After an off-season of hard work, new faces, and the return of Head Coach Gary Ellington, Weddington basketball is back and primed for another deep playoff run. Last season, under Head Coach Richard Carsner, Weddington started off the season well but would eventually crash out late in the year losing six of their last eight games resulting in a 27th seed in the 4A state playoffs. Disappointingly, they earned a first round exit, falling to Lake Norman on the road. After this lackluster season head coach Richard Carsner decided to step down from his position and take his talents elsewhere while a familiar face returned to his former position. In a shock to many, Weddington rehired former head coach Gary Ellington who had previously led the school to 49 straight wins and back-to-back state titles.
Expectations for the 2023-2024 season were very high as the return of Ellington was able to reignite the culture of Weddington basketball that many felt had been lost in his absence. So far into the young season, the culture has surely been felt once again as the Warriors have started off the year 3-0 with away wins over Rocky River and Ardrey Kell with the team also defending home court against the Parkwood Wolfpack.
This Season the Warriors are loaded with talent led by Junior KJ Younger and Seniors Jack Ellyson and Grant Hamilton. KJ Younger has made a huge leap in his junior season as he has started off averaging 30 points and 11 rebounds while also shooting just under 70 percent from the floor. Younger was also able to turn some heads after his 37 point 18 rebound effort in a tough road matchup against a talented Ardrey Kell team. Senior marksman Grant Hamilton has also been a key contributor averaging 18 points per game. Jack Ellyson is also prepared for a great senior season but has been limited early on as he is returning from a foot injury.
Although Hamilton, Younger, and Ellyson can all fill up the stat sheet, The Warriors also have great role players and guys that complement each other well including senior point guard Aidan Cook, Senior center Matthew Powers, and juniors Mason Zepp and Jaden Nnaji. So far as previously stated the team has started off well with a true wire-to-wire victory on the road at Rocky River which was a 32 minute display of full effort and commitment. Their second game was a hard fought battle with Weddington trailing the Ardrey Kell Knights 36-23 at the half, The warriors were able to claw back and take down the Knights in another massive road victory. After these two away outings they were able to blowout the Parkwood Wolfpack at home to get to 3-0.
Games four and five took place in Asheville at the Coaches Vs Cancer shootout hosted by T.C. Roberson. The road trip proved to be a success as they handled A.C. Reynolds and Thomas Jefferson rather comfortably advanced to 5-0. The team then returned home for a highly anticipated match-up against the Butler Bulldogs with the Warriors once again coming out on top. The back end of a home and home with Parkwood followed as Weddington down the Wolfpack in a low energy, Tuesday night affair.
The succeeding Friday was the start of a 5 game gauntlet starting with a game at Cox Mill and ending with the Phenom Holiday Classic which also took place at Cox Mill. Weddington began this 5 game road trip with a Friday night win over Cox Mill in a great atmosphere. The Warriors led most of the game and proceeded to see the get trimmed down as the game progressed but a late 10-0 run was the difference in the contest. The turnaround was very quick as the team traveled to Central Cabarrus the next day to face a very tough Gaston Christian team led by 7 footer Gabriel Mabor. The Eagles jumped out to an early 20-5 lead but Weddington fought back to grind out an 81-78 victory. Senior Grant Hamilton was a man possessed late, scoring 37 points with the majority of his points coming in the fourth.
The Phenom Hoops Holiday Classic then followed as the field was loaded with good teams such as Lake Norman, Carmel Christian, and The Burlington School. Weddington would start off their tournament campaign with a game against Northside Christian which was a back and forth game ending with a late last second defensive stand from the Warriors leading to a 68-65 victory to bring them to 10-0. The following day was the most anticipated matchup of the season in the whole state of North Carolina with a 2023 playoff rematch against Lake Norman. The Wildcats are one of the favorites to win the state championship led by 6’10 Preseason all state big man Trent Steinhour and 6’5 wing Santana Lynch who was apart of the Myers Park state championship team in 2023. The first half was one to forget for the Warriors as they trailed 25-40 at the break. The second half was a completely different story as the team came out guns blazing, cutting into the deficit and bringing them back into the game. Once the lead was cut, the game became back and forth with Junior KJ Younger getting the ball with under 10 seconds remaining and hitting a tough contested layup at the buzzer to erase The Warriors demons from the 2023 playoffs.
This then set up the championship game where the team would fall short to The Burlington School 69-63 handing coach Gary Ellington his first loss since March of 2020. 11 days later they would face Kings Mountain at home and handle business defending home court once again. The team is currently 12-1 on the season and travels to East Mecklenburg tonight to face the Eagles at 7:30 on 1/4/24.
The 2023-2024 winter basketball season looks to be a successful one for Weddington as they are hungry and want to regain their spot as one of the premier high school basketball programs in the state and also reclaim their title as 4A men’s state champions.
