High school basketball teams in the area will converge on Brunswick Community College for the Mideastern Conference Tournament Feb. 15-19.
In the boys bracket, New Hanover earned a No. 1 seed after a 12-0 mark in league play. The Wildcats are 20-4 overall and return to the floor on Wednesday, Feb. 17 against the winner of the No. 4 Laney/No. 5 Ashley matchup.
Laney and Ashley faced each other three times during the regular season. The Bucs grabbed a pair of victories over their crosstown rivals, but fell 43-40 to the Screaming Eagles on Feb. 5.
Following an overtime win in their regular season finale, Hoggard hits the hardwood as a two-seed and takes on No. 7 Topsail. No. 3 West Brunswick competes against No. 6 South Brunswick.
Hoggard and West Brunswick both swept their first-round opponents during the regular season. The two winners face each other in the semifinals on Wednesday.
Opening round action begins at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 15, with the boys’ semifinals on Wednesday, Feb. 17 and finals at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 19.
By virtue of a tiebreaker following a season sweep over New Hanover, the Hoggard girls’ basketball team received the No. 1 seed and first-round bye. The girls’ tournament is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 15, Thursday, Feb. 18 and finals at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 19.
Hoggard gets the winner of No. 4 Ashley and No. 5 Topsail. The Screaming Eagles and Pirates split their regular season series, with the Pirates defeating Ashley 56-50 in overtime on Jan. 29.
The New Hanover girls finished 10-2 in conference and 17-6 on the year. The Wildcats have a No. 2 seed and face South Brunswick. No. 3 Laney takes on No. 6 West Brunswick in the other first-round matchup.
Final regular season standings and tournament schedule are listed below.
Boys bracket:
First-round on Monday Feb. 15: No. 2 Hoggard vs. No. 7 Topsail at 4:30 p.m.; No. 3 West Brunswick vs. No. 6 South Brunswick at 6 p.m.; No. 4 Laney vs. No. 5 Ashley at 7:30 p.m.;
Semifinals on Wednesday, Feb. 17: No. 1 New Hanover vs. Ashley/Laney winner at 6 p.m.; Hoggard/Topsail winner vs. West Brunswick/South Brunswick at 7:30 p.m.
Finals at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 19
Boys’ standings
No. 1 New Hanover (12-0, 20-4)
No. 2 Hoggard (9-3, 16-8)
No. 3 West Brunswick (9-3, 16-6)
No. 4 Laney (5-7, 11-13)
No. 5 Ashley (5-7, 11-12)
No. 6 South Brunswick (1-11, 8-15)
No. 7 Topsail (1-11, 5-17)
Girls’ bracket
First round on Tuesday, Feb. 16: No. 2 New Hanover vs. No. 7 South Brunswick at 4:30p.m.; No. 3 Laney vs. No. 6 West Brunswick at 6 p.m.; No. 4 Ashley vs. No.5 Topsail at 7:30 p.m.
Semifinals on Thursday, Feb. 18: No. 1 Hoggard vs. Ashley/Topsail winner at 6 p.m.; Laney/W. Brunswick winner vs. New Hanover/S. Brunswick winner at 7:30p.m.
Finals at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 19
Girls’ standings
No. 1 Hoggard (10-2, 19-5)
No. 2 New Hanover (10-2, 17-6)
No. 3 Laney (8-4, 14-10)
No. 4 Ashley (7-5, 10-11)
No. 5 Topsail (4-8, 13-9)
No. 6 West Brunswick (3-9, 9-13)
No. 7 South Brunswick (0-12, 0-20)
