2024 Hoggard Holiday Classic Girls Preview

Daily Schedule

Friday, December 27

Noon: East Bladen (9-1) vs. East Duplin (8-1) in Sheila Boles Gym

1:30 p.m.: Cape Fear Academy (8-2) vs. Thales Academy (6-3) in Sheila Boles Gym

3 p.m.: New Hanover (6-2) vs. Jacksonville (5-3) in James Hebbe Gym

4:30 p.m.: Ashley (3-6) vs. Cardinal Gibbons (3-6) in James Hebbe Gym

6 p.m.: Hoggard (9-0) vs. Providence Day (9-5) in Sheila Boles Gym

7:30 p.m.: Laney (5-2) vs. Myers Park (3-8) in James Hebbe Gym

Saturday, December 28

Noon: East Bladen vs. Cardinal Gibbons in James Hebbe Gym

1:30 p.m.: Cape Fear Academy vs. Jacksonville in Sheila Boles Gym

3 p.m.: New Hanover vs. Providence Day in Sheila Boles Gym

4:30 p.m.: Ashley vs. Thales Academy in James Hebbe Gym 

6 p.m.: Hoggard vs. Myers Park in Sheila Boles Gym

7:30 p.m.: Laney vs. Mount Tabor (2-5) in James Hebbe Gym  

Monday, December 30

11 a.m.: Laney vs. Providence Day in Sheila Boles Gym

12:30: Jacksonville vs. Myers Park in James Hebbe Gym

2 p.m.: Hoggard vs. Mount Tabor in Sheila Boles Gym

2 p.m.: New Hanover vs. East Duplin in James Hebbe Gym 

5 p.m.: Ashley vs. Cape Fear Academy in in Sheila Boles Gym

Event outlook

***Click here to view a record book from the event***

All eight out-of-town teams in the event won at least one playoff game a season ago, which means there should be plenty of great action. 

Leading the way for that group are first-year participant Providence Day (NCISAA 4A runner-up) as well as East Bladen (NCHSAA 1A East final), which is back for the fourth year in a row. 

Providence Day (9-5) has already played a tough schedule. After starting 2-5, the Chargers have reeled off seven consecutive victories thanks in large part to sophomore standout Ginny Anne Dumont. Providence Day will take on three of the four Wilmington teams – Hoggard, New Hanover and Laney. 

East Bladen (9-1) returned nearly its entire roster from last year’s team that went 25-5 and reached the 1A East final before falling to rival East Columbus. Veteran coach Patty Evers has a pair of 1,000-point scorers in Laila Smith and NeNe Ward. 

The Eagles will get a pair of quality games against East Duplin (8-1) and Cardinal Gibbons (3-6). Both teams reached the third round of the playoff last winter.  

Myers Park (3-8) went 3-0 in its first trip to the event a season ago. The Mustangs are better than their record indicates. Three of the eight losses have come by three points or fewer. 

Host Hoggard (9-0) is the only team in the field yet to suffer a loss. The Vikings won a school-record 30 games a season ago and advanced to the 4A East final. That team graduated only two key contributors, so expectations were high. So far, Hoggard has lived up to the hype. 

Cape Fear Academy (8-2), Laney (5-2) and New Hanover (6-2) are all off to great starts. Winning at least two of three games would be an excellent showing for each of them. 

Team stats and 15 players to watch 

Team points per game 

East Bladen: 58.9

Hoggard: 56.6

East Duplin: 54.2

Jacksonville: 53.9

New Hanover: 49.8

Providence Day: 48.9

Thales Academy: 47.8

Mount Tabor: 47.7

Cape Fear Academy: 47.2

Laney: 45.8

Cardinal Gibbons: 41.4

Myers Park: 40.8

Ashley: 40.0

Team points per game against

Hoggard: 21.7

Cape Fear Academy: 30.9 

East Duplin: 31.8

Laney: 32.3

East Bladen: 35.9

Thales Academy: 36.3

Ashley: 38.7

Providence Day: 41.3

New Hanover: 41.9

Jacksonville: 43.3

Myers Park: 44.0

Mount Tabor: 53.3

Cardinal Gibbons: 56.9

15 Players to Watch

Senior center Shaymiah Bailey, Mount Tabor: Her stats for this season aren’t available, but Bailey averaged 16.1 points and 12.6 rebounds as a junior. She’s already surpassed 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds for her career. Bailey has received scholarship offers from several Division II programs.  

