NCHSAA 2A playoff brackets released; five boys teams, four girls teams from ECC qualify

The NCHSAA playoff brackets are official and numerous Eastern Carolina Conference teams qualified.

In the boys’ bracket, Greene Central was awarded the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Bracket and home-court advantage through the first four rounds of the playoffs. The Rams, who won the ECC regular-season conference championship for the third year in a row, will face No. 31 Wilson Beddingfield as the team hopes to reach its second straight state title game.

Kinston was also granted a home game and garnered the No. 9 seed in the 2A East bracket. The Vikings are coming off their 15th consecutive conference tournament title win and host No. 24 J.F. Webb. Kinston and Greene Central have a chance to meet each other for the third consecutive postseason, but it would be in the Regional Finals instead of the third round like the previous two years.

Three other ECC boys’ basketball teams qualified for the postseason and start on the road. No. 18 West Craven faces No. 15 South Granville, No. 22 North Lenoir travels to play No. 11 Burlington Cummings and No. 26 Ayden-Grifton goes up against No. 7 South Columbus.

In the girls’ Eastern bracket, Kinston received the No. 3 seed and is guaranteed three home games. The Vikings, who won their second straight ECC regular-season championship and sixth straight conference title, face No. 30 North Johnston with hopes to build upon last year’s Regional appearance.

North Lenoir is the only other ECC girls’ team to receive a home game in the state playoffs. The Hawks will host No. 20 Richlands in their second straight postseason appearance.

No. 24 Washington is on the road against No. 9 Randleman and No. 29 South Lenoir hopes to exact revenge against No. 4 N.C. School of Science and Math. Last season, the Unicorns defeated the Blue Devils 64-57 in the same round.

The first round of the state playoffs will be held Tuesday with the second round (Thursday) and third (Saturday) to follow on the same week. The fourth round is slated for March 5 and Regionals take place March 9. The 2A state championship games will be played at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh March 16.