Regular season: Athens swept both meetings

Neither one of these teams had any trouble in their first round games on Tuesday as Athens Drive trounced Fuquay-Varina 64-39 thanks in large part to Lainey Childrey's five first-half 3-pointers and Middle Creek blasted Panther Creek 61-31.

Athens won both meetings this year by 19 and 16 points respectively.

Middle Creek's Kristine Rishel had 23 points the last time the two met, but just three points in the first game. Childrey had 20 in their most recent match-up while teammate Rachel Collins had a team-high 14 in the second.

Tri-Nine boys: 3-Panther Creek (10-6) vs 2-Middle Creek (12-4), 5:30 p.m.

Regular season: Panther won first meeting, Middle Creek won second

Panther Creek held off a pesky 6-seed Lee County 61-58 on Tuesday while Middle Creek took care of Holly Springs 65-50.

Tri-Nine girls: 4-Apex (10-6) vs 1-Green Hope (16-0), 7 p.m.

Regular season: Green Hope swept both meetings

Green Hope racked up a whopping 70 first-half points in its 87-39 blowout over Lee County on Tuesday, while Apex nipped 5-seed Holly Springs 56-50.

Undefeated Green Hope had little trouble with Apex in either of the two team's meetings, winning by 21 in the first and by 40 in the second. This is a re-match of last year's Tri-Nine championship game, but now the roles are reversed with Green Hope the undefeated 1-seed blowing out teams left and right.

Sophomore Kristen Gaffney averaged 31 points in their two match-ups while Apex's Bethany Collins was a lone bright spot with 12.5 per.

Tri-Nine boys: 4-Athens Drive (8-8) vs 2-Apex (15-1), 8:30 p.m.

Regular season: Apex swept both meetings

Apex is coming off a less-than-impressive 45-37 win over 8-seed Fuquay-Varina in the first round on Tuesday while Athens escaped Cary with a 49-48 win despite allowing the Imps multiple chances at the game-winning field goal in the final 45 seconds.

In their first meeting, Athens actually led Apex at half and after the third quarter, but lost 57-50 to the Cougars in the end.

Cougars coach Dave Neal said he wasn't familiar with Athens' personnel, and guards Rahim Jenkins and Hurley Cannady torched his squad. He made a few adjustments before their second match-up which was a brutal 65-41 beatdown.

Center Weston Murphy blasted Athens last time out with 21 points while teammate Mike Fogg added 17 on their Senior Night.

By defeating Cary, Athens assured itself of at least the 4-seed in the state playoffs. Cary will enter as the 5-seed.