As expected, three Bladen County basketball teams got invitations to the state Class 2-A playoffs and two will open up at home on Tuesday. The third will go on the road Tuesday.
On the boys side, the West Bladen Knights were seeded No. 16 in the East Region and will host No. 17 seed First Flight.
“It’s about what we expected,” said West Bladen coach Travis Pait. “First Flight is an unbelievable team and it’s not really going to be about matching up talent wise, it’s going to be about matching their intensity.
“It’s honestly been a pot luck for us,” Pait added, “because we don’t know what (kind of effort) we will get.”
First Flight competed in the Woodmen Life Christmas Tournament at West Bladen in December.
Over on the girls side, the East Bladen Lady Eagles, seeded No. 11 in the East, will host No. 19 First Flight.
“They are pretty good at getting their hands into the passing lanes and are fundamentally sound,” East Bladen coach Patty Evers said. “I think it’s a good matchup and should be a competitive game.
“I’m happy that our girls worked hard this year and are able to play at home in the first round,” she added.
West Bladen’s Lady Knights were seeded No. 29 in the East and will travel to face No. 7 Southwest Edgecombe.
“I’ve seen film … and they are probably better than (where they were seeded),” said West Bladen coach Rick Rhoda. “They are fast and they can shoot the lights out.
“They attack the lane very well,” he added. “Their weakness is they get tired.”
Other conference teams
— Boys Class 2-A
No. 20 Midway at No. 15 Roanoke Rapids
No. 3 Clinton hosting No. 32 Southwest Edgecombe
— Boys Class 1-A
No. 8 Wallace-Rose Hill hosting No. 26 Heidi Trask
No. 23 Pender County at No. 11 Jones Senior.
— Girls Class 2-A
No. 30 Midway at No. 4 South Lenoir
No. 2 Clinton hosting No. 24 Washington
— Girls Class 1-A
No. 8 Pender County hosting No. 24 Manteo
No. 28 Wallace-Rose Hill at No. 7 Weldon
Other area teams
— Boys Class 3-A
No. 32 Gray’s Creek at No. 2 Orange
No. 4 West Brunswick hosting No. 29 Western Harnett
— Boys Class 2-A
No. 14 St. Pauls hosting No. 18 Farmville Central
No. 5 Fairmont hosting No. 26 Currituck County
No. 24 Red Springs at No. 11 North Pitt
— Boys Class 1-A
No. 22 Lakewood at No. 12 Perquimans
No. 7 Whiteville hosting No. 27 Weldon
— Girls Class 4-A
No. 2 Lumberton hosting No. 31 Wakefield
— Girls Class 3-A
No. 31 West Brunswick at No. 3 Orange
No. 18 Gray’s Creek at No. 15 Fike
— Girls Class 2-A
No. 25 South Columbus at No. 12 North Pitt
No. 27 Fairmont at No. 9 Northside Jax
No. 3 North Brunswick hosting No. 31 Durham School of the Arts
— Girls Class 1-A
No.29 Whiteville at No. 4 Pamlico County
No. 28 Wallace-Rose Hill at No. 7 Weldon
W. Curt Vincent can be reached by calling 910-862-4263.