The NCAA Men’s and Women’s Division I Basketball Tournaments begin this week, with the First Four starting on Tuesday and Wednesday respectfully.
Here is a list of players with local ties connected to this year’s teams, based on rosters from participating programs.
Men’s
Duke
Max Johns, 6-5, 205, GS., Woodberry Forrest (VA): The High Point product spent his first four years at Princeton. Has played in eight games this season for the ACC Tournament champions.
Howard
Bryce Harris, 6-4, 220, So., Greensboro Day: The Brentwood, New York native has started 16 of 33 games for the MEAC Tournament-champion Bison, who make its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1992. The guard averages 7.1 points and 3.5 rebounds while recording the team’s third-best field goal percentage at 57.2 percent.
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Louisiana-Lafayette
Themus Fulks, 6-1, 175, RS So., Moravian Prep: At North Davidson, he set the NCHSAA all-time single-season points mark for a senior with 1,055 along with other records before attending the post-grad Moravian Prep. Leads the Sun Belt Tournament champions averaging 5.9 assists. Had a team-high 23 points and key late-game assist in conference finals win over South Alabama.
Mississippi State
Shakeel Moore, 6-1, 190, Jr., Moravian Prep: The Greensboro native was a 4-star recruit prior to joining NC State. Starred on three CAASC state title teams at Piedmont Classical, before his senior season at Moravian Prep. The guard is the 11th seed’s second-leading scorer averaging 9.6 points and is tied for a team-leading 1.7 steals. Has had three games of 20-plus points this season, two vs. South Carolina.
UNC-Asheville
Caleb Burgess, 6-3, 185, Sr., Moravian Prep: The Winston-Salem native spent the previous three seasons at Hofstra, where he led the Pride with 5.6 assists as a sophomore. This season, the point guard leads the Bulldogs with 4.3.
Zaharee Maddox, 5-10, 160, Fr., Davie County: Last year’s Davie County Athlete of the Year has appeared in four games and played a season-high eight minutes vs. Warren Wilson. The guard has scored four points in the limited action.
Silas Mason, 6-7, 192, Jr., Smith: The former NC Coaches Association District 7 Player of the Year has appeared in 11 games this season with a season-high 18 minutes vs. Brevard. Has not entered a game since Jan. 25. Has a 60.9 field goal percentage over his three-year career.
Nick McMullen, 6-8, 237, Jr., Smith: The former All-3A First Team selection began his career at Murray State. After transferring, the team’s fourth-leading scorer has started in 33 of 34 games, averaging 8 points on 56.3 field goal shooting. Had a season-high 20 points with 10 rebounds against South Carolina State.
NC State
Breon Pass, 6-0, 175, So., Reidsville: The 2021 NCHSAA Male Athlete of the Year was a 4-star recruit for the Rams. Left high school with county-record 2,219 career points. The guard has averaged 8.1 minutes in 54 games played over two seasons. Had season-high 7 points vs. FIU and scored 6 vs. Virginia Tech in the ACC Tournament second round win.
Princeton
Vernon Collins, 6-10, 223, Fr., Greensboro Day: The forward was a member of the Bengals’ 2022 state runner-up squad and earned Most Improved honors. Has appeared in six games for the Ivy League Tournament champions. Recorded a career-high 14 minutes, 3 points and 2 assists vs. Cairn on Nov. 30.
Providence
Quante Berry, 6-4, 175, Fr., Winston-Salem Christian: Averaged 16.0 points and 6.0 rebounds for the Lions last season. The 4-star was ranked the 40th best guard in the nation by ESPN and 247Sports. Stats haven’t been recorded online for his college career with the Friars.
Texas Christian
Tyler Lundblade, 6-6, 207, RS Fr., Greensboro Day: The McDonald’s All-American nominee didn’t play last season while at Southern Methodist. The guard has played 24 minutes in nine games this season for the Horned Frogs. Averaged 10.6 points and shot 45 percent from three in the 2020-21 season with Greensboro Day, after previously playing at Grapevine Faith Christian.
Women’s
East Carolina
Iycez Adams, 5-11, So., Quality Education: Decorated high school career at Wesleyan Christian, Glenn and Quality Education included an NCISAA 3A state championship as a freshman as well as the 2021 USA National Prep Championship and a McDonald’s All-American nomination. The Kernersville native started in seven of the team’s last eight games as a freshman but hasn’t started this season, averaging 9.6 minutes per game.
Gardner-Webb
Lauren Bevis, 5-5, Sr., Forsyth Home Educators: The High Point native averaged 30.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 4.3 steals as a high school senior. The sharpshooter is second in the Big South with 15.6 points per game, leads the Big South in three-point shooting at 41.6 percent and threes made at 97. Has scored 30-plus points twice with a season-high 35 vs. High Point. Second-leading scorer for the Big South champions.
Tiir Nyok, 5-11, Fr., High Point Christian: The guard has logged 128 minutes in 19 games played, with a season-high 18 vs. Charleston, which also included a career-high 7 points. Averaged 11.6 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.4 steals as a junior for HPCA.
James Madison
Amira Williams, 5-11, Jr., Winston-Salem Christian: Standout preps career also included time at West Forsyth and as a member of Forsyth Country Day’s first-ever state championship in 2019. The McDonald’s All-American nominee has averaged 7.4 minutes in 29 games this season and has been a two-time Athletic Director’s Scholar Athlete there since transferring from Charleston.
Virginia Tech
Cayla King, 6-0, Sr., Northwest Guilford: The two-time state champion had a prolific career as a McDonald’s All-American nominee, NC Coaches Association Player of the Year and two-time 4A state title Most Outstanding Player honoree. For the No. 1 seed, the tall guard is averaging 8.2 points and holds the program record of threes made in a game with nine.
Elizabeth Kitley, 6-6, Sr., Northwest Guilford: The dominant center leads the Hokies with 18.6 points per game, 10.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks. The Summerfield native has twice been named ACC Player of the Year and Kay Yow Scholar Athlete of the Year and holds program records for most points scored and field goals. The 5-star recruit earned two state titles in high school with King and was the 2017 and 2018 MVP.
