NCHSAA 4A East Final Preview

The NCHSAA State Playoffs are approaching the Final Four this weekend as the Eastern and Western Regionals headline the Saturday schedule. Here’s a preview of the NCHSAA 4A East Final.

Panther Creek (22-7) vs. Cleveland (30-1) – 6 PM

It’s a battle of two talented squads on Saturday at Green Level High School at 6:00 PM. The Rams upset top-seeded Richmond in the semifinals with relative ease, 83-62, as their trio of Trey Fields Trey Fields 6'5" | SF Cleveland | 2022 State NC , Dylan Wiggins Dylan Wiggins 6'6" | PF Cleveland | 2022 State NC and Baron Williams Baron Williams 5'10" | CG Cleveland | 2022 State NC combined for 56 total points and Jayse Barrett Jayse Barrett 6'3" | SF Cleveland | 2022 State NC also chipped in with 12 points of his own. They’re a well-balanced group that continues to play together at a very high level. They overcame 33 points and 16 rebounds from Paul McNeil Paul McNeil 6'6" | SG Richmond County | 2024 State #172 Nation NC to find themselves in the East Final as the No. 5 seed. Fields led the way with 22 points in the last victory while Wiggins was right behind him with 20 points. If they can get going like they did against Richmond County, they’ll be a tough squad to beat on Saturday.

Panther Creek comes in led by the play of Amari Odom Amari Odom 6'3" | CG Panther Creek | 2023 State NC , Tyler Thompson Tyler Thompson 6'6" | PF Panther Creek | 2023 State NC and Jordan Snell, though Chris Uwayo has been a name to keep an eye on after he put up 18 points against Millbrook as Amari Odom Amari Odom 6'3" | CG Panther Creek | 2023 State NC battled through foul trouble before fouling out halfway through the fourth quarter. He scored some key baskets down the stretch to boost the Catamounts on offense while shooting an efficient 8-of-10 from the field and dishing out three assists. Tyler Thompson Tyler Thompson 6'6" | PF Panther Creek | 2023 State NC and James Daly James Daly 6'10" | C Panther Creek | 2022 State NC are names to know for Panther Creek in the frontcourt. Thompson also finished with 18 points, eight rebounds and a block and a was formidable defensive presence against Millbrook in the Catamounts victory. Daly finished with eight points, seven rebounds and five blocks in the victory over Millbrook as well.