Northwood rising senior Drake Powell keeps climbing in recruiting rankings, locking in the five-star designation he recently received. Last week, the 6-foot-6 forward jumped up to No. 9 overall in the Class of 2024 according to 247Sports.
Powell — a UNC commit — is now the top-ranked recruit from North Carolina in 247’s rankings, ahead of Duke commit Isaiah Evans and fellow Pittsboro product Jarin Stevenson. The offseason months have seen Powell raise his game while playing for Team CP3 in the EYBL, and people have taken notice.
The Northwood star is one of three players in UNC’s top-ranked recruiting class in 2024, along with No. 5 Ian Jackson and No. 88 James Brown. The Tar Heels also hoped to land Stevenson — a rising senior at Seaforth — to round out their class ahead of his Wednesday decision.
Powell averaged 18.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game for the Northwood boys’ basketball team in 2022-23, leading the Chargers to the 3A state title game before they were upended by Central Cabarrus. With more than 1,200 career points to his credit, Powell will be arguably the top returning player in all of North Carolina this upcoming high school season.
Earlier this month, Powell competed with 34 others in USA Basketball’s 2023 U19 men’s national team training camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Despite not being chosen for the final 12-player roster that is set to play in the FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup in Hungary starting this Friday, the Northwood product has certainly done himself plenty of favors with his play this offseason.
Wolves hire new girls’ basketball coach
Last week, Woods Charter announced that Carmen Wood will take over as the varsity girls basketball coach beginning with the 2023-24 season.
An assistant athletic director at Woods Charter, Wood has also been responsible for event planning, managing social media platforms and assisting in day-to-day athletic operations at the school the past several years. Before taking this job, she previously coached Woods Charter’s middle school girls’ team and acted as an assistant with the varsity team.
Wood will try to turn things around after the Wolves had a down year in 2022-23, going 7-13 overall and missing out on the state playoffs. Woods Charter has put together a record of .500 or better in four of the past 15 seasons, the most recent coming in 2021-22 (12-7 overall).
Woods Charter graduated three seniors from this past year’s team. Heading into the 2023-24 season, the Wolves’ will be led by rising senior Carolina Mitchell (15.1 points per game) and rising sophomore Wesley Oliver (11.9).
Post 292 wins third game of the season
The Chatham American Legion Post 292 baseball team picked up its third win of the season with a convincing 15-4 victory over Hamlet Post 49 on Monday night.
Carrying the team at the plate recently has been Chatham Central rising junior Matt Murchison, who was 3-for-4 with a double and a home run on Monday after going 2-for-4 in an 8-6 loss to Fuquay Varina on Saturday. Also playing well for the team is recent Grace Christian graduate T.J McGraw, who was 4-for-4 with a home run and a double in the win over Hamlet on Monday.
Chatham Central rising senior Anthony Lopossay picked up the win on the mound Monday after pitching 4.2 innings, allowing four earned runs and striking out four batters. Chatham Charter rising junior Zach Cartrette threw 1.1 innings of hitless ball in relief.
Post 292 had an overall record of 3-7 entering Tuesday’s game against Hope Mills Post 32, which occurred after press time. The team starts conference play Thursday at home against Foothills at 7 p.m. Post 292 plays its home games at Jordan-Matthews High.