Seven Observer-area stars make N.C. Associated Press all-state basketball teamsThe 2012 N.C. Associated Press all-state basketball teams feature seven players from the Observer’s coverage area. West Charlotte’s Kennedy Meeks and United Faith’s Braxton Ogbueze made the team for the second straight season. Providence Day’s Tiffany Mitchell became a rare three-time all-state girls pick. Also on the girls team are Bandys sophomore Madi Story, Salisbury sophomore Brielle Blair and Kennedy Charter junior Rajsha Blackmon. Olympic’s Allerik Freeman, who has narrowed his college choices to Kansas and Villanova, made the boys team. Wilmington New Hanover County’s Kadeem Allen, Raleigh Upper Room’s Rodney Purvis and Morrisville Green Hope’s Kristen Gaffney led the vote totals from a 22-person media panel from around the state. Allen and Purvis each earned 20 of a possible 22 votes. Gaffney earned 21 votes to lead the girls’ team. The AP prep basketball coaches of the year for North Carolina will be released Friday. The players of the year will be released Saturday. The Observer’s annual All-Mecklenburg, All-Region and All-Observer teams will be released next month, along with the final Sweet 16 polls. A little on the area selections: Meeks, a 6-foot-9 junior, led his team to a second straight N.C. 4A state championship appearance. An IB student and National Honor Society member, Meeks is ranked among the nation’s top 30 players in his class. Ogbueze, signed to Florida, is a 6-1 guard who averaged 22 points this season. He’s a top 40 national recruit. Freeman, a 6-3 junior, averaged 18 points and six rebounds for a 28-2 team that was nationally ranked for much of the season. On the girls side, Mitchell is the reigning N.C. Gatorade player of the year. She averaged 20 points, seven rebounds, four steals and 2.8 assists for a 29-4 team that won a third straight state private school championship. Kennedy Charter’s Blackmon is a 6-foot guard who led the state in scoring at 31.5 points. She was 13th nationally and also averaged 12 rebounds and 3.4 steals. Salisbury’s Blair, a 6-1 forward, averaged 22 points and nearly 14 rebounds. Bandy’s Story, a 5-11 guard, averaged 18 points, 7.6 rebounds, four assists and three steals for a N.C. 2A regional finalist. Girls All-State Team: Kristen Gaffney, Morrisville Green Hope, Sr.; Tiffany Mitchell, Providence Day, Sr.; Jamie Cherry, West Craven, So.; Lindsay Simpson, Franklin, Sr.; Zena Lovette, Southwest Guilford, Sr.; Madi Story, Bandys, So.; Brielle Blair, Salisbury, So.; Rajsha Blackmon, Kennedy Charter, Jr.; Briana Day, Raleigh Millbrook, Jr.; J’Kyra Brown, Rocky Mount, Jr.; Dana Brown, Raleigh Enloe, Sr.; Sidney Cook, Hope Mills South View, Sr.; Paris Kea, Greensboro Page, So. Boys All-State team: Kadeem Allen, Wilmington New Hanover, Sr.; Rodney Purvis, Raleigh Upper Room, Sr.; Kennedy Meeks, W. Charlotte, Jr.; Braxton Ogbueze, United Faith, Sr.; Denzel Ingram, Chapel Hill, Sr.; Allerik Freeman, Olympic, Jr.; Greg McClinton, Winston-Salem Prep, Jr.; Josh Cuthbertson, W. Craven, Jr.; Isaiah Hicks, Oxford Webb, Jr.; Tyrone Outlaw, Roxboro Person, Jr.; Justin Cousin, Graham, Sr.; Nate Jones, Davie county, Sr.; Anton Gill, Raleigh Ravenscroft, Jr.The 2012 N.C. Associated Press all-state basketball teams feature seven players from the Observer’s coverage area. West Charlotte’s Kennedy Meeks and United Faith’s Braxton Ogbueze made the team for the second straight season. Providence Day’s Tiffany Mitchell became a rare three-time all-state girls pick. Also on the girls team are Bandys sophomore Madi Story, Salisbury sophomore Brielle Blair and Kennedy Charter junior Rajsha Blackmon. Olympic’s Allerik Freeman, who has narrowed his college choices to Kansas and Villanova, made the boys team. Wilmington New Hanover County’s Kadeem Allen, Raleigh Upper Room’s Rodney Purvis and Morrisville Green Hope’s Kristen Gaffney led the vote totals from a 22-person media panel from around the state. Allen and Purvis each earned 20 of a possible 22 votes. Gaffney earned 21 votes to lead the girls’ team. The AP prep basketball coaches of the year for North Carolina will be released Friday. The players of the year will be released Saturday. The Observer’s annual All-Mecklenburg, All-Region and All-Observer teams will be released next month, along with the final Sweet 16 polls. A little on the area selections: Meeks, a 6-foot-9 junior, led his team to a second straight N.C. 4A state championship appearance. An IB student and National Honor Society member, Meeks is ranked among the nation’s top 30 players in his class. Ogbueze, signed to Florida, is a 6-1 guard who averaged 22 points this season. He’s a top 40 national recruit. Freeman, a 6-3 junior, averaged 18 points and six rebounds for a 28-2 team that was nationally ranked for much of the season. On the girls side, Mitchell is the reigning N.C. Gatorade player of the year. She averaged 20 points, seven rebounds, four steals and 2.8 assists for a 29-4 team that won a third straight state private school championship. Kennedy Charter’s Blackmon is a 6-foot guard who led the state in scoring at 31.5 points. She was 13th nationally and also averaged 12 rebounds and 3.4 steals. Salisbury’s Blair, a 6-1 forward, averaged 22 points and nearly 14 rebounds. Bandy’s Story, a 5-11 guard, averaged 18 points, 7.6 rebounds, four assists and three steals for a N.C. 2A regional finalist. Girls All-State Team: Kristen Gaffney, Morrisville Green Hope, Sr.; Tiffany Mitchell, Providence Day, Sr.; Jamie Cherry, West Craven, So.; Lindsay Simpson, Franklin, Sr.; Zena Lovette, Southwest Guilford, Sr.; Madi Story, Bandys, So.; Brielle Blair, Salisbury, So.; Rajsha Blackmon, Kennedy Charter, Jr.; Briana Day, Raleigh Millbrook, Jr.; J’Kyra Brown, Rocky Mount, Jr.; Dana Brown, Raleigh Enloe, Sr.; Sidney Cook, Hope Mills South View, Sr.; Paris Kea, Greensboro Page, So. Boys All-State team: Kadeem Allen, Wilmington New Hanover, Sr.; Rodney Purvis, Raleigh Upper Room, Sr.; Kennedy Meeks, W. Charlotte, Jr.; Braxton Ogbueze, United Faith, Sr.; Denzel Ingram, Chapel Hill, Sr.; Allerik Freeman, Olympic, Jr.; Greg McClinton, Winston-Salem Prep, Jr.; Josh Cuthbertson, W. Craven, Jr.; Isaiah Hicks, Oxford Webb, Jr.; Tyrone Outlaw, Roxboro Person, Jr.; Justin Cousin, Graham, Sr.; Nate Jones, Davie county, Sr.; Anton Gill, Raleigh Ravenscroft, Jr.

