Carolinas Classic: North Carolina’s Primetime Performers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2025-26 high school basketball season may have concluded with Wilson Prep, Cherokee, Goldsboro, Maiden, North Lincoln, Northern Guilford, North Meck and Mallard Creek departing from Wake Forest with North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) championship hardware.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But as residents of North Carolina understand, basketball is a year-round pastime.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prior to the state's top prospects preparing to sport the uniforms of teams such as [program_tooltip program_id='713558' first='Lady' last='Attack Elite'], [program_tooltip program_id='714762' first='Charlotte' last='Dream Elite'] and [program_tooltip program_id='714756' first='Carolina' last='All-Stars'], a number of North Carolina's premier 2026s were on hand in Spartanburg, South Carolina for the Carolinas Classic.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>South Carolina picked up the 109-107 overtime victory over North Carolina.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was held at Dorman HS this year – as will the next three Carolinas Classics. We at Prep Girls Hoops were also on hand for the occasion. Here are a few notable names from Saturday's All-Star contest.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["406923"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1810767,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69bf93ffa088f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Holland provided problems for South Carolina all game long. The 32 points she placed on the scoreboard would lead all point-getters for Saturday's contest. Holland displayed the talents that earned her the status of a Division I prospect – and a Division I commit to Wake Forest. Many coaches want scorers who know how to ferociously attack the basket, draw contact and find their way to the free throw line. Holland has all of those traits. She played in 30 games this past season at 4A Stuart Cramer while averaging 33.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, 7.2 steals and 7.1 assists per game. She also earned NC Ms. Basketball honors for this past season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["621996"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1810769,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69bf93ffa090e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Anderson's high school career is in the rear-view mirror and she can put her full attention towards transitioning to Division I Georgia Southern. The 22 points Anderson scored for North Carolina gave her team a great chance to prevail in the Carolinas Classic for what would have been the fifth time in six tries. Roughly a week ago, Anderson was part of a Mallard Creek team that prevailed in a 49-45 nail-biter over Hoggard in the 8A state championship game at Wake Forest. A two-sport athlete who also excels as a flag football players, she averaged 14.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.5 steals per game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1121031"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1810772,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69bf93ffa0969"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">North Carolina also benefitted from the 17 points that were placed on the scoreboard courtesy of Thompson. She was a key reason why West Rowan was one of the teams to beat in the 5A ranks. Thompson is set to remain in-state for her collegiate career as she can now transition to life at UNC-Wilmington. She averaged 26.1 points, five assists, four rebounds, three steals and one block per game. While she is listed as a point guard, she can display accuracy from behind the 3-point line alongside her ability to draw contact and give her team chances from the free throw line. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["899602"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1810774,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69bf93ffa09bf"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Approximately a week ago, Culliver concluded her illustrious career at 4A Maiden by leading her Blue Devils with a double-double of 21 points and 11 rebounds en route a 44-39 state championship victory over Fairmont at The Joel in Winston-Salem. She would follow that up with a 14-point performance for North Carolina at Dorman HS. As those numbers suggest, Culliver is a stellar rebounder and scorer who is also difficult to guard against because of her tall stature. Defensively, she is a threat to collect a sizable amount of steals and block plenty of shots. She averaged 16.2 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.6 steals, 2.1 assists and 1.4 blocks in her swan song season at Maiden. Two words – unsigned senior. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["406924"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1810776,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69bf93ffa0a11"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Arrington represented 8A South Meck superbly at Dorman HS. She added seven points to the North Carolina cause. She is one of the premier frontcourt forces in North Carolina and a massive reason why the Sabres were one of the toughest outs among the newly created 8A classification. At 6-foot-1, one can expect Arrington to convert on her fair share of high-percentage baskets and win many a rebounding battle. She can be placed in a team's lineup at either the three, four or five and will make winning plays regardless of where she is playing. Arrington will bring her many hoops talents to Queens University with her high school career in the books. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->