Author: David

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Post-season honors keep piling up for Kate Sears. Adding to earlier recognition in her remarkable 4-year career playing high school basketball, the Watauga senior point guard was named the Gatorade North Carolina “Player of the Year” this week for women’s basketball.

With 13 “triple-doubles” in 28 games during the 2024-25 season, Sears nearly averaged a triple-double: 27.2 points, 13.1 rebounds and 9.3 assists.

Sears led Watauga in all statistical categories in helping the team to an NCHSAA 4A quarterfinals berth in the state playoffs, where the Pioneers lost to the 4A West bracket champion, Lake Norman, who play the 4A East champion, Wakefield, on March 15 for the state title.

MORE… AND MORE

Also this week, Sears was named to the North Carolina Basketball Coaches Association District 11’s all-district team and the District 11 “Player of the Year.” Watauga head coach Bill Torgerson also was recognized as the District 11 “Coach of the Year.”

In a mid-week press release from the Northwestern Conference, Sears and Torgerson were also named the league’s player- and coach-of-the-year, respectively.

Sears finished her high school career with a remarkable, 2,613 points scored, 978 rebounds, 715 assists, 242 steals, 89 blocked shots vs. only 261 turnovers, according to MaxPreps.com. The ultimate teammate, Sears’ average per game in assists during her senior season puts her No. 2, nationally.

She will take her 4.54 weighted grade point average to play NCAA Division I basketball at Virginia Tech after she graduates later this spring.

RELATED STORY

ONE on ONE With… Kate Sears

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — What do Maggie Cheves, Kate Sears, Josiah Railey, David Gragg, Bill Torgerson and Bryson Payne have in common?

The first three were named Northwestern Conference “Player (or Swimmer) of the Year” in their respective sports, Swimming, Women’s Basketball, and Men’s Basketball.  The final three were named “Coach of the Year” in those same sports, respectively.

The conference released its all-conference nods earlier this week and Watauga High School was well-represented.

2024/2025 NORTHWESTERN ЗA/4A ALL CONFERENCE – SWIMMING

• Women’s Champion: Watauga
• Women’s Swimmer of the Year: Maggie Cheves – Watauga
• Women’s Coach of the Year: David Gragg – Watauga
• Men’s Champion: South Caldwell
• Men’s Swimmer of the Year: Owen Griffith – South Caldwell
• Men’s Coach of the Coach: Maura Schaffer Greer – South Caldwell

All-Conference Women

• Lola Herring – Watauga
• MK Riddle – Watauga
• Athena Elliott – Watauga
• Tessa Buchanan – Watauga
• Hannah Wasson – South Caldwell
• Kyra Westerfield – South Caldwell
• Peyton Felts – South Caldwell
• Chloe Bolick – South Caldwell
• Maggie Cheves – Watauga
• Ama Higgs – Hibritren
• Addie Wilson – Watauga
• Chessy Martin – Watauga
• Addy Connor – Hibriten
• Kaylee Moore – South Caldwell
• Acacia Felmlee – Hibriten
• Reese Sturgill – Alexander
• Chloe Penley – Hibriten

All-Conference Men

• Owen Griffin – South Caldwell
• Mason Hubbard – South Caldwell
• Max Clark – South Caldwell
• Nathan Hall – South Caldwell
• Sean Causby – Freedom
• Braden Cullen – Freedom
• Nicholas Chiota – Freedom
• Nate Carswell – Freedom
• Nathan Mull – Hibriten
• Stacy Eggers – Watauga
• Michael Makdad – Watauga
• Gilbert Lanson – Watauga
• Silas Powell – Watauga
• Harris Inman – South Caldwell
• JP Andrews – Hibriten
• Titus Felmlee – Hibriten
• Justin Schlageter – Hibriten
• Ethan Hass – South Caldwell
• Brendan Rothwell – South Caldwell

