Charlotte, Raleigh stars selected to Carolinas Classic HS hoops

Athletes from the Charlotte and Raleigh areas are well-represented on the 2023 Carolinas Classic rosters, which were released Wednesday.

The game pits some of the best N.C. public school athletes against their S.C. counterparts annually. This year’s game will be played March 25 at Hoggard High School in Wilmington

Four Charlotte Observer-area boys and four girls were named to the N.C. rosters. Charlotte-area boys included Myers Park’s Elijah Strong, Hough’s Trey Horton, Chase’s Addison Archer and Bessemer City’s Randall Pettus.

Observer-area girls selections included North Mecklenburg’s Nevaeh Farmer, Lake Norman’s Kirsten Lewis-Williams, Shelby’s Ally Hollifield and Newton-Conover’s Cassidy Geddes.

The Raleigh-area had two boy on the rosters, Holly Springs’ Collin Kuhl and Farmville Central’s Jah Short. Two Raleigh-area girls were named: Millbrook’s Rechel Douglas and Clayton’s Darrionna Howard.

▪ In addition to the games, the student-athletes will participate in community service events, including a visit to the Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center and four New Hanover County elementary schools.

▪ Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children and students. Proceeds benefit Camp Corral, a nonprofit that supports the lives of children of wounded and fallen military heroes.

North Carolina Boys Roster

Head coach: Ike Walker, Jack Britt

Assistant coach: Billy Martin, RJ Reynolds

Jacob Adair, 6-3, Enka

Addison Archer, 6-7, Chase

James Scott, 6-11, EE Smith

Elijah Strong, 6-8, Myers Park

Trey Horton, 6-5, Hough

Collin Kuhl, 6-8, Holly Springs

DyQuavion “Jah” Short, 6-4, Farmville Central

Randall Pettus, 6-2, Bessemer City

Jack Voth, 6-5, Hoggard

North Carolina Girls Roster

Head coach: Marlon Lee, Clayton

Assistant coach: Brandon Holloway, Pisgah

Daneesha Briggs, 5-7, Beddingfield

Reychel Douglas, 6-0, Millbrook

Kirsten Lewis-Williams, 5-10, Lake Norman

Nevaeh Farmer, 5-3, North Mecklenburg

Darrionna Howard, 6-0, Clayton

Ally Hollifield, 5-6, Shelby

Cassidy Geddes, 5-7, Newton-Conover

Ka’Nyah O’Neal, 5-8, Southside

Evangelia Paulk, 6-0, Asheville

Caroline Thiel, 6-0, Rocky Mount

South Carolina Boys Roster

Head coach: Jerome Stewart, Timerland

Assistant coach: Joshua Staley, Ridge View

Montraivis White, 5-9, Gray Collegiate

Chrisean Oree, 6-1, Keenan

Sean Lindsay, 5-11, Dorman

Arden Conyers, 6-7, Westwood

Justin Britt, 6-5, Goose Creek

Malachi Stevens, 6-4, Oceanside

Horace Jacques, 6-1, Orangeburg-Wilkinson

Brandon Crawford, 6-9, Irmo

Jordan Butler, 7-0, Christ Church

Avantae Parker, 6-8, Gray Collegiate

South Carolina Girls Roster

Head coach: Perry Stokes

Assistant coach: Jeanette Wilder, Saluda

Jessica Means, 5-6, Saluda

Jessica Woods, 5-8, Westwood

Alaina Nettles, 5-7, Summerville

Amiyah Ferguson, 5-7, Timberland

Dasia Ferguson, 5-9, Dorman

Yasmine Cook, 5-9, Stratford

Trinity Delaney, 6-0, AC Flora

Kamari Thompson, 6-0, Southside

P’eris Smith, 6-0, North Augusta

Lindsay Garner, 6-2, Lexington

Langston Wertz Jr. is an award-winning sports journalist who has worked at the Observer since 1988. He’s covered everything from Final Fours and NFL to video games and Britney Spears. Wertz — a West Charlotte High and UNC grad — is the rare person who can answer “Charlotte,” when you ask, “What city are you from.”
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