Day and Dudley Get It Done

The Greesnboro Day School Bengals and the Dudley Panthers were among the Big winners on Thursday in the area tournaments. The Bengal boys made quick work of Raleigh Ravenscroft yesterday morning and then waited to see who their opposition would be in Friday’s state semifianls. GDS dumped Ravenscroft 63-45 and will now face Durham Academy in the NCISAA semis Friday at 5:30pm at GDS.

Dudley hosted Gray’s Creek from down near Fayetville and won the wild one 110-97 in a shootout at Dudley behind Rashawn Polk’s 30 points and a very deep Panther bench. The Bears were down big most of the game but they came roaring back and made it at least look closer during the finishing minutes of the contest. Dudley was running and gunning and their athleticsm took it’s toll on Gray’s Creek. I was watching the game with Carl Smith and we noted that Dudley was intimidating the Bears on the inside to no end. Graves, Johnson, Belton, and even Polk can cause you to change your shot trajectory in a heartbeat. Robert Johnson Sr. told me the Panthers would have their work cut out for them on the road Friday night vs. Burlington Williams at Williams, but he felt like Dudley was due a return trip to Greenville, N.C. for the Regionals next week.

Dudley could see Northeast Guilford in the Regionals if the Rams can knock off Morehead on Friday night on the Rams home court. Northeast stopped South Johnston 75-55 on Thursday, while Morehead squeaked past Northern Vance 75-74 in overtime. The Eastern Guilford boys rocked Southern Vance 70-46 Thursday to set up a meeting with Burlington Cummings on Saturday for the Sectional Final in Burlington. The Ragsdale boys season is over after their loss to West Rowan 59-51, and it’s over for HP Andrews 70-62 losers to Parkwood and no more games for Southeast Guilford as their season ended with a 64-55 loss to Asheville Roberson. The Metro 4-A teams split their games on Thursday night with High Point Central geting a win 60-51 over Mount Tabor and Smith saw it’s magical season end with a 85-72 loss to Central Cabarrus.

That’s a look at the boys and don’t forget tonight’s Big girls sectional final with Page meeting the Northwest Guilford Vikings at Northwest.