Women’s Team Scores 

1. Watauga 385 points
2. South Caldwell 245
3. Hibriten 238
4. Alexander Central 139
5. Freedom 78
6. Ashe County 28

Men’s Team Scores

1. South Caldwell 272 points
2. Watauga 248
3. Hibriten 217
4. Freedom 198
5. Alexander Central 164.5
6. Ashe County 3.5

2024/2025 NORTHWESTERN ЗA/4A ALL CONFERENCE – WRESTLING

• Regular Season Champion: South Caldwell
• Lower Weight Wrestler of the Year: Bridger Fairchild (Ashe County)
• Upper Weight Wrestler of the Year: Luke Osborne (Ashe County)
• Tournament Champion: South Caldwell
• Tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler: Kaleb Flores-Martin (South Caldwell)

All-Conference Selections

Ryland Walker (South Caldwell)
Xander Vue (Freedom)
Brayden Reid (Hibriten)
Landen Wilson (Ashe County)
Marshall Brown (Ashe County)
Logan Rudisill (South Caldwell)
Bridger Fairchild (Ashe County)
Mason Yount (South Caldwell)
Kaleb Pearson (Freedom)
Iziah Ayers (Alexander Central)
Kaleb Flores-Martin (South Caldwell)
Gabe Smith (Ashe County)
Mason Hollar (South Caldwell)
Connor Walley (Alexander Central)
Luke Osborne (Ashe County)
Camden Brock (Watauga)
Coy Greer (Watauga)
Coan Suttles (South Caldwell)
Noah Koenig (Hibriten)
Alex Engle (South Caldwell)
Mikey Portante (Watauga)
Mario Quivera (South Caldwell)
Aidan Plemons (Watauga)
Alan Vicente Perez (Freedom)
Ashton Woodruff (Hibriten)
Ben Bare (Ashe County)
Cade Hartis (Alexander Central)
Trenton Stevens (Hibriten)
Liam Perry (Watauga)
Carson Smith (Watauga)
Landon Baker (Hibriten)
Avin Crawford (Hibriten)

2024/2025 NORTHWESTERN ЗA/4A ALL CONFERENCE – WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

• 2024-25 Women’s Basketball All Conference Champions: Watauga
• Player of the Year: Kate Sears – Watauga
• Coach of the Year: Bill Torgerson – Watauga

All Conference Selections

Kate Sears – Watauga
Julie Matheson – Watauga
Kaitlyn Darner – Watauga
Blair Haines – Watauga
Jeff Parham – South Caldwell
Ava Anderson – South Caldwell
Kristin Barber – South Caldwell
Peyton Caldwell – Freedom
Haven Gladden – Freedom
Meredith Wile – Alexander
Aamori Patterson – Hibriten
Abby Sheets – Ashe Co

Honorable Mention

Chloe Wilson – Watauga
Izzy Torgerson – Watauga
Maggie Wilks – South Caldwell
Holland Weisner -S Caldwell
Kaitlyn Hagmann – Freedom
Malayah Adams – Alexander
Addison Jack – Alexander
Karlee Starnes – Hibriten
Zoe Rector – Hibriten
Ally Greer – Ashe Co
Abby Eller – Ashe Co

2024/2025 NORTHWESTERN ЗA/4A ALL CONFERENCE – MEN’S BASKETBALL

• 2025 Men’s Basketball All Conference Champions: Watauga and South Caldwell
• Player of the Year: Josiah Railey – Watauga
• Player of the Year: Jay’on Connor – Alexander
• Coach of the Year: Bryson Payne – Watauga

All Conference Selections

Cade Keller – Watauga
Jace Blocker – Watauga
Maddox Greene – Watauga
Josiah Railey – Watauga
Tyler Cline – S Caldwell
Connor Setzer – S Caldwell
Caleb Greene – S Caldwell
Amore Connelly – Freedom
King Johnson – Freedom
Jay’on Connor – Alexander
Bryce Peters – Ashe Co
Rob Beasley – Hibriten

Honorable Mention

Jackson Love – Watauga
Lawson Wilkes – S Caldwell
Carter Anderson -S Caldwell
Kobe Johnson – Freedom
Braxton King – Freedom
Jaheim Redmond – Alexander
Cole Treva – Ashe Co
Christian Reynolds – Hibriten
Julius Martin – Hibriten

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Sportswriters usually wait until someone has been tested in college before describing an athlete as a “generational talent.” Perhaps it is premature, but Watauga High School women’s basketball senior Kate Sears could well be the deserving exception.