The 2012 N.C. Associated Press all-state basketball teams feature seven players from the Observer’s coverage area.

West Charlotte’s Kennedy Meeks and United Faith’s Braxton Ogbueze made the team for the second straight season. Providence Day’s Tiffany Mitchell became a rare three-time all-state girls pick.

Also on the girls team are Bandys sophomore Madi Story, Salisbury sophomore Brielle Blair and Kennedy Charter junior Rajsha Blackmon. Olympic’s Allerik Freeman, who has narrowed his college choices to Kansas and Villanova, made the boys team.

Wilmington New Hanover County’s Kadeem Allen, Raleigh Upper Room’s Rodney Purvis and Morrisville Green Hope’s Kristen Gaffney led the vote totals from a 22-person media panel from around the state. Allen and Purvis each earned 20 of a possible 22 votes. Gaffney earned 21 votes to lead the girls’ team.

The AP prep basketball coaches of the year for North Carolina will be released Friday. The players of the year will be released Saturday. The Observer’s annual All-Mecklenburg, All-Region and All-Observer teams will be released next month, along with the final Sweet 16 polls.

A little on the area selections:

Meeks, a 6-foot-9 junior, led his team to a second straight N.C. 4A state championship appearance. An IB student and National Honor Society member, Meeks is ranked among the nation’s top 30 players in his class.

Ogbueze, signed to Florida, is a 6-1 guard who averaged 22 points this season. He’s a top 40 national recruit. Freeman, a 6-3 junior, averaged 18 points and six rebounds for a 28-2 team that was nationally ranked for much of the season.

On the girls side, Mitchell is the reigning N.C. Gatorade player of the year. She averaged 20 points, seven rebounds, four steals and 2.8 assists for a 29-4 team that won a third straight state private school championship. Kennedy Charter’s Blackmon is a 6-foot guard who led the state in scoring at 31.5 points. She was 13th nationally and also averaged 12 rebounds and 3.4 steals. Salisbury’s Blair, a 6-1 forward, averaged 22 points and nearly 14 rebounds.

Bandy’s Story, a 5-11 guard, averaged 18 points, 7.6 rebounds, four assists and three steals for a N.C. 2A regional finalist.

Girls All-State Team: Kristen Gaffney, Morrisville Green Hope, Sr.; Tiffany Mitchell, Providence Day, Sr.; Jamie Cherry, West Craven, So.; Lindsay Simpson, Franklin, Sr.; Zena Lovette, Southwest Guilford, Sr.; Madi Story, Bandys, So.; Brielle Blair, Salisbury, So.; Rajsha Blackmon, Kennedy Charter, Jr.; Briana Day, Raleigh Millbrook, Jr.; J’Kyra Brown, Rocky Mount, Jr.; Dana Brown, Raleigh Enloe, Sr.; Sidney Cook, Hope Mills South View, Sr.; Paris Kea, Greensboro Page, So.

Boys All-State team: Kadeem Allen, Wilmington New Hanover, Sr.; Rodney Purvis, Raleigh Upper Room, Sr.; Kennedy Meeks, W. Charlotte, Jr.; Braxton Ogbueze, United Faith, Sr.; Denzel Ingram, Chapel Hill, Sr.; Allerik Freeman, Olympic, Jr.; Greg McClinton, Winston-Salem Prep, Jr.; Josh Cuthbertson, W. Craven, Jr.; Isaiah Hicks, Oxford Webb, Jr.; Tyrone Outlaw, Roxboro Person, Jr.; Justin Cousin, Graham, Sr.; Nate Jones, Davie county, Sr.; Anton Gill, Raleigh Ravenscroft, Jr.