NORTH MECKLENBURG HS BOYS HOOPS: Welcome

NORTH MECK: TRADITION NEVER GRADUATES

This site is entirely independent of the school and coaches. The opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the coaches, school administrators or CMS. Any discussion of content should be directed to the authors alone and not to school administrators or CMS.

RETIRED:          21 - JAMIE SKEEN             #1 FAN - DARVIN CAMP

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE VIKING SENIORS OF 2013:

• 2012 N.C. 4A STATE PLAYOFFS 
• 2011 N.C. 4A STATE PLAYOFFS 
• 2010 IMECK JV CHAMPIONS 19-1

          OTHER RECENT ACHIEVMENTS:

• 2009 N.C. STATE PLAYOFFS 
• 2008 N.C. 4A SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS
• 2008 ME-CA 7 REG. SEASON CO-CHAMPIONS
• 2007 N.C. 4A STATE PLAYOFFS
• 2006 N.C. 4A STATE RUNNERS-UP, 23-7 RECORD
• 2006 CHARLOTTE OBSERVER "SWEET 16" RUNNERS-UP
• 2006 N.C. 4A WESTERN REGIONAL CHAMPIONS
• 2006 N.C. 4A SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS
• 2006 ME-CA 6 REG. SEASON AND TOURN. RUNNERS-UP
• 2005 N.C. 4A STATE CHAMPIONS, 31-1 RECORD
• 2005 CHARLOTTE OBSERVER "SWEET 16" CHAMPIONS
• 2005 ME-CA 8 TOURN. CHAMPIONS
• 2005 ME-CA 8 REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONS 14-0
• 2005 N.C. 4A SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS
• 2005 N.C. 4A WESTERN REGIONAL CHAMPIONS
• 2005 SCHOOL RECORD 31 WINS
• 2005 SCHOOL RECORD 32 GAMES PLAYED
• 2005 UNDEFEATED AT HOME
• 2005 #16 NATIONAL RANKING

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE VIKING JV'S:

• 2010 I-MECK 7 CHAMPIONS, 19-1 OVERALL AND 11-1 CONF. RECORDS 
• 2009 ME-CA 7 CHAMPIONS, 19-1 OVERALL AND 11-1 CONF. RECORDS
• 2008 ME-CA 7 CHAMPIONS, 19-1 OVERALL AND 11-1 CONF. RECORDS
• 2007 ME-CA 6 RUNNERS-UP, 16-4 OVERALL AND 7-3 CONF. RECORDS
• 2006 ME-CA 6 RUNNERS-UP, 15-3 OVERALL AND 8-2 CONF. RECORDS
• 2005 ME-CA 8 CHAMPIONS, 16-4 OVERALL AND 11-3 CONF. RECORDS
• 2004 ME-CA 8 CHAMPIONS, 19-1 OVERALL AND 13-1 CONF. RECORDS

THIS SITE WILL BE USED FOR "SAD SAM" USE EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE 2012-13 SEASON. FOR NORTH MECK GAME SCHEDULES AND SUMMARIES GO TO THE NEW TEAM SITE AT  WWW.NORTHMECKBASKETBALL.COM

SAD SAM'S FINAL IMECK REPORT CARDS ARE COMING OUT SOON!!!!!! 

Greetings HS hoops junkies from across the Spring-has-sprung piedmont.  The Sad One is a little late giving out his final grades due to moving the secret location of the ol' cubic zirconium ball, but better late than never!  Remember, grades are based on preseason predicted finishes.  Read 'em and weep as we see who made the grade and who needs tutoring in the off-season:

WEST CHARLOTTE:  C-  .....FELL IN SECTIONAL FINALS

HOUGH:  A  .....MADE AN UNEXPECTED REGIONAL APPEARANCE

VANCE:  C-  .....COULD'VE EASILY MADE THE SECTIONAL FINALS

MALLARD CREEK:  B  .....MADE A GOOD PLAYOFF RUN, WITHOUT THEIR STARTING PG

LAKE NORMAN:  C  .....DID EXACTLY AS EXPECTED IN THEIR IMECK FINALE

NORTH MECK:  C+  .....CAME WITHIN ONE POSSESSION OF THE PLAYOFFS

MOORESVILLE:  C  .....SEE LAKE NORMAN

HOPEWELL:  D-  .....HAD TOO MUCH GUARD TALENT TO HAVE FINISHED LAST 

There you have it folks!  We now say so long to the Lakers and the Ville, and hello to Robinson and A.L. Brown next season.  May all of the teams study hard in the summer!