CONSIDER:

• • It was the ultimate compliment on March 7, 2025, in what became Sears’ final high school game, when Lake Norman double- and triple-teamed her from start to finish in the NCHSAA 4A West semifinals. Holding the Watauga point guard to “just” 18 points (well below her season average of nearly 28 points per game) allowed the No. 2-seeded Wildcats to move on to the 4A West bracket final against No. 1 McDowell and potentially winning a state championship.
  • Sears is the only player in 2025 to be voted All State by the North Carolina Basketball Coaches Association for three consecutive years (2025 balloting has not yet been completed or announced). She was voted 1st Team All State in 2024, her junior season. She was voted 2nd Team All State in 2022 and 2023, her freshman and sophomore seasons.
  • Sears was voted District 11’s “Player of the Year” in her freshman, sophomore and junior seasons. Will her senior season follow?
  • She was named 3A/4A Northwestern Conference “Player of the Year” AND the conference tournament’s “MVP” for each of those first three seasons.
  • Sears’ growth and impact is reflected in Watauga’s team accomplishments:
    • Four consecutive Northwestern Conference regular season championships
    • Four consecutive Northwestern Conference tournament championships
    • Finishes in the NCHSAA 4A Women’s Basketball Championship playoffs:
      • Freshman year – Sweet 16
      • Sophomore year – Elite 8
      • Junior year – Final Four
      • Senior year – Elite 8

Evidence of Sears’ basketball skills surface in the numbers. Without getting into the specifics, it is remarkable that Sears leads Watauga in every statistical category maintained by MaxPreps (scoring, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks, as well field goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage).

According to MaxPreps, Sears is among the Top 20 players nationally in assists per game (No. 2), double-doubles (No. 19) and free throws made (No. 14).

Also according to MaxPreps, Sears ranks in the Top 25 of eight statistical categories in all of North Carolina, including assists per game (No. 1), double-doubles (No. 2), free throws made (No. 2), charges taken per game (No. 8), points per game (No. 8), rebounds per game (No. 17), field goals made (No. 17), and 3-pointers made (No. 24).

In the NCHSAA 4A West division, which includes 54 competing large schools, Sears’ dominance is even more commanding, including rebounds per game (No. 1), free throws made (No. 1), assists per game (No. 1), charges taken per game (No. 1), double-doubles (No. 1), points per game (No. 2), field goals made (No. 4), and 3-pointers made (No. 6).

In the 6-team Northwestern Conference, the Pioneer senior is No. 1 in points per game, rebounds per game, field goals made, free throws made, assists per game, blocks per game, charges taken per game and double-doubles. She is No. 2 in 3-pointers made and steals per game.

MaxPreps doesn’t publish records for players recording triple-doubles, but Sears has recorded 12 triple-doubles in the 2024-2025 season. Notable performances include:

• 39 points, 17 rebounds, 13 assists vs. East Lincoln (Dec. 14)
• 22 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists vs. North Wilkes (Dec. 17)
• 25 points, 17 rebounds, 10 assists vs. Northern Guilford (Dec. 21)
• 50 points, 16 rebounds, 11 assists vs. South Caldwell (Jan. 31)
• 43 points, 21 rebounds, 15 assists vs. Freedom (Feb. 12)

Since watching Sears embarrass older middle school opponents — as a 6th-grader at Blowing Rock School — our interest in what she might do at the next level has grown with each passing season, level after level.

Recently, Sears announced her acceptance of a scholarship offer to play NCAA Division I women’s basketball at Virginia Tech. As Watauga was preparing to go deeper into the playoffs last week, High Country Sports sat down with Sears for a one-on-one conversation about her basketball career and life plans.

High Country Sports: What is it that drives your passion and performance in basketball?

