One of the most exciting times of the year is here as the NCHSAA basketball state playoffs have arrived.
All told, five area basketball teams qualified for the right to compete in the tournament field.
In 1A, three Chatham County teams made the tournament, including both boys and girls at Chatham Central, and the Chatham Charter boys.
The Chatham Central girls will take a 19-3 mark and No. 4 seed into the East Bracket, fresh off claiming Central Tar Heel Conference regular season and tournament titles. The Lady Bears were scheduled to begin play at home on Tuesday night by when entertaining No. 29 seed Voyager Academy (11-15) down in Bear Creek with the winner moving on to battle the survivor of No. 13 seed Henderson County (16-8) and No. 20 seed South Davidson (12-12) on Thursday night.
The winner of that quad will face the survivor of the quadrant filled with No. 5 seed Vance Charter (24) and No. 28 seed Franklin Academy (11-15), and No. 12 seed Northampton County (19-7) and No. 21 seed Northside-Pinetown (10-10).
The 1A boys bracket features Chatham Charter (26-4), fresh off coming in second place in the Central Tar Heel Conference tournament, and Chatham Central (13-9), which came in third place in the CTH tourney.
Chatham Charter, the No. 11 seed, was scheduled to host No. 22 seed South Stokes (8-17) on Tuesday in Siler City with the winner tangling with the survivor of No. 6 seed Hayesville (20-5) and No. 27 seed Highland School (10-13) on Thursday at the higher seed.
Chatham Central enters as the No. 24 seed and was headed to the coast on Tuesday to clash with No. 9 seed Ocracoke (15-8). The winner was slated to tangle with the victor of No. 8 seed Pamlico (14-7) and No. 25 seed Franklin Academy (14-14) on Thursday at the higher seed.
In 3A, both Northwood boys and girls teams were set for first round action on the road on Tuesday.
As the No. 23 seeds in the boys East Bracket, Northwood (17-9) was set to battle No. 10 seed Southern Durham (20-6). Both teams are from the Big Eight Conference, and the Chargers have lost to the Spartans three times this season, one by 12 points, and two contests by seven points, including a 55-48 decision in the league tournament semifinals just five nights earlier.
The winner advances to Thursday night to take on the survivor of No. 7 seed East Wake (19-6) and No. 26 seed Rocky Mount (13-10) at the higher seed.
In the girl’s East Bracket, Northwood (13-9), the No. 28 seed, was set to travel to No. 5 seed Dudley (21-4) on Tuesday evening. The winner will advance to Thursday night to battle the victor of No. 12 seed Terry Sanford (20-5) and No. 21 seed Rockingham County (19-7) at the higher seed.