North Carolina State Tournament: What Makes These Teams Special

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hoggard has an elite point guard in [player_tooltip player_id='686460' first='Tristan' last='Shivers'] who makes the team go. She shoots a high percentage, and Shivers makes great decisions for her team when the basketball is in her hands. Additionally, Avery Fitzgerald is a dominant junior who owns the glass for the Vikings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wakefield is extremely balanced. They have multiple players who have the ability to take over in any game. They are also a veteran squad who knows what is at stake in March. [player_tooltip player_id='878739' first='Jaya' last='Hamilton'], Aly Schaffer, [player_tooltip player_id='918872' first='Maddison' last='McIntyre'], [player_tooltip player_id='879847' first='Heaven' last='Briggs'], and [player_tooltip player_id='762014' first='Sydney' last='Conti'] are leaving a legacy for the future Wolverines to follow.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McDowell has been perfect so far in the 2024-2025 season. They play fantastic defense and they rebound the basketball well. The Titans are also an unselfish basketball team who make the extra pass for their team. [player_tooltip player_id='822107' first='Kensly' last='Stewart'], Clara Mccartha, and [player_tooltip player_id='772574' first='Khloe' last='Joyner'] lead the way for their team. Joyner is a terrific athlete who impacts the floor both on offense and defense. Stewart and Mccartha have picture-perfect outside shots that go in with consistency for the Titans.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lake Norman has won 19 games in a row. [player_tooltip player_id='457411' first='Kelsey' last='Rhyne'] is shooting the basketball well from the outside, and [player_tooltip player_id='922585' first='Kaiya' last='Bond'] is dominating the paint for the team. Additionally, the Wildcats have strong senior leadership in Sam and Alexis Sheehan who combine to average over 28 points per contest.  </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Western Alamance can flat-out score the basketball. [player_tooltip player_id='302220' first='Allie' last='Sykes'], Tina Bowers, and Emma Johnson all average in double-figures for their team this season. Cayden White is also a beast on the boards who grabs nearly 10 rebounds per game for the Warriors. They are a balanced squad who play hard on offense, on defense, and on the glass.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stuart Cramer is led by efficient junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='406923' first='Oshauna' last='Holland']. This season, Holland has scored on over 50% of her shots from the floor, 44% of her three-point attempts, and 84% of her free throws. She is an elite guard who does so much more than score. She is an outstanding ball-handler and a willing passer who finds her teammates when she is double-teamed. Holland also forces multiple steals on the defensive end with her quickness, urgency, and high basketball IQ.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->