Warmer weather and blooming flowers generally signals the start of spring. As winter comes to a close, so too does basketball season.

Postseason success was relatively scarce this year. Northside and Southside both had boys’ and girls’ teams squeak into the playoffs, but all four were knocked off in the first round. The male Seahawks, coming in as the No. 29 seed, took No. 4 Weldon to the limit in what was the closest first-round contest in the east.

Washington’s girls showed a lot of promise in the second half of the season. The Lady Pack had climbed the 2-A Eastern Plains Conference standings, but lost three straight games heading into the conference tournament. Even so, the girls nearly upset top-ranked North Pitt, but lost on a last-second bucket.

Terra Ceia and Pungo found a little more postseason success. Pungo lost a one-possession game to Lawrence Academy in the semifinals of the Tarheel Independent Conference to deny fans a third Raiders vs. Knights showdown.

Terra Ceia ended up claiming the league’s crown with a win over Lawrence, completing a perfect 14-0 campaign in conference. The Knights could have made a splash at the state level had the injury bug not bitten ahead of their clash with Neuse Christian Academy.

The season was an eventful one, even despite the lack of playoff action. Terra Ceia came as close as possible from knocking off the hosting Panthers in the Northside Christmas Tournament. It was arguably the best basketball game of the season.

The bouts between Terra Ceia and Pungo didn’t disappoint, either. Nor did the rivalry between the Lady Seahawks and Lady Panthers, who ended up trading wins over the course of the regular season.

The campaign saw tenured leaders show why they were cornerstones to their team’s success. It also featured the emergence of bright stars, like Northside forward Bryson Radcliffe and a youthful Southside girls’ team, which will be fun to watch for a couple more seasons.

 

First Team (boys)

 

TYLER HENDRIX, JR., TERRA CEIA

STATS (per game): 17.8 points, 12.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 steals

 

SHAIQUAN MOORE, JR., WASHINGTON

STATS (per game): 15.9 points, 1.2 steals, 1.5 rebounds

 

IKEEM GREENE, SR., NORTHSIDE

STATS (per game): 17.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 2.7 steals

 

PAT COFFEY, SR., SOUTHSIDE

STATS (per game): 17.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.5 steals, 3.1 assists

 

WILL RESPESS, SR., PUNGO

STATS (per game): 16.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.9 steals

 

BRYSON RADCLIFFE, SO., NORTHSIDE

STATS (per game): 10.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists

 

DONSHAE TATUM, SR., SOUTHSIDE

STATS (per game): 12.9 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.1 blocks, 3.1 assists

 

AVERY BOWEN, JR., UNITY

STATS (per game): 27.7 points, 7.6 assists, 5.3 rebounds

 

LANDON WOOLARD, SR., PUNGO

STATS (per game): 14.9 points, 3.5 steals, 2.8 assists

 

MESSIAH BARNES, JR., TERRA CEIA

STATS (per game): 13.5 points, 5.1 assists

 

SHARWAN STATON, JR., WASHINGTON

STATS (per game): 12.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 2.1 steals

 

Second Team (boys)

 

CHASE FURLOUGH, SR., TERRA CEIA

JABARI ASHE, SR., NORTHSIDE

TAMAZJA DIXON, SR., SOUTHSIDE

KELLUM CAHOON, SR., PUNGO

JOHNNY SULLIVAN, SR., SOUTHSIDE

QUENTIN VAN ESSENDELFT, JR., TERRA CEIA

ISAIAH PEED, JR., WASHINGTON

ATIA SHAMSELDIN, JR., NORTHSIDE

BRANDON JACKSON, SR., WASHINGTON

LOGAN VAN STAALDUIENN, SR., PUNGO

 

Honorable Mentions (boys)

 

WILLIAM TATE, SR., WASHINGTON

SHONDREA ROLAND, JR., SOUTHSIDE

BEN HUBERS, SR., TERRA CEIA

 

First Team (girls)

 

QUORTASIA CLARK, SR., NORTHSIDE

STATS (per game): 13.3 points, 2.3 rebounds

 

SYMONE RUFFIN, SO., SOUTHSIDE

STATS (per game): 13.4 points, 5.6 steals, 3.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists

 

CATHERINE MEIJER, JR., TERRA CEIA

STATS (per game): 10.9 points, 13.8 rebounds, 1.9 blocks
LAKITIA BASNIGHT, SR., WASHINGTON

STATS (per game): N/A

 

RACHEL LANG, JR., NORTHSIDE

STATS (per game): 10.7 points, 3.8 rebounds

 

TAYLOR MANN, SR., PUNGO

STATS (per game): N/A

 

PRECIOUS GAYNOR, JR., SOUTHSIDE

STATS (per game): 7.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists

 

REBECCA HARRISON, SR., TERRA CEIA

STATS (per game): 10.7 points, 5.6 steals, 4.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists

 

TIERRA WIGGINS, SO., WASHINGTON

STATS (per game): N/A

 

Second Team (girls)

 

KENDALL ALLIGOOD, SR., NORTHSIDE

NAZAYAH PARKER, JR., WASHINGTON

CAITLIN GRIFFIN, SR., TERRA CEIA

DESTINY JONES, SR., NORTHSIDE

TASIA EBRON, JR., WASHINGTON

EMMA ALLEN, SO., PUNGO

MICHAELA DIXON, SO., SOUTHSIDE

ASHLEY JAMES, SO., TERRA CEIA

DANIELLE RUFFIN, SO., SOUTHSIDE

 

Honorable Mentions (girls)

 

JADA JONES, SO., SOUTHSIDE

MARIAH STANLEY, SR., NORTHSIDE

DARIA JONES, SO., WASHINGTON