In today’s N&O, D. Clay Best wrote how both the Millbrook girls basketball team and Southeast Raleigh have improved for the better since their lone meeting back in the GlaxoSmithKline Holiday Invitational in December, a 32-23 victory for Millbrook.

There’s a lot to be said about both of these teams, who were dominant in the Cap Eight and Greater Neuse River conference. A lot of things have changed since then as the two teams will meet again later tonight in the 4-A Eastern girls basketball regional.

Then again, the keys for Millbrook (29-1) beat Southeast Raleigh (24-3) again and be just one game from the state championship are pretty similar to what worked in the Glaxo.

GET A LEAD EARLY

This might be the most important factor mentally for Millbrook, a team full of sophomores. Since defeating Southeast Raleigh in December, the Wildcats have led in almost every minute of every game. The last time Millbrook trailed in the fourth quarter was against Sanderson in the Cap Eight Tournament final, and that was just a one-point deficit. The Wildcats haven’t faced the pressure of coming from behind late in the playoffs. There’s no need to deal with that now, and a good first quarter could propel the Wildcats.

RALEIGH - Wake Forest-Rolesville had climbed the mountain. The Cougars had reached the summit, a chance that allowed lowly recruited players such as Marcus Jones, Chinedu Onuoha and Hunter Williams to play at N.C. State’s Carter-Finley Stadium.

They had won by playing smart and disciplined. Jones even said the Cougars showed more heart than their previous opponents. Now, in the biggest game of the season – and in the history of the football program – the Cougars hung their heads, ending their season in the 4-AA championship game Saturday afternoon with the scoreboard showing something next to their name that they hadn’t seen before:

Matthews Butler 44, Wake Forest-Rolesville 0.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - After a slow start in his homecoming, freshman guard Kyrie Irving had a big finish this afternoon as top-ranked Duke overcame another significant obstacle on its nonconference schedule.

Irving, who is from West Orange, N.J., failed to score in the first 16 minutes, 33 seconds, but erupted for 17 of his 21 points in the second half as the Blue Devils defeated Butler 82-70 at the Izod Center in a meeting of the teams who played in the NCAA final last season.

RALEIGH - Southeast Raleigh picked the most opportune time to play its most complete game of the season.

The Bulldogs dominated Southern Durham on both sides of the ball and dismantled the Spartans 38-7 Friday night in the second round of the NCHSAA 4-A playoffs. Southeast (10-3) will advance to play New Bern in the next round.

RALEIGH — Southeast Raleigh took advantage of some big West Johnston mistakes early in the game, then held on with a solid fourth quarter for a 47-30 win in the Bulldogs’ homecoming game Friday night at Baker Stadium.

David Washington completed 16 of 23 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 167 yards and two more scores on 20 carries to lead the Bulldogs.

ANGIER -- Southeast Raleigh wrapped up the No. 2 playoff seed from the Greater Neuse River 4-A Conference with a dominating 43-6 victory at Harnett Central on Friday night.

The Bulldogs' C.J. Okwara tallied two second quarter touchdown runs to put Southeast up for good after Central thad taken a 6-0 lead in the first period on a 14-yard interception return by Jeremy Wells. The Bulldogs' reeled off the 43 unanswered points.

Garner imposed its will on Southeast Raleigh in the second half Friday night, running for 350 yards and forcing three second-half turnovers in a 21-10 victory that gave the Trojans control of the Greater Neuse River 4-A Conference race.

WENDELL -- There was a brief moment in the third quarter when it appeared East Wake would pull back into Friday night's homecoming game against Southeast Raleigh, but the moment faded quickly as the Bulldogs cruised to a 35-13 victory.

RALEIGH – Ravenscroft rolled up nearly 600 yards of total offense en route to a 42-14 rout of visiting Wake Christian on Friday night.

Ravens quarterback Quinn Billerman threw for 211 yards and three touchdowns. Receiver Chad Stanback was on the other end of 118 of those yards and two touchdowns, while tailback Temple Sloan accounted for 159 total yards on just six touches.

The Southeast Raleigh Bulldogs stormed onto Tucker stadium in Smithfield and showed they can score effectively both on the ground and through the air as they put on a dominant performance by beating Smithfield-Selma 55-0, Friday night. As impressive as their offense was, the Bulldog defense was even more spectacular, limiting SSS to zero yards rushing for the game.