SAD SAM - HS BASKETBALL GENIUS

Greetings HS hoops.junkies from across the windy piedmont.  I thought I just heard a girl in a blue checkered dress fly by my window yelling "Auntie Em, Auntie Em!" In any case, the hs season came to a close last week and the Great One rebounded from a rough regional finals showing to sweep the title games and bonus pick.  He ended with a 58-18 record which is a very high percentage but under what the Sadster usually racks up.  Ty's Trojans finally got it done, Kinston added more hardware to their case, Webb cashed in their 3a chips and WS Prep took care of their 1a biz.  It was a fantastic play-off season in 2013, but it's time to see if the Braves and Red Sox can regain their glory years.  Be comforted in the fall, cuz when you're throwing away the ol jack o lantern, The ol cubic zirconium ball will be warming up to reveal once again what will transpire in the Imeck.  May all of your long putts fall in the leather.

SAD SAM - HS BASKETBALL GENIUS

Greetings HS hoops junkies from across the hoops heaven piedmont.  It's time to review the regional finals and name this year's state champions.  The Formerly Great One fell victim to upset Saturday last week and gave his notorious KOD's (kisses of death) that he traditionally hands out in the regional finals.  He could seek legal action as the ol cubic zirconium ball was allegedly repaired but somehow missed 5 of 6 picks!  Inconceivable!!  An abyssmal 1-5 record brought his post season record to 53-18 which is nothing to sneeze at but beneath the Sad One's expectations.  Missed dunks, foul trouble and panicky play doomed the prognosticating day.  However, the Sadster is back to sweep the board in the state finals.  He has already cashed in his bonus pick of the Maryland Terps for a 1-0 start, and now to the high school champions:

4A:  OLYMPIC EASES PAST BROUGHTON BY 7

3A:  WEBB IMPOUNDS THE DOGS OF STATESVILLE BY 8

2A:  KINSTON ADDS ANOTHER BANNER OVER PESKY CUTHBERTSON BY 5

1A:  WINSTON SALEM PREP BESTS COUSIN ROCKY MOUNT PREP BY 6

Bonus Pick #2:  Take the Tar Heels over the Noles on the late Friday night card by 11

There you have it, the championship dye has been cast and the only thing left to do is get to the states!  The Great One will be "In Da House" at the Dean E. Smith Center to watch the 4A championship.  We will be back next week to recap the championships and don't miss the Sad One's final IMeck report cards which will also go out next week.  Stay tuned!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Greetings HS hoops junkies from across the March Madnessing piedmont.  The Great One went 3-1 in the regional semis, bringing his record to 52-13.  Foul trouble to Harding's best player gave the Grayhounds of Statesville all they needed in pulling off the upset, preventing a sweep of the board.  The regional finals offer some great matchups in all classes.  The most historically interesting is the Spartans of Mt. Tabor against the Trojans of Olympic.  Back in ancient times, the Spartans took down the Trojans despite the infamous Trojan Horse trick.  Will overll history repeats itself this weekend? To the picks..........

4A West:  Tabor repeats history over Olympic

4A East:  71st tops Broughton

3A West:  Huss Huskies over Statesville Hounds in a good ol dogfight 

2A West:  Shelby edges Cuthbertson

1A West:  WS Prep sinks E. Surry

Bonus Pick of the week:  Look for an inspired Tar Heel team to get past Duke by 4 in Chapel Hill Saturday night. 

There you have it folks!  Who goes on and who goes home.  Get to Greensboro and take in the regional finals on Saturday.  The Immaculate One himself will once again be "in da house" at the regionals in Greensboro.  Stay tuned!!!!!!

Greetings HS hoops junkies from across the non-sequestered piedmont!  The Sad One is reeling from a mediocre performance in the sectional finals that abounded with upsets.  The ol' cubic zirconium ball is now out of the shop and according to the 2-0 night last night, in perfect working order again.  The now Woeful One is now 49-12 (80%) on the postseason, including an unthinkable 6-5 sectional final tally.  He demands a recount in Reagan's stunning OT loss to Dudley!  However, the Sadster has already begun his comeback to prognosticating aristocracy, sweeping the 2A western regional semis last night with Shelby and Cuthbertson winning.  Now, on to the regional semi winners:

4A West:  OLYMPIC CRACKS THE WHIP ON HOUGH, MT. TABOR SILENCES DUDLEY

4A East:  FAYETTEVILLE 71ST TOPS BROUGHTON in the regional finals.

