#14 (21-3) Kinston vs #19 (12-8) Southwest Onslow: Playoff Preview
Kinston vs. Southwest Onslow: 2A State Playoff First-Round Preview
The 2A State Playoffs bring a conference rematch as No. 14 seed Kinston (21-3) hosts No. 19 seed Southwest Onslow (12-8) in the first round. These two teams are familiar foes, having faced each other twice already this season, with Kinston winning both matchups—51-37 and 46-37. Despite past results, this game is set up to be another competitive battle between two strong defensive teams.
Kinston’s Road to the Playoffs
Kinston finished second in the East Central Conference with a 10-2 record, only behind East Duplin. Both losses to East Duplin were tightly contested. The Vikings started the season 10-0 before suffering their first defeat to East Duplin and later losing to a talented 4A New Hanover squad (19-8).
Despite their impressive record, Kinston is a young team with no seniors, making them both a dangerous and developing squad. They are led by sophomore standouts Aleah Hill (13.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.9 apg, 3.3 spg) and Nasheyla Mason (11.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.6 spg), who is a lethal three-point shooter. Junior point guard Ariyona Willis and sophomore America Lloyd play key roles, particularly on defense, both averaging two steals per game.
In the paint, junior Willow Gardner and freshman J’Riyana Edwards provide size, while sophomore K’Niyah Whitfield is a key contributor off the bench. Mason has hit 62 of 154 three-pointers (40.3%), while Hill has knocked down 29 of 74 (39.1%). However, free throw shooting has been a weakness for the Vikings, as they have converted just 53% from the line this season.
As a team, Kinston averages 52 points per game, 31 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and 13.9 steals.
Southwest Onslow’s Road to the Playoffs
The Stallions finished third in the East Central Conference with a 7-5 record. Their season was full of ups and downs, starting 1-3 before winning five straight games. They finished strong, winning four of their last five, including a hard-fought 42-38 loss to No. 1 seed East Duplin.
Southwest Onslow is led by senior Oriyanna Galloway, who has been a dominant force, averaging 20.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and an incredible 6.9 steals per game. Junior Khimara Dorsey provides toughness inside, averaging 9.8 points and 18.9 rebounds per game, along with 3.6 steals.
The Stallions struggle from beyond the arc, making only 35 three-pointers all season at 29% shooting, with freshman Brinkleyanne Lucas accounting for 21 of those makes. However, they make up for it with their hustle, averaging 43.8 points per game, 42.7 rebounds, 11.8 assists, and 16.7 steals.
Matchup Outlook
Kinston has had the edge in this season’s meetings, winning both games by 10 points or fewer. However, Southwest Onslow has been battle-tested, pushing East Duplin to the wire in their recent loss. The Stallions have historically had the upper hand in the matchup, winning six of the last nine matchups since 2016.
For Kinston, controlling the tempo, knocking down perimeter shots, and improving their free-throw shooting will be crucial. Southwest Onslow, on the other hand, will need a big performance from Galloway and a strong presence in the paint from Dorsey to keep pace. If the Stallions can limit Kinston’s three-point shooting and create turnovers with their aggressive defense, they could make this a tight contest.Kinston must force Stallion to take outside shots and out of the paint.
With both teams playing scrappy, defensive-minded basketball, expect a physical game that could come down to execution in the final minutes.
