FAYETTEVILLE — Ben Daniels was an assistant the last time Bunn’s girls basketball team faced Kinston in the regionals.
When they meet on Friday he’ll be the one calling the shots.
The fourth-seeded Wildcats will take on the No. 3 Vikings at 7 p.m. Friday in a 2A Eastern Regional semifinal game at the Crown Arena in Fayetteville.
The matchup will make consecutive years the two teams have met with a berth in the regional championship on the line.
The two also met in December in Bunn’s own post-Christmas tournament.
“When you play two games against each other in the last calendar year you have a pretty good idea of what’s on the other side,” Daniels said during Monday’s regional press conference.
“I know what his players are capable of and he probably knows what mine are as well.”
A year ago Kinston (24-4) knocked Bunn (23-6) from the tournament when graduated center Tisha Dixon’s shot at the buzzer fell through, and the shot has fueled the Wildcats this year.
Entering Friday’s contest they have won 20 straight games and 22 of their last 23, including a 55-49 win over the Vikings on Dec. 27.
All those wins came after Bunn began the season a tumultuous 1-5, albeit all five losses came to either a 3A or 4A school.
Daniels feels the early growing pains are paying off.
The Wildcats, led by senior guard Whitney Bunn at 15.1 points per game, have yet to lose to a 2A team this season.
“We played a bunch of really good teams to try and get us ready for when we see tough competition towards the end of the year. … I think that’s helped us,” he said.
“I guess it’s a testament to my girls that they kept playing.”
Ryan Herman can be reached at 252-559-1073 or Ryan.Herman@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter: @KFPSports.