Final Boys/Girls Basketball Sweet 16 polls: Salisbury, W. Charlotte rule

West Charlotte boys basketball coach Baronton Terry said he couldn't imagine what winning the N.C. 4A state championship last month would mean for his school and his team. Terry said the Lions' win in Chapel Hill has transformed the school, the student body and his team. It's restored some pride in a school that was once among the state's best academically and athletically.

Today, West Charlotte wins the Observer's Sweet 16 basketball championship after a 28-2 season. Salisbury's girls, a 2A team that won 27 straight games after losing to national power Butler, is the girls Sweet 16 champion.

The Hornets won their third straight state championship, beating East Bladen 76-44, the largest margin of victory in 34 years in the 2A state final. Salisbury became the first girls team to win three straight 2A titles.

West Charlotte won its seventh state title overall and its fifth in 25 years. West Charlotte won its last 14 games and beat six postseason opponents by a combined total of 129 points.

After the state final win, the Lions got a visit from Gov. Bev Perdue and did a whirlwind local media tour, including taking in a Bobcats game.

"It's been great," Terry said. "And the kids have changed and I have changed, too. They've gotten a little more serious. I think it's not as hard for me to try to sell anything to them. They pretty much understand what's at stake now and the workouts have been great. They are working really, really hard."

Last week, at open gym, coaches from Charlotte, N.C. State, Boston College, Louisville and about 10 other schools were watching Lions stars like Kennedy Meeks and Mike Brown. West Charlotte will graduate I-Meck 4A player of the year Jacoby Davis and two other seniors, but the bulk of the team returns, along with several talented junior varsity players moving up.

Since Dave Price's South Mecklenburg teams won three state titles in a row from 1970-72, only two schools have repeated as state champs in the 4A class: West Charlotte (1991-92) and Winston-Salem Reynolds (2000-02).

Terry thinks his team will have a chance to join that elite company.

"I don't think there's any pressure, though," he said. "Our kids have grown to a point where they don't expect anything less. They want to go back and they want to repeat. They know what it takes now and they've got a taste of what it's like to win, but things have to go right for you."

Things certainly went right last season.

"This year," Terry said, "was really good. For example, Jacoby was MVP of the regional championship. Mike Brown was our team MVP in the state championship and Kennedy (Meeks) was the overall MVP. It wasn't just one person doing it. It was a team effort."

Boys Final Sweet 16

1. West Charlotte


4A


28-2

2. Gastonia Huss


3A


29-2

3. Charlotte Christian


IND


27-6

4. East Rutherford


2A


27-1

5. Olympic


4A


28-2

6. North Rowan


1A


27-5

7. Hickory


3A


26-4

8. Concord


3A


25-4

9. Butler


4A


25-4

10. Berry


2A


26-3

11. Salisbury


2A


20-7

12. West Rowan


3A


18-11

13. Indian Land (SC)


2A


22-9

14. Cherryville


1A


25-5

15. West Mecklenburg


4A


17-8

16. Lawndale Burns


3A


20-6

Girls Final Sweet 16

1. Salisbury


2A


27-1

2. Mallard Creek


4A


27-5

3. Providence Day


IND


28-4

4. Butler


4A


30-1

5. Hickory


3A


28-3

6. Charlotte Christian


IND


22-5

7. Hopewell


4A


25-4

8. North Iredell


3A


26-2

9. Monroe Parkwood


3A


25-3

10. Newton-Conover


2A


25-4

11. Catawba Bandys


2A


27-4

12. Concord


3A


21-7

13. Gastonia Forestview


3A


23-4

14. Harding


3A


20-8

15. Indian Trail Porter Ridge


4A


23-4

16. South Caldwell


4A


22-6

Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/04/23/2245377/lions-hornets-top-season-ending.html#ixzz1KPSYX5ek