Kate Sears: I am super competitive and always have been, so it is natural to gravitate toward sports, especially team sports, working together with a group of people who are like minded and want to achieve similar goals. That helps motivate me to try and reach my full potential. I work really hard because I don’t want to let my teammates down. They work hard and I want to hold up my end of the bargain.

High Country Sports: While your ability to take over a game is impressive, you may be best known and appreciated for your unselfish play, getting your teammates involved.

Kate Sears: I am going to do whatever it takes to win. That might be different every game, depending on the matchups. I am going to do my best, whether that is rebounding or finding an open teammate for them to score, because an opponent may be keying on me. I believe in my teammates. They work hard in practice, taking a lot of shots to be ready to hit them in a game. I trust their work ethic.

High Country Sports: In an earlier interview a few years ago, you credited your older brother, Jake, for being a significant influence on your early development as a basketball player. Can you expand on that?

Kate Sears: Growing up, I was always super competitive and playing outside with my older brother, Jake. Well, I always wanted to beat him. I try to take that same kind of competitiveness out onto the court against other people — almost making it like I am trying to play against my brother and I want to beat him. He has been an important influence, watching him grow up and go on to play for the Watauga men’s team and getting to go to his games. As the younger sister, I have always been excited for my moment to be out there and playing. Jake has always been so supportive and he still comes to my games here at Watauga.

High Country Sports: We also see your mother and father at every game, home and away. What can you tell us about their influence on your basketball career?

Kate Sears: I wouldn’t be in this position if it weren’t for my mother and father. Not only have they been super supportive in taking me off the mountain to play with the travel teams but every day one of them is coming after practice to rebound for me. They have always been supportive of the goals I have and are going to help with whatever it takes to reach those goals.

High Country Sports: You mention travel ball… how is that different than playing for your high school team?

Kate Sears: Travel ball is a whole different world than high school, in good ways and ways that maybe aren’t as good. In travel ball you are coming together with other girls who are really good players and we all have a goal of going on to play NCAA Division I basketball. You don’t practice as much as in high school so you may not develop the same level of chemistry with your teammates. In some respects, it is more pickup basketball. I like high school ball where you are playing with your best friends and you are practicing every day. So you have to make an adjustment to play a different style, but it is something you have to do if you want to play college basketball at a higher level. It is harder to adjust back to travel ball because the speed of the game is usually a lot faster and more physical. It is more similar to how it is going to be in college.

High Country Sports: When you were playing for Blowing Rock School in the sixth grade, then Watauga head coach Laura Barry told us she didn’t want to wait three years to get you on the high school team. You eventually played a couple of years for her then, when she moved on to Davidson College, for your current coach, Bill Torgerson. What can you tell us about the differences?

Kate Sears: Coach Torgerson and Coach Barry are different, but similar, too. Every coach has different philosophies, different things to focus on or not focus on. Torg has been huge in pouring confidence into me. He knows how hard I work and sees the success I have on the court. So he kind of lets me off that leash a little bit. He trusts me and that boosts my confidence even more. You are not always going to agree on everything with a coach but he has always been really good with the two of us talking through things. Maybe he sees something that I don’t see or I see something he doesn’t see. He has allowed me to reach out to him about those things. We have mature conversations about what is best for the team.

High Country Sports: What is it about playing for your high school team that you really treasure?

Kate Sears: I get to play with my best friends. I have played with Julie Matheson and Kaitlyn Darner since second and third grade, so we know each other’s tendencies very well. That helps with our chemistry and played well together. To reach our full potential, a lot of that has to do with the chemistry we have on and off the court.

High Country Sports: Fellow senior Chloe Wilson has sort of blossomed in real time this year after not having played organized basketball, previously. What have you seen in her development and contributions?

Kate Sears: Chloe is a huge piece of our success this year, just in her development as a player and teammate. When summer and fall workouts started, it was a lot for her because she had never played organized basketball and there was a lot to learn all at once. She has been great, really open to Coach Torgerson coaching her and open to her teammates giving her advice. She frequently asks for extra reps after practice and asks for help on certain things. She is getting more comfortable and getting more time on the court. That is huge for us because there are things she can do that no on else on the team can do. For sure, as the biggest and a very athletic player on the court, she takes some of our opponents’ attention away from me as well as from our other shooters.

