The Chapel Hill High School men’s basketball team finished the season with a 17-10 record, finishing second in the 4A-DAC conference and marking the Tigers’ third consecutive winning season.
The Tigers started their season off as electric as they could be, winning their first five games with ease.
Junior Jeremiah “Juice” Mcilwaine set the tone for the season in the Tigers first game against Cedar Ridge on November 19, scoring 19 points and recording five steals to propel the Tigers to a 78-39 win.
After a game that felt like a warmup, the Tigers cruised past their next four opponents with an average win margin of nearly 25 points. It was dominance.
In their sixth game of the season, however, the Tigers hit a roadblock.
Facing off against a team they had not lost to since January 14, 2020, the Tigers were getting ready to put another win in the record book against Orange High School.
But that win would have to wait for another year as the team ended up losing 65-58.
While the Tigers were still having success like in previous years, something was missing.
That something was experience.
Last year the Tigers had eight seniors, whereas this year there were only three.
With half of the team graduating, the team skewed towards the younger side.
“With fewer seniors, I focused more on teaching, breaking things down and helping the younger guys adjust to varsity basketball and making sure they know we are here to help them grow and make the team strong,” head coach Rodney Carter, in his eighth season at the helm, said.
After a disappointing loss to Orange, the Tigers bounced back with a 73-37 statement win against Carrboro High School, where freshman Deuce Geer shined with 20 points, going 3-6 from three-point range.
Geer, along with Mahkai Manning, was one of only two freshmen on this varsity squad. Choosing to put two freshmen on varsity is bold, but it clearly worked out.
“Deuce Geer, along with Makhai Manning, stepped up big as freshmen, handling varsity minutes very well,” Carter said. “They played with confidence and had some moments when their confidence was challenged, but they made key plays and gained valuable experience that will make them even better.”
After Carrboro, the rest of the season was up and down, but when conference play started, the Tigers rose to the occasion.
For the first time since the 2014-2015 season, the Tigers swept Hillside High School.
“It was easily my favorite part of the season,” sophomore Caden Bregu said. “It felt especially good after losing to them last season.”
In addition to sweeping Hillside, the Tigers also able swept conference rivals East Chapel Hill High School.
“Sweeping East just felt like another two games,” junior Niko Davis said.
With a record of 7-3 in conference play and 17-9 overall, the Tigers had the 16 seed in the playoffs.
On February 25, the first round playoff matchup against 17-seed Heritage High School went back and forth, but the Tigers ulimately fell to the Huskies 53-46.
Though the season didn’t end the way the team wanted it to, there were still some bright spots along the way.
“This season wasn’t just about wins—it was about building something special,” Carter said. “The foundation is set, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for this team.”
Next season the Tigers will likely be even stronger as only three players are graduating: Jackson Evans and the Krieg twins, Jason and Wes.
Losing the Krieg twins will sting, as they were key pieces for the Tigers when it came to defense. The brothers combined for over 110 steals this season, which netted them first and second in the conference, respectively.
On the bright side, however, the Tigers will have a more experience with six seniors likely to play next year.
As juniors this year, they contributed significantly, accounting for nearly 64% of points per game.
“I have no doubt they’ll take this team to another level,” Carter said.
