Durham is up next, followed by Stanley and Beaufort, potentially. Next year, we will have the opportunity to see which former schools will be overtaken by Central Cabarrus’ current streak of 65 consecutive wins.

Currently and for the consecutive second year, the Vikings have indisputably solidified their position as the top 3A boys basketball team in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.

Central Cabarrus dominated the championship match at Lawrence Joel Memorial Coliseum on Friday evening, earning a consecutive victory by defeating Seventy-First 90-62.

The position of the current win streak in terms of all-time records is unclear. The NCHSAA record book only displays the top three win streaks in the history of boys basketball: 73 for Durham, 88 for Stanley, and 91 for Beaufort. All of these were broken prior to the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson. For Central Cabarrus to make it onto the list, they would need to begin next year’s season with a record of 8-0.

Coach Jim Baker of Central Cabarrus remarked, “I am fortunate to have the children that I do. It has been an incredible journey.”

From the very beginning, the signature style of the Vikings was on display – the swift movement of the ball between players on offense and their relentless full-court defense, even after missed shots, was clear.

Central Cabarrus (33-0) led 50-24 thanks to 60.6 percent shooting from the field and 13 forced turnovers (leading to 16 points). Desmond Kent Jr. had 18 by himself at the break.

In the game, Central Cabarrus recorded a 56.3 percent shooting accuracy and obtained 52 points in the paint. They also scored 24 points off of fast breaks and 24 points off of turnovers.

Their record in the past three years is 95 wins and 1 loss.

According to Baker, there was a intense excitement when the ball was thrown into the air. He also mentioned that the players played exceptionally well.

Kent received the title of MVP for his impressive performance, scoring 20 points on 9-of-13 shots, grabbing nine rebounds, and making five steals. Josh Dalton also had a strong game for his team, earning the honor of Most Outstanding Player with 22 points.

The dynamic duo of twins, Carson and Chase Daniel, continued to lead the offense and defense with impressive stats: Chase contributed 14 points, eight assists, and five steals, while Carson added 13 points and seven assists.

Although the Daniel twins were related, there was a familial element to every aspect of the Vikings’ actions both on and off the court.

Carson Daniel stated that he couldn’t believe how close they have all become.

Chase stated, “I have great admiration for my team and it reflects the strong bond of love within our group. It feels like a big family here.”

Mylon Campbell led Seventy-First (28-3) as their Most Outstanding Player with 14 points and six assists, earning them the runner-up spot in the 3A division for the second time in three seasons with a new head coach and a mostly new team.

Coach Jeremy Ingram of Seventy-First expressed praise for the opposing team, acknowledging their skill and giving credit to them. He himself had won an NCHSAA title as a player in 2008 for East Mecklenburg. Ingram also recognized the impact of turnovers in the game, stating that there were 24 turnovers in total.

Central Cabarrus, the second-ranked team from the western division, has managed to score a minimum of 84 points in each of its six postseason matches. The Vikings have now claimed three championships in three attempts.

Seventy-First has yet to secure their first championship title despite having made four appearances as the No. 4 seed from the Western region.

Prior to the match, both teams selected one player to receive the NCHSAA sportsmanship awards. Noah Edmisten of Central Cabarrus and DeAndre Nance of Seventy-First were the deserving recipients for their respective teams.

In the game, Central Cabarrus had a total of 22 points from Josh Dalton, 20 points from Desmond Kent Jr., 14 points from Chase Daniel, 13 points from Carson Daniels, 8 points from Emari Russell, 3 points each from Noah Edmisten, Jake Baker, and Cayden Smith, and 2 points each from Camden Lowry and Chinua Ezaigbo.

Jaquez Foster scored 15 points, Mylon Campbell had 14 points, DeAndre Nance had 12 points, Tyrek Perez had 7 points, Xavier McBryde had 6 points, Kayden Diggs had 5 points, Daekwon Dunn had 2 points, and Micah Dowdy-Isom had 1 point for Seventy-First.

Source: highschoolot.com