Olympic Trojans back at No. 1 in Observer Sweet 16 poll

Last year, Olympic ascended to the top of the Observer’s Sweet 16 boys basketball poll for the first time ever.

It didn’t take the Trojans long to get back.

After Harding’s big upset of preseason No. 1 West Charlotte Friday, the Trojans jump up a spot to No. 1. Olympic is 4-0 and plays Hunter Huss at home Tuesday night in a non-conference game. Huss (1-0) is reigning N.C. 3A state champions.

Olympic lost in the N.C. 4A quarterfinals last season.

The Trojans’ Allerik Freeman, a junior, leads the team at 17.2 points per game. He’s ranked No. 9 nationally in his class by ESPN. Freeman and the Trojans are winning by an average of 14 points against a pretty touch schedule.

-- Two new teams joined the boys poll: No. 10 North Meck, off to a 4-0 start, and Harding, which sprung the West Charlotte upset and has only lost to nationally ranked Milton, Ga.

-- In the girls poll, unbeaten Freedom jumped in at No. 11 and Myers  Park and Ardrey Kell -- two Southwestern 4A foes -- moved up to the No. 3 and 4 spots. Those teams meet Dec. 16 at Ardrey Kell and Jan. 27 at Myers Park.

Note: Davidson Day, which was ranked No. 7 in the preseason poll, will not be eligible for inclusion for the remainder of the season. While the school has adopted the “eight semester” rule, which would not allow students who have repeated a year after starting ninth grade to maintain eligibility, the school still has some players on its teams who have repeated a grade and are playing.

Davidson Day officials say that these players will graduate next spring and after that time, the school will be Sweet 16 eligible.

Rk.     Team (Class)     Rec.    Pvs.
1    Olympic  (4A)    4-0    2
2    Northside Christian (IND)    5-0    3
3     West Charlotte (4A)    1-1    1
4     Concord (3A)    2-0    6
5    Lancaster, SC (4A)    2-0    10
6    Mooresville (4A)    0-1    4
7    Freedom (3A)    4-0    8
8    Berry (3A)    4-0    9
9    Charlotte Christian IND)    4-1    5
10     North Mecklenburg (4A)    4-0    NR
11    Harding (3A)    4-1    NR
12    Sun Valley (3A)    4-1    12
13    Cuthbertson (2A)    3-0    NR
14     Salisbury (3A)    0-0    14
15    Weddington (3A)    3-1    11
16    East Rutherford (2A)    2-1    13

Dropped Out: Davidson Day (IND, 4-0),  Statesville (3A, 1-2). On the bubble: Ashbrook (3A, 3-0); East Burke (3A, 3-1), Hickory Ridge (3A, 4-0)
Note: To be ranked in the Observer’s Sweet 16, a team must be in the Observer’s coverage area, field football and basketball teams and not allow a student-athlete to re-class after ninth grade. For a detailed look inside the poll, including the criteria used to compile it, visit?
 this link: http://bit.ly/prNoYM.

GIRLS BASKETBALL SWEET 16
Rk.     Team (Class)     Rec.    Pvs.
1     Providence Day (IND)    3-0    1
2    Charlotte Christian (IND)    4-0    2
3    Myers Park (4A)    5-0    4
4    Ardrey Kell (4A)    4-0    7
5    Hickory (3A)    2-0    6
6     Hopewell (4A)    3-2    3
7    Salisbury (2A)    1-1    5
8    Newton-Conover (2A)    2-0    8
9    Concord (3A)    1-0    10
10    Forestview (3A)    3-0    11
11     Freedom (3A)    4-0    NR
12    Bandys (2A)    4-0    13
13    Mallard Creek (4A)    2-1    9
14     North Iredell (3A)    2-1    12
15    Berry (3A)    2-1    15
16    South Point (3A)    0-0    16

Dropped Out: Parkwood (3A, 0-1). On the bubble: Marvin Ridge (3A, 3-0); Hough (4A, 3-1); Porter Ridge (4A, 2-0); Carson (3A, 4-0)