Crunch time for the high school basketball season has officially commenced.
There are at most four games left for area public school teams as the regular season winds down.
Here is a team-by-team look at where each area team currently stands in the conference and what’s at stake for the final two weeks of the regular season:
AYDEN-GRIFTON
Boys: Ayden-Grifton’s big 60-52 win over Goldsboro Rosewood on Friday was the difference in staying in third place in the Carolina 1A or moving into a tie for the second with the Eagles with four games to play. Although the Chargers (8-9, 4-2) haven’t clinched anything yet, three of their last four games come against the last three teams in the league.
Girls: Ayden-Grifton’s girls have a little more work to do. The Chargers (4-11, 2-4) are currently in the fourth and final playoff spot, but they still have to play first place Goldsboro and third place Princeton.
Remaining games: tonight at Spring Creek, Friday against North Duplin, Feb. 12 at Princeton, Feb. 15 against Goldsboro.
GREENE CENTRAL
Boys: The Rams picked up their first Eastern Plains 2A Conference win of the season Friday with an 88-80 win at Tarboro. Although not mathematically eliminated, with only four games left on its schedule (one against Kinston) and currently tied with Tarboro for last place, Greene Central (4-15, 1-7) will more-than-likely have to win the conference tournament to get into the playoffs.
Girls: Following a string of losses the Rams have gone from second place into a tie with Farmville Central for fifth in the standings. With two games left against winless SouthWest Edgecombe, Greene Central (7-12, 3-5) can still make a move up the ladder and clinch a playoff spot.
Remaining games: Wednesday at SouthWest Edgecombe, Friday against Kinston, Feb. 12 against SouthWest Edgecombe, Feb. 15 at Farmville Central.
JONES SENIOR
Boys: Jones Senior’s boys are right in the thick of things in the Coastal Plains 1A Conference. The Trojans (7-10, 3-3) are currently tied with Pamlico for third while East Carteret and Southwest Onslow are tied for first. Two of Jones Senior’s final four games are against those top-two teams, so nothing is squared away in this league yet.
Girls: A year after going undefeated in the league Jones Senior’s girls have yet to win a league game this season. The Trojans (4-13, 0-6) will more-than-likely have to win the conference tournament to get into the playoffs.
Remaining games: today against Southwest Onslow, Friday at Dixon, Feb. 12 at Pamlico, Feb. 15 against East Carteret.
KINSTON
Boys: A win tonight against Tarboro on senior night will clinch at least a share of the Eastern Plains 2A regular season title for Kinston for the seventh straight year. Any two wins in their last three games will give the Vikings (17-2, 9-0) the title outright. They are currently two games up on North Pitt in the loss column.
Girls: With their 72-26 win at Farmville Central on Friday Kinston’s girls clinched at least a share of the conference title for the third straight season. A win tonight against Tarboro — or just one win in its last three games — will give Kinston (16-4, 9-0) the title outright. The Vikings are three games up on Wilson Beddingfield and North Pitt in the loss column.
Remaining games: today against Tarboro, Friday at Greene Central, Feb. 15 at North Pitt
NORTH LENOIR
Boys: It wasn’t that long ago that the Hawks sat in a tie for first in the Eastern Carolina 3A. But after three losses in its last four games, North Lenoir (10-10, 5-3) has fallen into fourth. The good thing is it is only two games back in the loss column of league-leading Erwin Triton with four games left to play.
Girls: North Lenoir’s girls have struggled mightily this year, and unless the Hawks (2-18, 0-8) can win the conference tournament their season will end at Triton on Feb. 14. Eastern Wayne has already clinched at least a share of the regular season title.
Remaining games: today at Southern Wayne, Friday against Eastern Wayne, Feb. 12 against Clayton Cleveland, Feb. 14 at Erwin Triton.
SOUTH LENOIR
Boys: South Lenoir’s boys fought their way to a 7-0 league mark at the halfway point of conference play, but have dropped two of three since to fall into a tie atop the East Central 2A with Clinton. The worst the Blue Devils (12-6, 8-2) can finish is 8-6, which will still be good enough to go to the state playoffs. But they have a conference title on their minds.
Girls: South Lenoir’s girls earn the unofficial award for having the area’s biggest turnaround. The Blue Devils (14-4, 8-2) went from the bottom of the league the last few years to a three-way tie for second with Jacksonville Northside and East Duplin with four games left. Like the boys, the worst they can do is 8-6, which is still good enough to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2008.
Remaining games: today at Jacksonville Northside, Friday against Swansboro, Feb. 12 at Croatan, Feb. 15 at Clinton.
Ryan Herman can be reached at 252-559-1073 or Ryan.Herman@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter: @KFPSports.