Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

A coveted top playoff seed is still in sight for some of the county high school basketball teams as the conference season is halfway complete.
The conference champion gets one of the first eight seeds in the state tournament and at least two home games. A second place finish means one game at home barring upsets and a team farther down in the standings will be on the round through the postseason barring upsets.

Washington boys: The Pam Pack is 12-6 overall, 5-1 and in second place in the Eastern Plains 2A Conference behind powerhouse Farmville Central. WHS can wrap up second place by running the table against everyone but the Jags, which would mean a first round home game. WHS is coming off a tough 61-60 road win at Ayden-Grifton and travels to West Craven and Farmville Central for their next two contests. Sophomore guard Chaise Smith leads the team in scoring with 20.6 points a game an adds 6.5 assist, 5.6 rebounds and 3.6 steals. Junior Javon Williams is next at 15.8 and 8.3 rebounds a game, while senior post player Gary Payne averages a double-double, 12.9 points and 10.2 rebounds.

Northside boys: The Panthers are 14-5 overall and 3-2 in the Coastal Plains 1A/2A conference, but 2A East Carteret is in the top spot, so Northside is battling second place Pamlico County for the league’s top 1A seed. Malachi Moore is their leading scorer at 15.5 a game, while senior Griffin Johnson adds 14.5 and a team-best 8.9 rebounds.

Southside boys: The injury-riddled Seahawks continue to battle through a 3-15, 0-4 season. Seniors Tequon Moore and Nolan Dixon are out for the season with injuries and no one else on the roster had any varsity experience before this season. Junior Joshua Armstrong is the leading scorer at 18.7 while Jeremiah Satchel contributes 8.6.

Washington girls: Washington earned its first conference victory in almost two years, 50-39, at Ayden-Grifton Tuesday. The girls are 2-12 overall and 1-5 in the league. Junior Breanna Perry is the leading scorer at 23 points a game, while classmate Avery Thomas adds 9.5 and senior Triniti Burke contributes eight points and 4.4 rebounds. Freshman Naariah Randolph is the leading rebounder at 5.3.
“Despite our record, we have improved tremendously since our first practice,” first-year coach Stevie Green said. “Our girls are competing hard while working to improve their skills. I think we’ll win some more before we are through.”

Northside girls: The Panthers are 14-2 overall and 3-2 in the CPC with the losses against 2A East Carteret and rival Pamlico County. A win against the Hurricanes in early February, could give Northside the top 1A seed in the state tournament. The Panthers have won three straight and allowed a total of 48 points during the streak. Junior guard Olivia Jane (OJ) Cahoon averages a team-best 16.4 points and contributes four assists and three steals per game. Senior Mariah Jones is next with 14.5 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Madison Scheffler adds 9.8 points and 5.1 rebounds a game.

Southside girls: The Seahawks are 2-2 in the CPC and 12-5 overall headed into Tuesday’s rivalry clash at Northside as first-year head coach Misty Mooring returns to her alma mater. Junior I’Kiriyah Minor leads the team with 12.1 points a game. Classmate Tamya Smith is next with 7.6. Kaliah Moore is the leading rebounder at 7.6, while senior De’Najah Warren adds five.