Private school girls basketball capsules

Gaston Day

Last year: 31-2, 8-0 Southern Piedmont Athletic Association

Coach: Bobby Long (10th season, 172-44)

Assistant: Josh Lutkus

Returning starters (2): LuLu Brase, jr. C; Stacey Meyers, soph. G.

Other key player: Tenika Neely, soph. G.

Outlook: Gone are the days of Nisha Long, Kisha Long and Dana Hicks, a trio that led the Spartans to three straight 1A NCISAA state titles. Together, they scored 57.2 points per game, meaning Gaston Day will need big-time production from Brase and Myers to keep up the tradition. Brase, a 6-foot-2 junior, ranked second on the team with 7.7 rebounds last season but scored only 4.5 points per game.

Cramerton Christian

Last year: 21-5

Coach: Rick Barker (11th season)

Assistants: Janice Harrell, David Livingston

Returning starters (4): Rachel Duncan, jr. F (12 ppg); Katlyn Horne, sr. G (10 ppg); A.J. Allison, so. G (10 ppg); Lauren Livingston, so. G (8 ppg)

Other key player: Candice Brown, so. G

Outlook: The Crusaders are in the running for the conference and state title every year and Barker is aiming for no less this season. Cramerton Christian lost its top player in Kelsey Barnes, who scored 18 points per game, but the team retained four other starters, including three players who averaged double-digit scoring: Duncan, Horne and Allison.