3A West:  HARDING OUTRUNS STATESVILLE, HUSS TAKES OUT ARCH-RIVAL ASHBROOK

2A West:  SHELBY TRIPS CUTHBERTSON

There you have it folks!  The Soon-to-be-great-again One is primed for a comeback.  The Sad One himself will be "in da house" at the 4A regionals in Greensboro on Thursday night.  Get to the Gate City and see some great hoops!  Stay tuned!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Greetings HS hoops junkies from across the still dreary piedmont. It's time for the first state playoff release of the coveted Furious 5.  Yes, it's state tourney time and, as you know, anything can happen.  The sectionals had a couple of surprises, but now it's off to Greensboro and the regionals..... Now to the 5:

1. OLYMPIC - IN THE FAMILIAR PLACE OF THE REGIONAL SEMIS. CAN THEY GET FARTHER? 

2.  HOUGH - BEAT IMECK FOES VANCE AND WC, NOW FACE OLYMPIC IN REGIONALS 

3.  WEST CHARLOTTE - FELL TO HOUGH AT HOME IN SECTIONAL FINAL, BIG BABY ERA IS NOW HISTORY

4.  INDEPENDENCE - STUNNED DAVIE CO. IN SECTIONAL SEMIS, BLASTED BY TABOR IN FINAL   

5.  MALLARD CREEK - FELL TO OLYMPIC IN SECTIONAL FINAL WITHOUT STAR PG POTTER 

Outside Looking In: Ardrey Kell, Vance, Myers Park 

Greetings HS hoops junkies from across the February Frenzy-ing piedmont.  It's time for the Great One to reveal who will go to the regionals and who will turn in their uniforms tonight.  That's right, February Frenzy is what the Sad One is now calling the HS post season in this state (registration pending), and it now turns into March Madness (NCAA TM) of the regionals and title games.  Sam rolled to a 14-2 record, coming within 2 upsets of Biblical proportions (Indy and Crest) of sweeping the board.  The All-knowing One's post season record is now an astounding 41-7 and as usual, a couple of Cinderellas have emerged in the form of Crest in the 3A and Independence in the 4A.  History should repeat itself from 2 years ago in the 4A as the same 4 teams were in Greensboro in 2011.  Let's now see for whom the bell tolls tonight!.............

4A:  REAGAN REPEALS DUDLEY, MT. TABOR CAPTURES INDEPENDENCE, OLYMPIC DRIES UP MALLARD CREEK, AND WEST CHARLOTTE IDITARODS THE HUSKIES OF HOUGH.

3A:  CONCORD WEBS UP HARDING, HUSS RINGS MIDNIGHT ON CREST, FOARD DAMS UP ASHBROOK....AND THE UPSET SPECIAL: STATESVILLE NIPS NE GUILFORD

BONUS PICKS FROM 2A AND 4A GIRLS: CUTHBERTSON DRILLS W. STOKES, E. LINCOLN CLEARS SMOKY MTN IN THE 2A, AND IN THE GIRLS 4A BRACKET NORTH MECK CAGES THE LADY HAWKS OF WEST MECK.

There you have it folks!  Who will punch their tickets to the regionals has just been revealed right in front of your eyes.  Speaking of which, The Immaculate One will be "in da house" as Hough calls on West Charlotte tonight.  The sectional recap and regional semis will be discussed next week.  So get to a gym and put a game in front of your eyes tonight.  Stay Tuned!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

SAD SAM - HS BASKETBALL GENIUS

Greetings HS hoops junkies from across the bright piedmont.  You don't need glasses and don't report a UFO sighting; that big bright thing in the sky is, in fact, the sun!  The rain is gone and the Sadster went 27-5 which are good numbers in the 1st round but he's still not satisfied.  He missed on a couple of his upset picks and Porter Ridge pulled the shocker of the year.  The Pirates' reward?....a trip to the WC Lions' den.  Ouch.  The 2nd round has set up some marquee matchups like Reagan-SW Guilford and Davie-Indy in the 4A and Ashbrook-Tuscola, N. Forsyth-Statesville in the 3A.  We will look at the East for this weekend, but we do know that the Sad One's favorite eastern team, New Hanover, will not be defending their state title as they were ousted in the 1st round.  The Great One is now 34-7 in the post season with some hard picks coming today, but the ol cubic zirconium ball is up to the task.  To the picks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4A:  UPSET SPECIAL 1 - REAGAN RE-ELECTED OVER SW GUILFORD,... DUDLEY JOUSTS ARDREY KELL, DAVIE OUTLAWS INDEPENDENCE, TABOR TURNS THE PAGE, OLYMPIC BAGS GARINGER, MALLARD CREEK NIPS WATAUGA, HOUGH DE-DEIFIES MCDOWELL, WEST CHARLOTTE INCARCERATES PORTER RIDGE.

