Big week for high school basketball

Hopewell Titans before Dec. 2 game against Independence -- Corey Inscoe

If you like good high school basketball, you should be in for a thrill these next two weeks.

Cannon has a big game against Oak Ridge Military Academy tomorrow night. The Cougars (4-4) have struggled some early this season, but still have two of the best players in the area in Jarell Eddie and Keith Belfield.

I-Meck conference play finally gets started this week which means there are some high-profile match-ups coming up.

But before conference play, the No. 1 (Observer Sweet 16) Hopewell boys' team and No. 9 Concord have a non-conference game Wednesday night. Then on Friday No. 8 West Charlotte visits the Titans for both team's first conference game. Then Hopewell's next game is against No. 4 Lake Norman on Dec. 17, the last game before winter break.

North Mecklenburg boys' dive into conference play this week also with a game Friday against Lake Norman and next Tuesday visit West Charlotte. North Mecklenburg doesn't quite have the talent they did last year, but have been impressive so far this season in staying undefeated in non-conference play.

East Lincoln boys' take an undefeated team to play No. 10 Cherryville on Friday.

The girls' games will be great, too, with No. 12 Hopewell and No. 13 Lake Norman meeting next week.

Expect a lot of excitement with high school basketball leading up to the holiday tournaments.