West Rowan
Seed: No. 1
Coach: Mike Gurley
Record: 9-0
Last Championship: 1998
Last MVP: Scooter Sherrill
Total championships: 7
Strengths: Size, quickness
Weakness: None
Best game: Hard to choose just one
Worst game: Ugly 76-54 win over South
Top player: 6-8 Donte Minter is No. 4 scorer in county history
Underrated player: Forward Phillip Williams has scored in double figures every game
MVP candidates: Minter, Williams, forward Junior Hairston, guard Horatio Everhart
Key to winning: Stay focused
Davie
Seed: No. 2
Coach: Jim Young
Record: 6-1
Last Championship: 1999
Last MVP: Duane Phillips
Total championships: 2
Strength: 3-point shooting
Weakness: Size
Best game: Embarrassed Statesville on the road
Worst game: Defense fell off in loss to Freedom
Top player: Guard Sean Stevens can stroke it with anyone
Underrated players: Point guard Jason Hogue, undersized post Dan Sullivan
MVP candidates: Stevens,high-scoring swing man Nemanja Kreckovic
Keys to winning: Stay hot on 3s, get boards against big boys
South
Seed: No. 3
Coach: John Davis
Record: 5-4
Last Championship: 1995
Last MVP: Jason Crook
Total championships: 1
Strength: Muscle
Weaknesses: Inexperience, inconsistent shooting
Best game: Beat a good Mooresville team 65-59
Worst game: Collapsed in loss at A.L. Brown
Top player: Guard Andrew Morgan
Underrated player: Graham Corriher doesn’t impress at first glance, but gets things done
MVP candidates: Morgan, forward Tre Hornbeak
Key to winning: Throw bulk around inside and make 3s
North
Seed: No. 4
Coach: Kelly Everhart
Record: 2-4
Last Championship: 2000
Last MVP: Marcus Lawing
Total championships: 6
Strength: Athleticism
Weaknesses: Inexperience, chemistry
Best game: Lost to unbeaten A.L. Brown by six at home
Worst game: Lost by 30 to Wonders in Kannapolis
Top player: Guard Lamar Geter
Underrated player: Senior Dominique Bates makes all-around contribution
MVP candidates: Geter, big man Junior Farmer
Key to winning: Come together
East
Seed: No. 5
Coach: Derek Kurnitsky
Record: 2-5
Last Championship: 1975
Last MVP: Rick Vanhoy
Total championships: 1
Strength: Hustle
Weakness: Size
Best game: Won opener by 39 at Robinson
Worst game: 15-point loss to Concord
Top player: Post man Matt Belk is an automatic double-double
Underrated player: Caleb Miller plays serious D
MVP candidates: Belk, shooter Derek Talbert
Keys to winning: Make free throws, limit turnovers
Salisbury
Seed: No. 6
Coach: Drew Mathews
Record: 1-6
Last Championship: 1997
Last MVP: Leonard Owens
Total championships: 10
Strength: Haven’t quit
Weaknesses: Shooting, decision-making
Best game: Got much-needed win against Robinson
Worst game: 80-33 debacle at West
Top player: Freshman Sharmari Spears has scored 31, 21 and 18
Underrated player: Guard Chris Geter is the glue
MVP candidate: Spears
Key to winning: Hard to see it happening
Girls: East
Seed: No.1
Coach: Randy Bingham
Record: 8-0
Last Championship: 1998
Last MVP: Nicole Loggins
Total championships: 6
Strengths: Size, shooting, tough zone defense
Weaknesses: Depth, speed
Best game: Solid road win at North Stanly
Worst game: Nearly blew big lead against Robinson
Top player: Ambidextrous forward Maggie Rich averages 20-plus
Underrated player: Point guard Tiffany Ingold makes it happen
MVP candidates: Rich, Ingold, center Jordan Huffman
Keys to winning: Starters must avoid foul trouble
West
Seed: No.2
Coach: Toni Wheeler
Record: 8-1
Last Championship: 1996
Last MVP: Ebony Pharr
Total championships: 3
Strengths: Speed, athleticism, ability to get to foul line
Weaknesses: Height, outside shooting
Best games: Incredible comeback at Central Cabarrus, amazing 86-81 home win over Garinger
Worst game: Battered on boards in loss to South
Top player: Hard-nosed soph guard Hillary Hampton averages 20-plus
Underrated player: Kristina Lewis scraps on boards
MVP candidates: Hampton, freshman center Brittany Roberson
Keys to winning: Make a few outside shots, get out on the break and go
South
Seed: No. 3
Coach: James Greene
Record: 5-4
Last Championship: 1991
Last MVP: Tracy Connor
Total championships: 4
Strengths: Size, athleticism
Weaknesses: Ballhandling, decision-making, consistency
Best game: Intense win at West
Worst game: Pounded at Salisbury
Top player: Probably super-athletic 5-11 wing Paris Rucker
Underrated player: Guard Mandy Yost
MVP candidates: Rucker, post player Sade Jordan
Key to winning: Cut down turnovers
Davie
Seed: No. 4
Coach: Carol Cozart
Record: 4-4
Last Championship: 2000
Last MVP: Brittany Walker
Total championships: 6
Strengths: Point guard takes charge, good leapers
Weakness: Size
Best game: Tough loss to powerhouse Charlotte Christian
Worst game: Blown away at North Iredell
Top player: Junior guard Brittany Walker, last year’s MVP
Underrated player: Post Dawn Singleton is excellent defender
MVP candidates: Walker, high-scoring Sarah Williams, athletic Ashley Williams
Key to winning: Control the pace
Davie
Seed: No. 5
Coach: Jennifer Shoaf
Record: 1-6
Last Championship: 1994
Last MVP: Donna Carr
Total championships: 1
Strengths: Athleticism
Weakness: Experience
Best game: Whipped South
Worst game: Crunched by East
Top player: Freshman guard Shayla Fields can do it all
Underrated player: Anita Edwards gives everything
MVP candidate: Fields
Keys to winning: Get healthy and find a way to pull out a close one
North
Seed: No. 6
Coach: Mike White
Record: 0-7
Last Championship: 1999
Last MVP: Megan Honeycutt
Total championships: 2
Strength: Speed
Weakness: Experience, shooting, ballhandling, size
Best game: Hung with unbeaten A.L. Brown for awhile in first meeting
Worst game: Lost to West by 40
Top player: Junior Crystal Craige can score
Underrated player: With patience, freshman Patience Cuthbertson will be good
MVP candidate: Craige
Key to winning: Will need three miracles
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