It’s officially March which means Chatham’s former basketball standouts will be competing for spots in their respective post season tournaments.
As always, the work is done in the conference tournaments.
Here is a breakdown of how some of the county’s former hoopers did, or are hoping to accomplish, in their respective conference brackets:
Men’s Basketball
Max Frazier (Central Connecticut, Northwood)
Frazier and the Central Connecticut Blue Devils earned the No. 1 seed in the Northeast Conference Tournament and battled No. 8 Le Moyne in the quarterfinals Wednesday. The winner advanced to Saturday’s semifinal round.
Central Connecticut won the conference regular season title after defeating Le Moyne 84-75 on Feb. 27. Frazier, a sophomore forward, logged just under four minutes and recorded four points and two rebounds in the win.
The NEC Tournament winner will get an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Tournament. Should the Blue Devils come out on top, Northwood could have a former player in the big dance this season.
The NEC Tournament championship game will air on ESPN2 Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Aaron Ross (Chowan, Northwood)
Ross and the Chowan Hawks earned a No. 3 seed in the Conference Carolinas Tournament, meaning Chowan will get a double bye and start in the quarterfinals Friday.
The Hawks won four of their last five leading into the tournament. Ross, a senior guard, scored a team and season-high 26 points in Chowan’s 81-68 win over Southern Wesleyan on Feb. 22.
Chowan could punch its ticket to the NCAA Division II Tournament by winning the CC bracket this weekend. Should they advance past the quarterfinals, the Hawks will face second-seeded Emmanuel. Chowan split the regular season series with Emmanuel, and Ross averaged 15.5 points in those games. Ross is Chowan’s second leading scorer, averaging 12.9 points per game.
Jalen Mcafee Marion (University of the Southwest, Northwood)
Marion and the University of the Southwest Mustangs fell short in the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament championship game Sunday, losing to LSU Alexandria 88-79.
Marion, a senior guard, didn’t have the best offensive game as he scored three points on a 25% shooting clip, but he still grabbed three rebounds and a steal in the loss. This season, Marion has started 27 games and averaged 8.5 points per outing.
Southwest will see if it’ll be one of the 64 teams in the NAIA Tournament on March 6 at 7 p.m. EST.
Drake Powell (UNC, Northwood)
Powell and the North Carolina Tar Heels have a lot of work cut out during the ACC Tournament starting Tuesday at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte.
As a March Madness bubble team, UNC will need a great week, likely an appearance in the conference championship game if not a title victory, to give itself the best chance to make the dance.
Powell, a freshman forward, has played a huge part in keeping the Tar Heels afloat the last few games, including a 16-point performance over Miami Saturday in which he knocked down four threes.
Jarin Stevenson (Alabama, Seaforth)
It’s no doubt that Stevenson and the Alabama Crimson Tide will be dancing once again, but the question is where they will land.
Alabama has been projected to be a No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament, but its buzzer-beater loss to Tennessee Saturday could change that. Stevenson, a sophomore forward, has a chance to step up and help Alabama power through the gauntlet of the SEC for a conference tournament title and a solid case for the top seed in March Madness.
The SEC Tournament will begin Wednesday at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
Women’s Basketball
McKenna Snively (Christopher Newport, Northwood/North Raleigh Christian)
Snively and the Christopher Newport Captains won the Coast-to-Coast Conference Tournament championship game over Mary Washington 61-48 Saturday.
On the way to the title game, Snively, a junior guard, hit a three in the Captains’ win over UC Santa Cruz in the semifinal game.
Christopher Newport will play Montclair State in the first round of the NCAA Women’s Division III Tournament Friday at 4:30 p.m. The game will be played at the DuFour Center in Washington, D.C.
Olivia Porter (Marquette, Northwood)
Porter and the Marquette Golden Eagles will begin play in the Big East Tournament Saturday at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Earning the No. 4 seed, Marquette will start with No. 5 Villanova at 2:30 p.m.
Marquette, projected by ESPN’s Charlie Creme as one of the first four out of the NCAA Women’s Tournament, will need a huge weekend to climb out of the bubble.
Porter, a junior guard averaging 6.2 points and three assists per game, will look to lead the Golden Eagles to a tournament bid.
Skylar Adams (Shaw, Northwood)
Adams and the Shaw Bears fell to Lincoln University (PA) 54-49 in the first round of the CIAA Tournament on Feb. 25.
Adams, a freshman guard, dished out two assists and grabbed four rebounds in the loss. She ended her season averaging five points and 2.3 rebounds per game.
Meah Brooks (Greensboro College, Chatham Charter)
Brooks and the Greensboro Pride fell to Brevard 103-31 in the first round of the USA South Conference Tournament on Feb. 25. Greensboro’s season came to an end in the loss.
Brooks, a freshman forward, recorded 11 points and six rebounds in the loss, marking her 11th game with at least 10 points.
Hannah Ajayi (Guilford College, Seaforth)
Ajayi and the Guilford Quakers lost to Washington and Lee University 87-54 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Tournament quarterfinals on Feb. 25. Guilford’s season ended with the loss.
Ajayi, a freshman guard, ended the year averaging two points and 1.1 rebounds per game.