Cherokee vs. Pamlico County: 2A Championship

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The increased number of classifications for the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) meant two days of championship basketball would become four.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the 2A girls hoops realm, Southeast Alamance won last season's state championship, but were reclassified into the 5A ranks. This meant a new champion would emerge at Wake Forest in mid-March.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Would that champion be Cherokee? The Braves were coming off back-to-back state wins in the 1A level and earned wins over Mitchell, Community School of Davidson, Queen's Grant and Bishop McGuinness to win this season's 2A West Regional.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The East Regional was claimed by Pamlico County following its wins over Triangle Math &amp; Science, Franklin Academy, Lakewood and Gates County.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The queens of the 2A ranks this season would be Cherokee after an imposing 76-15 win over the Hurricanes.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We at Prep Girls Hoops were on site for the big 2A get-together. Here are a few standout performers from Thursday's contest in Winston-Salem.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1222734"],"_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":1804766,"_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-69b355cbb6a6c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The annual trek to Wake Forest to support its girls basketball team at state has become a new tradition for the Cherokee tribal community. They once again had plenty to cheer for at The Joel as Rogers paved the way to a third consecutive state championship for the Braves. Rogers led the way with 25 points in the more than 26 minutes she was on the court. She also came away with Kay Yow Most Valuable Player recognition. Rogers tallied 18 points in the first quarter alone – including four 3-pointers in the first eight minutes. She scored more points in the first eight minutes than its adversaries from Pamlico County tallied for the game.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["890685"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","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-69b355cbb6ad4"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Following a pair of state championships at the 1A level, Stamper was another key player in Cherokee being the final assembling standing amongst this year's 2A ranks. Stamper would add a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds to what was another dominant Braves performance. Her performance on Thursday would also include a game-high six steals, five assists and five blocks – also a game-high. If the star junior had the ball in the paint, there was a good chance it would mean two more points for Cherokee. Stamper is a multi-sport athlete who also excels at volleyball and softball.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["621988"],"_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":1804773,"_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-69b355cbb6b2f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Thursday's 2A state championship clash would be the final time for Swimmer in a Cherokee uniform. Swimmer was the third of the Braves with a double-digit point performance as she added 10 to Cherokee's total. She played 31 of the contest's 32 minutes and displayed her effectiveness in getting her teammates in position to make plays – as evidenced by the five assists she dished out. Swimmer also collected a steal. She is one of three seniors that are part of Cherokee's graduating class of 2026. She is also a multi-sport athlete as she has played basketball in volleyball in addition to her basketball accolades.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1222736"],"_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":1804775,"_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-69b355cbb6b82"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Elite teams such as Cherokee not only need efficient scorers and rebounders. They also need those that can put those names in position to score. Fourkiller-raby is one of four juniors on this season's Braves assembling and her game-high seven assists made a huge difference in Cherokee's offensive onslaught. Fourkiller-raby also grabbed five rebounds in the nearly 29 minutes she played and three of the boards were of the offensive variety. Her overall performance also included two steals and a blocked shot. She is another who not only excels on the basketball court but in volleyball as well.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1310955"],"_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":1804801,"_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-69b355cbb6bd3"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Hicks was another of the three 2026s who concluded their high school careers with a state win. She gave Cherokee plenty of valuable minutes to the tune of eight points. Hicks was also true on both of her attempts from behind the 3-point line. She can be an effective 3-point shooter but can throw defenses off guard with her ability to attack the basket. Hicks is another that is a multi-sport athlete as she also plays softball and golf in addition to what she gets done on the hardwood. She logged just over 19 minutes of court time on Thursday.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":1804786,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Sydney Whitley-Reese","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'9u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12123","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Pamlico County","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69b355cbb6c67"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">To say that Pamlico County had a rough time at the Wake Forest office against Cherokee would be an understatement – that has been true for many teams this season. Whitley-Reese managed to be the bright spot for her Hurricanes as she led her team with eight points against one of the toughest assemblings to defeat in North Carolina in the Braves. She also hauled in eight rebounds and collected a steal in the more than 34 minutes that she played. Whitley-Reese would also depart from The Joel with East Most Outstanding Player honors. She is one of seven juniors on this season's Pamlico County team.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->