Sophomore Amani Barner, Myers Park: Barner averaged 9.4 points per game a season ago on a team that finished 27-3. That number has increased this year for one of the state’s best players in the class of 2027.

Sophomore guard Kinsey Cave, East Duplin: An excellent floor general, Cave leads the team in assists at 4.3 per game. She contributes in other ways as well (10.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.6 steals), and is a big reason by the Panthers enter on an eight-game winning streak. 

Junior guard AK Chance, Hoggard: One of the best shooters in the area, Chance is connecting 47 percent of her attempts from 3-point range (29 of 62). She’s made at least three shots from beyond the arc six times so far this season. Chance enters the event averaging 15.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game. 

Sophomore guard Ginny Anne Dumont, Providence Day: The talented youngster has been on a tear as of late, averaging 19.7 points during a seven-game winning streak. Through 14 games, Dumont is averaging 16.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.7 steals. She has several Division I offers, including UNCW.

Junior guard Charlotte Fusco, Cardinal Gibbons: Scored a career-high 34 points by going 11 of 22 from the field and 12 of 13 from the free throw line to lead the Crusaders to a 61-54 overtime victory over Heritage on November 30. 

Junior guard Milly Kelley, Cape Fear Academy: Kelley takes 35 percent of the Hurricanes’ shots and leads the team in points (19.3), steals (6.3) and assists (2.1). She has surpassed the 20-point mark in six of the team’s 10 games, including a 35-point performance against West Brunswick on December 4.

Sr. guard Anna Maass, Thales Academy: The 5-foot-10 senior is averaging 19.6 points and 7.2 rebounds. She has made at least four 3-pointers in eight of the team’s nine games, and has 40 for the season. Maas has five 30-point games for her career. 

Sr. forward JaMyah Pickett, East Duplin: Pickett has recorded three double-doubles on the season, including an impressive 15-point and 20-rebound performances in a 49-44 win over Clinton on November 26. She’s averaging 12.0 points and 10.4 rebounds, while shooting 54 percent from the field (41 of 76). 

Junior guard Tristan Shivers, Hoggard: The reigning Coastal Preps Co-Player of the Year is the early frontrunner again. Shivers can do it all, which is evident by her season stats – 17.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 7.8 assists and 4.9 steals. She is shooting 55 percent from the field (61 of 110) and 51 percent from 3-point range (20 of 39).

Senior forward Laila Smith, East Bladen: Smith has been a standout since her freshman year and has scored 1,320 career points. This season, she’s averaging 16.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, 5.4 steals and 3.9 assists. 

Senior center Zirhe Sellers, New Hanover: The 6-foot-2 center has shown great improvements over the past couple seasons and is now one of the best frontcourt players in the area. Sellers is shooting 59 percent from the field (37 of 63) and is averaging a double-double at 10.1 points and 10.4 rebounds per game.

Senior guard Kelize Velez-Galan, Jacksonville: Velez-Galan is the top scorer in this year’s event, averaging 24.5 points per game. She already has three 30-point performances on the season. The senior makes 40 percent of her 3-pointers (25 of 62) and shoots 79 percent from the free throw line (26 of 33). 

Senior guard NeNe Ward, East Bladen: The Eagles’ leading scorer at 20.0 points per game, Ward has reached double figures in all 10 contests. She is shooting 47 percent from the field (78 of 165) and 36 percent from 3-point range (28 of 78).

Freshman guard India Williams, Laney: Williams has made an immediate impact with the Buccaneers, leading the team in points (10.8) and rebounds (5.2). She had her first 20-point game against Wallace-Rose Hill on December 9, but there are plenty more in her bright future.