In the nine-team South Piedmont Conference, teams will play 16 league basketball games apiece.
That means they have to get started early — and four SPC quadruple-headers are scheduled for tonight.
The teams with the most interesting scenarios are the Carson boys and girls. They’ll be making their season debuts with conference games at Central Cabarrus.
In other SPC contests, East Rowan is at Cox Mill; South Rowan is at Northwest Cabarrus, and Concord is at Hickory Ridge.
Both South teams and both East teams are 2-0.
In non-conference games involving county teams, Salisbury hosts South Iredell; West Rowan goes to Lake Norman, and North Rowan debuts at Mooresville.
• There are two big intracounty matchups on Wednesday, with Salisbury at East and North at West.
Davie County’s boys basketball team lost 44-30 to Alexander Central on Monday.
Peyton Sell scored 10 points for the War Eagles (1-2), who had a tough time solving Alexander Central’s matchup zone.
Heath Slabach scored six points for the War Eagles, who were down 28-18 at halftime.
Davie trailed 35-30 with three minutes to go but couldn’t make a run.
“They played their matchup well, but we had plenty of looks,” Davie coach Mike Absher said. “We just didn’t make any shots.”
Ty Ireland, a 6-foot-4 post player, scored 16 to lead Alexander Central (2-1).
• Davie’s girls lost 62-45 to Alexander Central
Madison Zaferatos led the War Eagles (1-1) with 13 points. Aubrianna Peoples scored eight.
Davie returns to action on Thursday against Lexington.
GIRLS
DAVIE (45) — Zaferatos 13, A. Peebles 8, Carney 5, Bohannon 5, Hampton 5, Martinez 5, Brown 2, Peterson 2.

Alex. Central 10 17 17 18 — 62
Davie 8 12 12 13 — 45
BOYS
ALEXANDER CENTRAL (44) — Ireland 16, Miller 8, Bowman 7, Wall 7, Starnes 6.
DAVIE (30) — Sell 10, Slabach 6, McDaniel 4, Bennett 4, Poole 2, Dalton 2, Starnes 2, Miller, Cunningham, Redmon, Mau.

Alex. Central 10 18 3 13 — 44
Davie 5 13 6 6 — 30

The McCanless Couples played a Captain’s Choice event on Sunday.
The team of Mary Seaford, Gene Seaford and Glen Trexler took first place. The team of Harry Owens, Susan Houston and Rickey Honeycutt finished second.
Sharon Miller won closest to the pin. Walt Kincaid won longest putt.
• Salisbury’s Robbie Bergstone shot 88-104 — 192 to tie for 30th in the Winternational Junior Series held in Pinehurst.
Concord basketball standout Connor Burchfield signed with William & Mary.
Northwest Cabarrus softball pitcher Katie Williford signed with Appalachian State.
Cox Mill’s Austin Fox and Garren Freeze signed with Pfeiffer’s baseball program.
Southeast defeated West Rowan Middle 44-13.
Olivia Gabriel scored 15 points for the Patriots, and Alexandra Linder scored 12.
Shaleah Jolly and Maren Shumaker scored five each.
The Hurley YMCA Warriors competed in the Footlocker South Regional Cross Country Championships at McAlpine Park in Charlotte.
The top 30 in each race received medals.
10-under boys: Eli Julian, 12th,12:08; Noah Julian, 18th, 12:33; Matthew Burroughs, 20th, 12:43, and Nate Shaffer, 50th, 16:07
10-under girls: Emma Calvert, 19th, 13:42; Abby Calvert, 31st, 15:11, and Karrigan Foster, 37th, 16:29
11-12 boys: Nolan Miller, 44th, 12:37
11-12 girls: Leah Cressler, 49th, 13:21 and Aubree Cain, 55th, 13:54
13-14 boys: Andrew Burgess, 64th, 11:33; Jonah Evans, 76th, 11:44, and Coby Weant, 87th, 12:07
Freshman boys: Cameron Butler, 127th, 19:10 and Cade Harrill, 131st, 19:29
Sophomore boys: Michael Williams, 228th, 19:28
Sophomore girls: Julianna Evans, 124th, 26:54
The Warriors will be traveling to Augusta, Ga., this weekend to compete in the AAU Cross Country National Championships.
Radford’s Ayana Avery (West Rowan) had 17 points and 10 rebounds in a 72-58 loss to Campbell on Monday.
• Former Statesville star Janitsha Williams was named SAC Player of the Week after averaging 16 points in two outings for Wingate.
Today’s meet at Hurley YMCA with Salisbury, North Rowan and Lexington has been postponed.