3A:  UPSET SPECIAL 2 - HARDING BUTTS MARVIN RIDGE,...CONCORD ANNULS WEDDINGTON, STATESVILLE DOGS N. FORSYTH, NE GUILFORD SNACKS ON BERRY, HUSS ELECTRICUTES FRANKLIN, FREEDOM RINGS CREST, FOARD CALMS HICKORY, AND THE UPSET OF THE WEEK:  ASHBROOK WAVES BYE TO TUSCOLA.

There you have it folks.  The dye is now cast for the 2nd round of the playoffs.  Sam will be back on Friday to recap the 2nd round and preview the regionals.  The All-knowing One himself will be in the house at the Independence-Davie Co. tilt tonight.  Get to a gym tonight and stay tuned!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

Greetings HS hoops junkies from across the tired-of-Seattle-weather piedmont.  It's time for the Sadster to continue his assault on the all time record books of prognosticating perfection.  The state playoffs begin tonight and the Great One will be making his selection of winners in the 4a and 3a western state brackets only.  Bonus picks involving the 4a and 3a east brackets will come later.  The Immaculate One is already 7-2 in the post season, losing on a Berry buzzer beater that beat Harding, and the other when Ardrey Kell was blown out by an Indy team that is hitting their stride.  WC and Olympic notched tourney championships, but not before both having scares of their own.  Now to the picks:

4A MIDWEST:  SW GUILFORD WHIRLS GRIMSLEY, REAGAN VETOES NW GUILFORD, ARDREY KELL CAGES S. MECK, DUDLEY WIPES RAGSDALE, INDEPENDENCE SMOKES RJ REYNOLDS, DAVIE NIPS E. FORSYTH, PAGE PILFERS SMITH, TABOR CORRALS MYERS PARK.

4A WEST:  OLYMPIC CLIPS EAST MECK, MALLARD CREEK FLOODS SUN VALLEY, MCDOWELL DRAINS LAKE NORMAN, HOUGH TRIPS VANCE, AC REYNOLDS FLATTENS PORTER RIDGE, WEST CHARLOTTE DAMS UP ROCKY RIVER, AND 2 OF THE SAD ONE'S UPSET SPECIALS ARE IN THIS BRACKET....GARINGER SLASHES S. CALDWELL AND THE WARRIORS OF E. GASTON SCALP THE PIONEERS OF WATAUGA.

3A MIDWEST:  CONCORD OVER CENTRAL CABARRUS, CARSON BY A NOSE OVER WEDDINGTON, HARDING RAMS ANSON CO., STATESVILLE HOUNDS NW CABARRUS, N. FORSYTH SAILS PAST AL BROWN, NE GUILFORD EASY OVER N. IREDELL, AND 2 MORE UPSET SPECIALS IN THIS BRACKET....W. ROWAN STUNS MARVIN RIDGE AND BERRY SHUTS DOWN COX MILL.

3A WEST:  HUNTER HUSS HUSKS FORESTVIEW, FRANKLIN KEYS RS CENTRAL, ASHEVILLE BRUSHES WITH CREST, FREEDOM RINGS ERWIN, FRED T. FOARD DEMOTES PATTON, HICKORY CROWNS ST. STEPHENS, ASHBROOK WASHES AWAY ENKA, TUSCOLA ROLLS W. HENDERSON.

There you have it folks!  The first round results are in before they've even been played, courtesy of the ol cubic zirconium ball (can't afford real crystal).  Get out to a gym tonight and watch the results unfold like the Sadster will.  The first round recap and 2nd round predictions will be released on Wednesday........Stay tuned!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Greetings HS hoops junkies from across the tournament laden piedmont!  It's time for the All Knowing One to release his MVP, All-Imeck, Coach of the Year, and the all important and coveted Hot Dog of the Year awards!  After much burning of the midnight oil while consulting the ol cubic zirconium ball, the Great One has arrived at his decisions for his 3 All-Imeck teams based on position played and not just a popularity contest.  The awards are based on regular season only and do not factor in any post season play.  A couple of players did not make it because they were injured most of the Imeck season.  Here are the awards with no further delay:

2012-13 MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: KENNEDY MEEKS - WEST CHARLOTTE

ALL IMECK FIRST TEAM: 

G - TREY FOSTER - WEST CHARLOTTE.....FLOOR GENERAL OF THE LION MACHINE

G - CALEB DAVIS - VANCE.....SMOOTH ALL AROUND PLAYER

F - LUKE MAYE - HOUGH.....HIS BIRD-ESQUE GAME LEADS THE HUSKIES

F - DOMINIQUE HENDERSON - MALLARD CREEK.....SO GOES DOM, SO GO THE MAVERICKS

C - KENNEDY MEEKS - WEST CHARLOTTE.....BEST BIG IN THE IMECK

ALL IMECK SECOND TEAM:

