Conference Crowns Secured as Area Teams Turn Focus to State Playoffs

Photo from the Murphy High School Athletics Facebook page.

North Carolina high school basketball teams wrapped up conference tournament play over the weekend, with several local programs heading into the postseason with momentum.

Both the boys and girls teams from Hiwassee Dam High School captured championships in the Little Smoky Mountain Conference tournament, completing a sweep and reinforcing the school’s strong showing on both sides of the bracket. The titles mark a high point for the Eagles as they turn their focus to the next stage of the postseason.

In the Big Smoky Mountain Conference, the boys from Murphy High School claimed the tournament championship, adding another trophy to a successful season. The Lady Bulldogs also made a deep run, finishing second after falling to longtime regional power Cherokee High School in the conference title game.

With conference hardware now handed out in both the Little Smoky Mountain Conference and the Big Smoky Mountain Conference, teams across the region are shifting their attention to the state championship tournament. Matchups and brackets will soon be finalized, as North Carolina’s top high school programs prepare for the pressure and promise of postseason play.