West Charlotte’s boys basketball team claimed the N.C. High School Athletic Association 8A state championship on Wednesday evening in Winston-Salem.
After trailing for much of the game, the Lions got a lay-up from Sean Johnson with 0.6 seconds left to claim a 70-68 win over Hoggard at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Johnson finished the game with six points.
West Charlotte scored the last six points of the game after trailing 68-64 with 2:31 left in the fourth quarter. The lead the Lions claimed with 0.6 seconds left was the only lead of the day in a game where West Charlotte trailed by as many as 17 points.
Hoggard outscored the Lions 22-10 in the first quarter, but West Charlotte chipped away the rest of the game. A 19-14 advantage in the second quarter brought West Charlotte within 36-29 at halftime.
West Charlotte’s defense helped create offense, driving the comeback effort. The Lions created 26 points off 15 Hoggard turnovers in the game.
A 21-12 West Charlotte advantage in the fourth quarter proved decisive.
Kaharri Coleman scored 17 points to lead the way for West Charlotte, going 4-of-9 from the field and 9-of-11 from the free throw line. He also dished out four assists. The performance earned Coleman Most Valuable Player honors for the game.
Chaco Womack added 13 points for West Charlotte, while J’khai McManus-Wade recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. McManus-Wade was named the Most Outstanding Player of the West team.
Carter Sullivan was the last player in double-figures for the Lions with 12 points.
Hoggard was led by Hunter McGrath’s 27 points on 10-of-18 shooting. He was named the Most Outstanding Player of the East team. Aidan Locklear added 16 points for the Vikings.
This marks the seventh NCHSAA state championship for West Charlotte, and the first since winning the 3A title in 2022. West Charlotte also won two titles in the N.C. High School Athletic Conference in the 1960s.
West Charlotte finished the season with a 23-6 overall record. Hoggard’s final record was 23-7.
Prior to the game, the NCHSAA recognized West Charlotte’s J’Khai McManus-Wade and Hoggard’s Beau Beam as the NCHSAA Sportsmanship Award winners.
Scoring Summary
HOGG – 22 – 14 – 20 – 12 — 68
WCLT – 10 – 19 – 20 – 21 — 70
West Charlotte: Kaharri Coleman 17, Chaco Womack 13, J’khai McManus-Wade 12 (10 rebounds), Carter Sullivan 12, Amen Pressley 8, Sean Johnson 6, Major Cross 2.
Hoggard: Hunter McGrath 27, Aidan Locklear 16, Will Seward 9, Nakula O’Connor 8, Porter Morgan 4, Markell Murphy 2, Lukas Batchelor 2.
