
MVP candidates: McCullough, flashy point guard Dre Byrd
Key to winning tourney: Not getting overconfident
Davie County
Seed: No. 2
Coach: Jim Young
Record: 8-1
Last championship: 1999
Last MVP:Duane Phillips
Total championships won: 2
Strengths: 3-point shooting, team concept
Weakness: Height
Best game: 105-84 romp over Salisbury
Worst game: Early loss to North Iredell
Top player: Dimunitive junior guard Sean Stevens has scored 38-plus three times
Underrated player: Under-sized rebounding machine Rod Tenor
MVP candidates: Stevens, scorer Ed Zajmovic
Key to winning: Surviving on the boards against teams like North and West
West Rowan
Seed: No. 3
Coach:Mike Gurley
Record: 7-3
Last championship: 1998
Last MVP:Scooter Sherrill
Total championships won: 7
Strength: Size
Weakness: Youth
Best game: 92-59 dismantling of South in Mount Ulla
Worst game: Late collapse in 62-60 loss at South
Top player: Junior big man Donte Minter is already a 1,000-point scorer
Underrated player: Senior guard Tim Mauldin can score big when he’s right
MVP candidate: Minter
Key to winning: Get ball in Minter’s hands
South Rowan
Seed: No. 4
Coach: John Davis
Record: 6-5
Last championship: 1995
Last MVP:Jason Crook
Total championships won: 1
Strengths: Shooting, energy
Weakness: Height
Best game: Comeback win over West at home
Worst game: 33-point loss to West on road
Top player: “Big man” Maurice Torrence, a 6-2 senior who is South’s inside game
Underrated player: Senior guard Tore’ Girty is clutch
MVP candidates: Torrence, streak-shooting Doug Daugherty
Key to winning: Find a way to rebound against the big boys
East Rowan
Seed: No. 5
Coach: Mark Flynn
Record: 3-5
Last championship: 1975
Last MVP:Rick Vanhoy
Total championships won: 1
Strengths: Shooting, experience
Weakness: Quickness
Best game: 88-56 romp over Northwest Cabarrus in last outing
Worst game: 22-point opening-night pummeling by South
Top player: Senior guard Justin Miller has had four 20-plus scoring games
Underrated player: Senior forward Taylor Weber puts up nice numbers
MVP candidate: Miller
Key to winning: Running offense against pressure D
Salisbury
Seed: No.6
Coach. Drew Mathews
Record: 2-4
Last championship: 1997
Last MVP:Leonard Owens
Total championships won: 10
Strength: Athleticism
Weakness: Decision-making
Best game: Gave West a fit on opening night
Worst game: Hammered on road by South
Top player: Senior swingman Ken Drye is a leader and can do it all
Underrated player: Jerome Allison is solid on the boards
MVP candidates: Drye, electrifying scorer Randall Jones
Key to winning: Get point guard Boo Blount healthy
Girls
North Rowan
Seed: No.1
Coach: Gary Atwell
Record: 7-0
Last championship: 1999
Last MVP:Megan Honeycutt
Total championships won: 2
Strengths: Quickness, defense, shooting
Weakness: Height
Best game: 15-point win at West Rowan
Worst game: Opening-night struggle at A.L. Brown
Top player: Senior swing-player Courtney Hill has been in double figures every game
Underrated player: Soph reserve Crystal Craige has talent
MVP candidates: Courtney Hill, multi-dimensional soph Amber Hill, floor general Joyce Hipps
Key to winning: Staying focused.
West Rowan
Seed: No.2
Coach: Angie Waddell
Record: 7-3
Last championship: 1996
Last MVP:Ebony Pharr
Total championships won: 3
Strength: Defense
Weakness: Outside shooting
Best game: 32-point pasting of Salisbury
Worst game: 47-35 loss at Northwest
Top player: 5-10 senior Sara Pieper is talented, but hasn’t gotten in a groove yet
Underrated player: Danielle Scearce is tough on offensive glass
MVP candidates: Pieper, hustler Kristen McNeely
Key to winning: Make some shots from outside
Davie County
Seed: No.3
Coach: Carol Cozart
Record: 5-4
Last championship: 1995
Last MVP:Jonette Willard
Total championships won: 5
Strength: Height
Weakness: Experience
Best game: 65-46 romp over Salisbury
Worst game: Early loss to Alexander Central
Top player: 5-9 senior Shelby Michael has been sizzling lately
Underrated player: Six-foot soph guard Sarah Williams has had big games
MVP candidates: Michael, sophomore point guard Brittany Walker makes things happen
Key to winning: Youngsters must play with confidence
East Rowan
Seed: No.4 (tie)
Coach: Randy Bingham
Record: 4-4
Last championship: 1998
Last MVP:Nicole Loggins
Total championships won: 6
Strength: Height
Weakness: Ball-handling
Best game: Blew out West Iredell
Worst game: 17-point loss to Northwest in last outing
Top player: Senior Emily Rich is outstanding shooter
Underrated player: Freshman Maggie Rich is even better than you’ve heard
MVP candidates: Emily Rich, senior Lora Williams is always a threat for a double-double
Key to winning: Limit turnovers
Salisbury
Seed: No.4 (tie)
Coach: Jennifer Shoaf
Record: 3-3
Last championship: 1994
Last MVP:Donna Carr
Total championships won: 1
Strength: Backcourt quickness
Weakness: Scoring balance
Best game: Buried Concord by 28
Worst game: Opening-night disaster against West
Top player: Senior guard Keke Chunn is as explosive as anyone around
Underrated player: Senior Jenny Reilly is good on boards and can score
MVP candidates: Chunn, Reilly
Key to winning: Get points from someone besides Reilly and Chunn
South Rowan
Seed: No. 6
Coach: James Greene
Record: 2-9
Last championship: 1991
Last MVP:Tracy Connor
Total championships won: 4
Strength: Rebounding
Weaknesses: Ball-handling, shooting
Best game: Took very good Northwest team to the wire
Worst game: Lost big to East
Top player: 6-1 junior Brittney Gaddy has scored 20 or more seven times
Underrated player: Junior guard Mandy Yost is one of those 110-percent types
MVP candidate: Gaddy
Key to winning: Limit turnovers
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