HICKORY, NC — Queens Grant, a charter school in Mint Hill, Mecklenburg County, is off to its first N.C. High School Athletic Association state championship game.

The top-seeded Stallions downed 3-seed South Stokes in the 2A West regional final, 62-49.

The game was a rematch of the fourth round of last year’s N.C. High School Athletic Association 1A West playoffs. Queens Grant won that game, 88-59.

It was the second trip to regionals in the past three seasons for South Stokes. At regionals two years ago, the Sauras fell to another charter school, Corvian Community, 53-41.

Saturday’s contest was the 37th completed game of the season for Queens Grant. The Stallions are allowed to get in extra non-conference games as the school does not sport a football team.

Review our live brackets presented by Talk it Out NC to see past round results and state championship matchups:

Queens Grant led 14-7 at the end of the first quarter.

To start the second quarter, a close shot by junior Cannon DeBerry and an and-one 3-pointer from sophomore Bobby Montgomery III gave the Stallions a 10-point lead at 19-9.

3-pointers from South Stokes senior BJ Gray and junior Reid Tilley helped keep the Sauras in the gamne, but more outside shooting from Montgomery III and offensive activity by 6-foot-8 sophomore Chase Smith preserved the lead for the Stallions.

The Stallions forced the Sauras into 13 turnovers in the first half. They led at the break, 28-17.

After scoring 11 points in the first half, Queens Grant 6-foot-7 sophomore wing (insert weird up and down hand motions) Mekhi Allen scored six consecutive points out of the break. He capped off his personal run with an alley-oop finish to put the Stallions up, 36-17.

Later, back-to-back Allen 3-pointers from the same keft corner put Queens Grant up 48-27. It was the largest lead of the game so far for the Stallions.

Allen more than doubled his already impressive scoring total in the third. He led the game with 23 points heading into the final quarter.

In the fourth quarter, a breakaway layup by Tilley trimmed the Queens Grant to 13 points, prompting a timeout called by Stallion head coach Joe Badgett.

A couple of turnovers prevented the South Stokes comeback from fully materializing.

Preston Scott and Allen finished out the game with transition baskets.

Box Score1Q2Q3Q4QFSouth Stokes710122049Queens Grant1414201462Scoring

South Stokes

Reid Tilley – 11Ben Jaffe – 7Elijah Tyler – 6Josiah Cleghorn – 6Cooper Willard – 4Brady Clark – 4Kymani Brown – 4Jude Moorefield – 2

Queens Grant

Mekhi Allen – 29Preston Scott – 10Bobby Montgomery III – 9Chase Smith – 8Cannon DeBerry – 6Postgame Press Conferences

South Stokes

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Queens Grant

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Here is the rest of the regional finals schedule:

Here are some helpful resources to follow the rest of the NCHSAA basketball state playoffs:

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