Sweet 16 at 40: The best boys’ high school basketball players outside Mecklenburg County

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of its Sweet 16 basketball poll, The Charlotte Observer is honoring the top high school boys’ players in the poll’s era. Because the media outlet’s coverage area has changed so much through the years — it once stretched to the Triad, mountains and beach — the anniversary team only included Mecklenburg County players.

Below, we rank the best boys’ players outside Mecklenburg County from 1984-2024. To make the list, a player had to play his senior year at a school that is currently or was in newspaper’s coverage area.

(1) Wendell Moore, Cox MIll, class of 2019: Moore was The Observer’s regional player of the year — best in all of counties that newspaper covers, including Mecklenburg — in 2018 and 2019. He won the state’s biggest award, Mr. Basketball, as a senior in 2019.

Moore was also named N.C. Gatorade player of the year as a senior after averaging 25.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.5 steals. He was a three-time N.C. Basketball Coaches state public school player of the year who led his team to two 3A state titles and Moore played in the McDonald’s and Jordan Brand Classic All-American games. He played in college at Duke.

(2) Gabe DeVoe, Shelby, class of 2014: Before he played at Clemson, DeVoe was The Observer’s regional player of the year in the 2013-14 season when he was named the Associated Press state player of the year.

As a senior, DeVoe averaged 34 points, 10 rebounds, 2.5 steals and two blocks. In January of his senior year, DeVoe had 51 points in a game against Draughn. He had 52 points, nine rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks against Statesville. DeVoe ultimately scored 885 points as a senior and finished with 2,072 points. He was a two-time conference player of the year and a Parade All-American. He played in college at Clemson.

(3) Devan Downey, Chester (S.C.), class of 2005: Downey, a 5-10 guard, was Mr. Basketball as a senior. He ended his career as the No. 3 all-time scorer in the state (2,738 points).

As a senior, Downey scored 50 points in a game and a career-high 67 in another, a modern day S.C. record. As a senior, Downey averaged 36.9 points, 6.1 assists and 4.7 steals per game. He was also named S.C. Gatorade player of the year.

Downey, a three-time all-state player in high school, played in college at Cincinnati and South Carolina.

(4) Kris Lang, Hunter Huss, class of 1998: Lang, a 6-10 center, was Mr. Basketball in 1998 and played in the McDonald’s All-American game and Magic Johnson’s Roundball Classic.

As a senior, Lang averaged 21 points, 14 rebounds, playing against constant double-teams. He played in college at North Carolina. He was also named to the Parade All-America team.

(5) Terry Whisnant, Cherryville, class of 2011: Whisnant was The Observer’s regional player of the year in 2010-11 and was named Mr. Basketball.

He averaged 32 points, eight rebounds, 5.2 assists and three steals as a senior. That same year, Whisnant had 61 dunks and made a school-record 124 3-pointers. He also scored 40 or more points three times in a row. Whisnant signed with Florida State.

(6) Dee Bost, Concord, class of 2010: In December 2010, Bost was MVP of Concord’s 3A state football championship, scoring the game-winning points on a 10-yard quarterback sweep. A few months later, he scored 18 of his 27 points in the second half of a 85-79 win over Kinston in the 3A state championship game. He was named championship MVP in basketball, too.

Bost was a unanimous choice as The Observer’s regional player of the year in 2010. He averaged 17.8 points, five rebounds and four assists. Bost played in college at Mississippi State.

(7) Scooter Sherrill, West Rowan, class of 2000: Sherrill was the leading scorer in school and Rowan County history when he graduated. He averaged 23.6 points, seven rebounds, four assists and 2.5 steals as a senior when he was named Observer player of the year, Mr. Basketball and played in the USA Basketball Men’s Junior Select and McDonald’s All-American games.

Sherrill, who signed with N.C. State, was also named N.C. player of the year by rivals.com and Gatorade.

(8) Jenis Grindstaff, McDowell, class of 1997: Grindstaff was named Mr. Basketball in 1997 over McDonald’s All-American Tracy McGrady of Durham’s Mount Zion School. Grindstaff averaged 28 points and seven rebounds as a senior.

Grindstaff was ranked No. 93 nationally by recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons and was McDowell’s first 2,000-point scorer. Grindstaff’s teams won more than 85 percent of their games. In his last high school game, Grindstaff had 38 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists in a playoff loss to West Charlotte. Grindstaff signed to play in college at Virginia Tech.

(9) Sage Surratt, Lincolnton, class of 2017: As a senior at Lincolnton, Surratt became the first N.C. player to be named Associated Press statewide football and basketball player in the same school year. In basketball, Surratt also earned USA Today’s N.C. player of the year award.

As a senior, Surratt — who signed to play college football at Wake Forest — averaged 35.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists. He was the No. 3 scorer in America.

(10) Ishua Benjamin, Concord, class of 1994: Benjamin was named Mr. Basketball in 1994 after he signed with N.C. State and averaged 20.5 points, 6.7 assists, six rebounds and 5.3 steals per game.

He finished his career with 1,672 points and 87 wins.