High Country Sports: Let’s transition to your decision to accept Virginia Tech’s scholarship offer. What went into that decision?

Kate Sears: I love the coaching staff at Virginia Tech. Head coach Megan Duffy recruited me when she was at Marquette, but that was pretty far away from home. I couldn’t see going to Milwaukee. I am not really a city girl. But when she got the job at Virginia Tech and offered me a scholarship there, it was a huge draw because it was not too far from home. Blacksburg is a really cool place and VT’s support for women’s basketball is unmatched. It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. As I learned about the women who are there and will be there, it became something I wanted to be a part of.

High Country Sports: What was that recruiting process like? I think you had over 40 scholarship offers, many from Division I, “Power Four” schools.

Kate Sears: Toward the end of my recruiting process, I was considering some schools that are a plane ride away and that would have definitely made it harder for my parents, family and friends. They want to come watch as much as they can. So Virginia Tech became a good fit because they can come watch me play but they won’t be in my backyard. So it was important for me to go somewhere my parents liked as much as I do. Towards the end, the schools I was considering were Clemson, Kansas, Michigan, Princeton, Purdue, Wake Forest… but some of those places I fell in love with other than Virginia Tech involved a plane ride. That was hard for me to think about, as well as for my parents and family.

High Country Sports: Have you thought much about your role on Virginia Tech’s team, playing with other talented players?

Kate Sears: Every team I have been on, I have always had a different role. Even the four years here at Watauga, my role has changed a little bit each season. On a travel team, it may not be ‘Hey Kate, let’s go get a bucket right now.’ Instead, it might be, ‘Let’s get so-and-so the ball because they are on a roll right now. You have that in high school, too, but it is on a different level with travel teams. College will be more like that, too. In college, it will be a big thing to get into their system and learn how me, as a point guard, can play with those other good players. They are all really good Division I basketball players. Depending on what my role will be, I will try to own it and do what I am asked to help our team win.

High Country Sports: A few years ago the NCAA had a great marketing tagline, that the vast majority of college student athletes go pro in something other than sports. Have you thought about potentially playing in the WNBA or what you might like to do after your playing days are over?

Kate Sears: I haven’t thought too much beyond college. I have definitely thought about going into coaching after my playing days are over, largely because of all the coaches I have played for and even those who have recruited me over the years. They have been important influences. So that is something I’d like to share with the next generation, to be a positive influence. We’ll see where life takes me. In college, I plan on studying business and am particularly interested in the business side of things in sports. Whether or not it is coaching, I will probably try and stay in the sports industry. What I have learned throughout the recruiting process is how many jobs there are in sports that have little to do with playing.

A sure bet? Kate Sears is going places with purpose — and competitive drive.

THE MANY FACES OF KATE SEARS, OVER THE YEARS

By David Rogers. HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — The No. 7-seeded Watauga men’s basketball season came to a close on March 7, losing to a very talented No. 3 North Mecklenburg in the Elite 8 round of the NCHSAA 4A Men’s Basketball Championships, 84-48.

A strong inside performance by the Vikings’ Chadlyn Traylor (28 points) along with long range contributions from a quartet of shooters in senior guard Carson Evans (23), junior guard Ashton Pierce (10), sophomore guard Alek Lewandowski (6) and senior guard Greg Murray (6) proved to be too much firepower for the Pioneers on this night. The Vikings Wilson Estwick also contributed seven points from close range.

Watauga was buoyed by a large contingent of High Country basketball fans and a large student section, but North Meck jumped out to 37-29 lead by halftime, then piled it on in the second half while using a stifling defense to keep the Pioneers’ usual scorers at bay.

Watauga’s leading scorer, junior combo guard Cade Keller, was limited to 11 points on the night, while senior guard Maddox Greene added 9. Senior guard/forward Josiah Railey scored all of his seven points before intermission.

