High School Sports

Which Triangle-area teams made the final N&O Sweet 16 basketball ranking of the season

By Rick Lewis and Alex Bass

March 16, 2022 6:00 AM

Panther Creek’s Jordan Snell (0) shoots over Weddington’s Berni Tah (15) during the NCHSAA 4A basketball state championship game at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, March 12, 2022. Weddington beat Panther Creek 76-58. — Panther Creek’s Jordan Snell (0) shoots over Weddington’s Berni Tah (15) during the NCHSAA 4A basketball state championship game at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, March 12, 2022. Weddington beat Panther Creek 76-58. Alex Slitz alslitz@charlotteobserver.com

The News & Observer’s Sweet 16 champions are Panther Creek’s boys and Northwood’s girls.

Panther Creek (23-8) made a surprise run to the N.C. 4A state championship game before losing to nationally ranked Weddington on Saturday.

Northwood’s girls (31-1) finished the season on a 22-game win streak and beat Enka 70-42 in the NCHSAA 3A state final.

The Sweet 16 rankings highlight the best teams in the Triangle area.

Final Boys Sweet 16 ranking

Rk.	School	Division	Class	Rec.
1	Panther Creek	NCHSAA	4A	23-8
2	Cleveland	NCHSAA	4A	30-2
3	Millbrook	NCHSAA	4A	20-9
4	Trinity Academy	NICSAA	2A	26-3
5	Jordan	NCHSAA	4A	23-4
6	Apex Friendship	NCHSAA	4A	20-7
7	Holly Springs	NCHSAA	4A	24-5
8	Hillside	NCHSAA	4A	19-5
9	Wake Forest	NCHSAA	4A	18-7
10	Wakefield	NCHSAA	4A	19-8
11	Southern Durham	NCHSAA	3A	20-7
12	Cary Christian	NCISAA	3A	21-9
13	Cardinal Gibbons	NCHSAA	4A	16-11
14	East Wake	NCHSAA	3A	19-6
15	Ravenscroft	NCISAA	4A	14-9
16	Athens Drive	NCHSAA	4A	16-9

Final Girls Sweet 16 ranking

Rk.	School	Division	Cl.	Rec.
1.	Northwood	NCHSAA	3A	31-1
2.	Apex Friendship	NCHSAA	4A	29-3
3.	Millbrook	NCHSAA	4A	23-4
4.	Panther Creek	NCHSAA	4A	22-6
5.	Garner	NCHSAA	4A	26-3
6.	Green Level	NCHSAA	4A	25-5
7.	Cardinal Gibbons	NCHSAA	4A	17-7
8.	Hillside	NCHSAA	4A	26-3
9.	North Raleigh Christian	NCISAA	4A	25-8
10.	Southern Durham	NCHSAA	3A	22-6
11.	Athens Drive	NCHSAA	4A	20-7
12.	Heritage	NCHSAA	4A	16-11
13.	Leesville Road	NCHSAA	4A	12-11
14.	Wake Forest	NCHSAA	4A	14-12
15.	Clayton	NCHSAA	4A	20-6
16.	Southeast Raleigh	NCHSAA	4A	18-6

This story was originally published March 16, 2022 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Which Triangle-area teams made the final N&O Sweet 16 basketball ranking of the season."