By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
The Central City Classic has expanded to include boys’ basketball games this year and it will involve part of two days.
It begins Friday and then follows with a full slate of girls’ and boys’ games Saturday at Williams High School.
“Anytime you can put a spotlight on high school basketball in this part of the state, it’s a good thing,” said Williams girls’ coach Jason Cheek, an organizer of the array of non-conference games. “It should be a good day of basketball.”
Cheek said the success stemming from last year’s inaugural event with four girls’ games drew interest from boys’ coaches. So the collection of games has doubled.
There are 10 schools involved, with some participating in girls’ and boys’ games and others sending just one team.
Several games might be considered special matchups, including Bishop McGuinness girls against Southeast Alamance. Last year, Bishop McGuinness topped Western Alamance in the event.
Guard Adelaide Jernigan of Bishop McGuinness was considered a highly coveted college recruit last year, scoring 29 points vs. Western. Now a senior, she signed last month to play for North Carolina State.
Western’s girls will take on Northern Guilford in a matchup of potential state powers. They’re former conference rivals.
The nightcap is a boys’ game between Burlington Christian Academy and Eastern Alamance. It’s the first meeting between the programs.
“We’ve been very diligent with the matchups,” Cheek said. “We want both teams to benefit.”
The Williams girls will take on Graham to begin Saturday’s slate, when games will be conducted across about an 11-hour period. Since Cheek became the Williams girls’ coach, it will be the first time the Bulldogs meet Graham. Cheek is a former Graham coach.
Southeast Alamance and Williams didn’t meet last season when Southeast was in its first year of existence. On Friday, the schools will meet in a junior varsity boys’ game prior to the varsity game in what’s considered the launching of this year’s Central City Classic.
Admission is $12 on Saturday.
SCHEDULE
Central City Classic
At Williams
Friday
Boys: Southeast Alamance at Williams, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Girls: Graham vs. Williams, 10:30 a.m.
Girls: Chapel Hill vs. Northwood, noon
Boys: Chapel Hill vs. Northern Guilford, 1:30 p.m.
Girls: Bishop McGuiness vs. Southeast Alamance, 3:00 p.m.
Boys: Bishop McGuiness vs. Western Alamance, 5:00 p.m.
Girls: Northern Guilford vs. Western Alamance, 6:30 p.m.
Boys: Burlington Christian Academy vs. Eastern Alamance, 8:00 p.m.
