Gryphons grab top spot in CarolinaPreps.com 3-A poll

SANFORD - Rocky Mount's boys basketball team was voted to the top 3-A team in the state in the latest CarolinaPreps.com poll released Sunday evening.

The Gryphons pulled off three victories last week (86-59 vs. Wilson Fike; 105-75 vs. Southern Nash; 76-45 vs. SouthWest Edgecombe).

CarolinaPreps.com Boys Basketball Poll

3A

1. Rocky Mount 13-1

2. Northern Guilford 14-2

3. South Central 15-1

4. North Forsyth 12-3

5. Hickory 15-2

6. Carson 15-2

7. Hunter Huss 13-2

8. CB Aycock 14-2

9. Concord 10-5

10. Northern Vance 13-2

Honorable Mention

DH Conley 11-5

Jacksonville 13-5

North Buncombe 11-4

Mabry goes for record Tuesday

It looks like Tashawn Mabry will have to have an above average night to become Rocky Mount's leading scorer.

The senior forward is averaging 21 points a game this season - almost five points under his average of a year ago - basically he's getting a lot more scoring help from his teammates this season.

He needs 23 points against Northern Nash at home Tuesday to past the immortal Rocky Mount and UNC great Phil Ford on the school's all-time scoring list. Mabry is at 2,071 and Ford stands at 2,093. So a mark that has stood for 36 years is about to come down. I was there in Greensboro when Ford scored that final point in the 1974 4-A playoffs.

But Ford got used to seeing his marks go down last season when his 2,290 points scored at UNC - the school record for 31 years, went down to Tyler Hansbrough.

But Ford will likely hold on to one other prep record which leads the state - career points per game at 27.7. Ford played in 75 games during his career (1971-74). Mabry has played in 87 going into Tuesday's contest - with at least eight more to play in.

Ironically, another area player is next on the state's all-time scoring list after Ford - former Elm City and UNC standout John Virgil at 2,100 points.