North Meck extended its record of defeating opponents by 21 or more points to 21 games this season. They will face No. 13 seeded Chambers in the state playoffs’ semifinals and West bracket championship. The Cougars advanced with a 70-63 win over No. 9 Myers Park. Earlier in the week, Myers Park received a bye into the Elite Eight when the NCHSAA 4A West bracket’s No. 1 seed was reportedly disqualified for using an ineligible player.

SCORING SUMMARY

• WAT – Cade Keller (11 points)
• WAT – Maddox Greene (9)
• WAT – Josiah Railey (7)
• WAT – Jace Blocker (6)
• WAT – Landon Smith (5)
• WAT – Jackson Love (5)
• WAT – Paul Taylor (3)
• WAT – JT Cook (2)
• NMK – Chadlyn Traylor (28)
• NMK – Carson Evans (23)
• NMK – Wilson Estwick (7)
• NMK – Ashton Pierce (10)
• NMK – Alek Lewandowski (6)
• NMK – Greg Murray (6)
• NMK – Nick Estell (2)
• NMK – Mario Hays, Jr. (2)

BONUS PHOTOS

All photographic images by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

By David Rogers. MOORESVILLE, N.C. — How do you spell R-E-S-P-E-C-T?

A fast start by No. 3 seeded Watauga women’s basketball led to an early, 8-point lead over No. 2 Lake Norman in the Elite 8 round of the NCHSAA 4A Women’s Basketball Championships, but defensive adjustments by the host Wildcats — including respectful double- and triple-teaming of Pioneer point guard Kate Sears — proved to be too much for the High Country’s favorite daughters. Lake Norman took command in the second quarter and cruised to a convincing, 86-66 win and advance to the state playoffs’ Final Four.

Lake Norman will face No. 1 seeded McDowell in the West bracket’s championship match while the 4A East bracket No. 1, Hoggard, will meet No. 2 Wakefield in the other state semifinals encounter.

Against Watauga, Lake Norman’s strategy of double- and at times triple-teaming Sears proved effective. The Pioneers’ other shooters, Blair Haines, Julie Matheson and Izzy Torgerson, did their best to fill the void and keep Watauga within reach through the first half, but ultimately the loss of Sears’ prolific offensive production took its toll.

Sears finished with 18 points, well below her season average, while Haines used five 3-pointers to record a team-high 25 points on the night. Matheson added nine points and Torgerson eight points, including two from long distance.

“We got off to a great start,” said Watauga head coach Bill Torgerson after the game. We got up eight (points) and forced a timeout. We were scoring it well and getting some stops that kept them from getting into the best parts of their press.

“But the defense was what we expected,” added the second-year Pioneer head coach. “They face-guarded Kate and had another player behind her. Every time Kate caught it, they trapped her. Kate did an incredible job of continuing to work to get open and then connect on long passes. Her teammates did a great job executing in breaking to the spots they were supposed to be in. Blair Haines was one the players that really seized the opportunity of all of those double-teams on Kate. I thought she played her best game, shot it well, and her 25 points were obviously a huge part of what kept us in it.”

The Wildcats’ scoring outburst in the second quarter and beyond was led by junior shooting guard Kelsey Rhyne (game-high 29 points) and a pair of Shehan sisters, Samantha (14 points) and Alexis (23 points), both seniors. Rhyne’s scoring included five shots made from behind the 3-point arc.

For Watauga’s young squad, going up against Lake Norman’s senior laden roster with five athletes 5-10 or taller, including three over 6-0, was a stern test against an athletic team with a distinct height advantage.

“It was great to see how fearless our players were,” said Torgerson. “We didn’t look scared at all. The players were aggressive and made a lot of winning plays. It’s been a heck of run these seniors have given us. Their leadership is incredible, with how coachable they are and the effort and focus they give. Some of the underclassmen talked in the locker room after the game about all the different ways they lead from talking on the floor to creating a family atmosphere.”

Perhaps Watauga’s early energy was fueled by the large crowd of Pioneer supporters turning out for this important game on the road.

