Things to keep an eye on

Tuesday's basketball games mark the exact halfway point through the North Piedmont 3A schedule.

Here are a couple of things to watch for during the second half of the winter sports season.

Who emerges from the pack in the NPC?
This goes for both the girls and the boys. And keep in mind, the NPC sends six teams to the playoffs.

The boys side has East Rowan on top with an 8-0 record. The Mustangs are really, really good, and play a fun style of basketball - lots of pressing and fast-break points. It's also safe to consider Northwest Cabarrus (7-1 NPC) as a lock to make the playoffs.

After that, nothing is permanent, although the next three spots should be pretty secure. West Rowan (6-2), Mooresville (6-2) and Lake Norman (5-3) have all looked anywhere from solid to very, very good this season. They should be OK.

The last spot is a bit of a toss-up. Right now, it's Statesville (3-5) holding down the fort. The Greyhounds have been inconsistent this year, but have shown they can compete with the top teams. Statesville took Mooresville to the buzzer, and competed well with Lake Norman in the Holiday Classic championship. Carson (2-6) along with West and North Iredell (1-7) are technically still in the mix. The Warriors have Quan Rucker and the Raiders have Tyrece Scott, which means you can't count either one out.

Predicted order of finish, for playoff purposes: East Rowan, Northwest Cabarrus, West Rowan, Lake Norman, Mooresville, Statesville.

The girls side is even more congested.

Statesville and East Rowan are both 8-0 (and they play Jan. 8). Slightly below them is Lake Norman (6-2). North Iredell and South Rowan are tied for third (5-3).

Lake Norman still has an outside chance to win the conference, although it's a long shot. The Wildcats must go unbeaten the rest of the way and will need East Rowan and Statesville to split their season series.

The more interesting storyline, I think, is who ends up where. It looks nearly certain that Statesville or East Rowan will finish first. But then what? Lake Norman, Statesville/East Rowan and North Iredell could all finish anywhere from second to fourth. That's huge as far as playoff seedings go. And if South Rowan or Northwest Cabarrus make a run, it could get even cloudier.

Predicted order of finish, for playoff purposes: Statesville, East Rowan, Lake Norman, North Iredell, Northwest Cabarrus, South Rowan.

Can South Iredell maintain?
Forget about the 99-55 shellacking to Cherryville for a second. South Iredell is 3-9, but holds a 2-1 clip early in conference play. The Southern Piedmont 1A-2A sends four of its six 2A teams to the playoffs, and the Vikings still have a shot. The wins came over North and West Lincoln (combined 0-6 in SPC), so the stretch of games against Bessemer City, East Lincoln and Lincolnton will be telling.

Predicted order of finish, for 2A playoff purposes: Bessemer City, East Lincoln, Lincolnton, South Iredell.

Who will emerge on the mats?
With Lake Norman developing into a wrestling power, the entire NPC has been shaken up. Typically, it was Mooresville, North Iredell and either West Rowan or Northwest Cabarrus fighting for two playoff spots, with a wild-card entry also up for grabs.

This year, I think it's going to come down to Lake Norman and Mooresville on Jan. 29 for the conference title, with the loser getting the conference's No. 2 seed.