(4) Northwood advances past (21) Southeast Alamance, sets up fourth round game at top-seed Farmville Central
Northwood's boys basketball team has been to five straight regionals and after a win on Tuesday night, the Chargers have a chance to make it six.
Behind a 21-point performance by UNC recruit Drake Powell, (4) Northwood defeated (21) Southeast Alamance 74-52 in the third round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 2A boys basketball state playoffs on Tuesday.
Northwood controlled the game from the start. The Chargers held Southeast Alamance to just seven points in the first quarter, while five different Chargers scored. Powell had five points in the first quarter as Northwood claimed a 17-7 lead.
That lead grew in the second quarter. Jake Leighton scored six points and Powell added five more as Northwood took a 40-24 lead into halftime.
All 17 points scored by Southeast Alamance in the second quarter came from Stu Edwards and Bubba Sims.
Powell took over the third quarter for the Chargers. Of Northwood's 15 points in the quarter, Powell scored nine of them, including an early three-point basket.
Northwood outscored Southeast Alamance 15-11 in the third quarter and 19-17 in the fourth quarter as it cruised to a third-round win.
Powell finished the game with 21 points, leading all scorers in the contest. Leighton was the only other Northwood player in double-figures with 13 points, but Cam Fowler posted nine points, and Fred Whitaker Jr. and Beau Harvey each scored eight points.
In all, nine different players scored in the game for Northwood.
Southeast Alamance was led by Edwards and Sims. Both players scored 16 points in the loss.
The Chargers are now 27-3 overall. Northwood will hit the road for the first time this playoff season when it faces (1) Farmville Central in the fourth round on Friday night.
Farmville Central defeated Southwest Onslow 98-68 in the third round. The Jaguars are the reigning NCHSAA 2A state champions and have lost just one game this season.
Southeast Alamance's season ends with a record of 18-12. The Stallions made a playoff run as the 21-seed, picking up road wins at Roanoke Rapids and South Granville last week.