“It was another great crowd. Our side was full and I know the players loved it when they came running out for warm ups and were greeted by all of those cheers. The community has seen and appreciates what high character these young women show on the court — in their competitiveness, their perseverance, and their sportsmanship. When the community is rooting for the players, I think the players try to rise to that standard and make the community proud. They’ve done a tremendous job of representing our Watauga community well.”

SCORING SUMMARY

• WAT – Blair Haines (25 points)
• WAT – Kate Sears (18)
• WAT – Julie Matheson (9)
• WAT – Izzy Torgerson (8)
• WAT – Chloe Wilson (3)
• WAT – Kaitlyn Darner (3)
• LKN – Kelsey Rhyne (29)
• LKN – Alexis Shehan (23)
• LKN – Samantha Shehan (14)
• LKN – Rayana Minard (9)
• LKN – Adason Buoniconti (6)
• LKN – Aliya Williams (3)
• LKN – Addison Sirianni (2)

BONUS PHOTOS

All photographic images by Jared Everett for High Country Sports

By David Rogers. CLEMMONS, N.C. — Trailing by seven points late in the third quarter — in hostile territory — didn’t faze visiting Watauga on March 4. The Pioneers shrugged off the deficit, clamped down defensively and outscored host West Forsyth in the final stanza en route to a thrilling, 62-59, “Sweet 16” NCHSAA 4A Men’s Basketball Championship tournament win.

The No. 7 seeded Pioneers will go on the road again March 7, to Huntersville for an Elite 8 matchup against North Mecklenburg.

Taking care of business

Sometimes it is the little things that make a difference in basketball game outcomes, like making or missing free throws. Combined with a disruptive defensive effort by Watauga that limited the Titans to just 10 points in the fourth quarter, West Forsyth going a combined 2-for-6 from the charity stripe in the final stanza was instead a “gift” for Watauga.

A strong inside game by Watauga forward Jace Blocker kept the Pioneers within striking distance early on, even if trailing. Blocker ended up tying with guard Cade Keller for team-high and game-high scoring honors, with 18 points, but 14 of those points came in the first half when only senior guard Josiah Railey was also consistently finding the hoop. Railey finished with 16 points, 10 of them in the first half.

The Pioneers flipped the game script in the second half. The team’s leading scorer, Keller, was held in check by the Titans before intermission. He only managed two points prior to halftime thanks largely to the defensive attention from West Forsyth on the Pioneers’ high-scoring junior combination guard. Whatever adjustments made by Watauga’s coaching staff when the fans were refilling their popcorn buckets certainly worked, though, because Keller exploded for 16 of his tied-for-game-high 18 points in the third (9 points) and fourth (7) quarters.

Meanwhile, the versatile Railey continued his consistent contributions and junior forward Brady Lindenmuth came off the bench to score five points in the second half, four of them in the critical fourth quarter. Not necessarily known for his accuracy from the free throw line, the big man came through in the clutch, hitting 3-of-5 from the charity stripe in the second half, including 2-of-3 in the final period.

West Forsyth senior small forward Cale Lloyd tied with Watauga’s Keller and Blocker for game-high scoring honors, at 18 points. He nailed four 3-pointers along the way to lead the Titans’ offensive production. Jacari Brim (15 points) and Kamuari Manuel (12) also got into double figures.

Of note, Watauga’s Railey recorded another double-double in the game, with 10 rebounds to go with his 16 points.

Now 21-7, Watauga travels to Huntersville to face a 27-3 North Mecklenburg team that advanced with a convincing, 94-57 win over Weddington. In Round 1, the No. 3 seeded Vikings defeated Mallard Creek, 68-51, and in Round 2 thumped Davie, 90-50.

SCORING SUMMARY

• WAT – Cade Keller (18 points)
• WAT – Jace Blocker (18)
• WF – Cale Lloyd (18)
• WAT – Josiah Railey (16)
• WF – Jacari Brim (15)
• WF – Kamuari Manuel (12)
• WF – Jordan Tate (9)
• WAT – Brady Lindenmuth (5)
• WAT – Maddox Greene (5)
• WF – Max Stillman (3)
• WF – Princeton Scott (2)