G - DUPREE POTTER - MALLARD CREEK

G - DREXLER CLARKE - HOUGH

F - TORIN DORN - VANCE

F - KISHAUN PRITCHETT - LAKE NORMAN

C - TAHJAI WATT - NORTH MECK

ALL IMECK THIRD TEAM:

G - MALIK MASSEY - VANCE

G - C.J. BRYCE - HOPEWELL

F - DRE HOWELL - MOORESVILLE

F - GABON WILLIAMS - WEST CHARLOTTE

C - TROY WARREN - LAKE NORMAN

COACH OF THE YEAR:  JUSTIN BATTS - HOUGH.......has the Husky engine running like Danica Patrick's Go-Daddy machine.

HOT DOG OF THE YEAR:....drum roll please...........NORTH MECK!!!!  The Viking concession folk brought slaw back and returned themselves to the HDOTY glory days of the recent past.

There you have it folks!  These selections could be argued about for generations to come but the Sadster's gavel has come down on this year's awards.  The Sad One returns with his world famous state playoff prognostications and will kick it off with these bonus conference tourney semi-final winners:  Vance over Hough, WC over the Creek, Indy over Myers Park, Ardrey Kell over East Meck, Harding over Berry, and Olympic over Catholic.  The Great One returns tomorrow with his tournament championship predictions.  Get to a gym tonight and stay tuned!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Greeting HS hoops junkies from the academically nervous piedmont.  It's time once again for the Great One to delve out his mid-term grades for the Imeck conference season.  The Sadster's grades are based on how each team does relative to their predicted order of finish.  For example, if Ridgemont High is picked to finish 3rd, and they are in 2nd, they would get an above average grade.  If they are in 4th, they would get a below average grade, and if they're picked 2nd, and are in 2nd, they would be average.  Compreden?  Good.  Now on to the bad news!

WEST CHARLOTTE - C:  LIONS HAVE FOUND A SHOOTER OR TWO, BUT GET AN AVERAGE GRADE BECAUSE THEY STILL HAVENT PLAYED VANCE

HOUGH - B+:  LUKE MAYE HAS THE FORCE WITH THE HUSKIES, WHO ARE PLAYING LIKE A WELL-OILED MACHINE BEHIND DREXLER "THE GLIDE" CLARKE

VANCE - C-:  COUGARS ARE PLAYING WELL DESPITE BREWER'S DEFECTION

MALLARD CREEK - D:  MAVS GET A D FOR GETTING BLOWN AWAY BY VANCE AND BARELY BEATING NORTH

LAKE NORMAN - C+:  WILDCATS SCORE SLIGHTLY ABOVE AVERAGE BECAUSE THEY WON A CLOSE ROAD GAME AT NORTH MECK WITHOUT A STARTER

HOPEWELL - D-:  LOST A HOME GAME TO THE VILLE....BEFORE MIDDLETON WENT DOWN

MOORESVILLE - C:  DEVILS, LIKE ALL IMECK TEAMS, ARE RIGHT WHERE THE SADSTER HAD PREDICTED. NOW, IF HOWELL WOULD ONLY STAY IN THE POST.......... 

NORTH MECK - D:  COULD EASILY BE TIED FOR 5TH, BUT LET LAKE NORMAN GET AWAY AND PLAYED HORRIBLE IN A CLOSE LOSS AT HOPEWELL

There it is folks!  Read'em and weep.  Now we know who needs tutoring and who is capable of graduating with honors.  The Immaculate One will give his final report cards at the end of the season.  There should be some exciting games down the stretch as they race to the finish over the next 10 days.  Stay tuned!!!!!!!!!!! 

Greetings HS hoop junkies from across the Christmas shopping piedmont!  It's now time to, once again, fire up the Ol' Cubic Zirconium Ball (can't afford real crystal) and shed the light of the Great One's wisdom on the fast approaching IMeck conference season.  Last season the Sadster enjoyed another banner prognosticating season, culminating in the Sad One's eastern favorite, New Hanover, winning the state 4A title over West Charlotte.  This year's IMeck conference features several contrasting team styles that will butt heads every game and provide another heart-stopping season of thrilling HS hoops action.  The All-knowing One will now give the predicted order of finish of the 8 conference teams.  Each team's individual team preview will follow starting with the conference favorite, and so forth......and away we go:

1. WEST CHARLOTTE

2. VANCE

3. HOUGH

4. MALLARD CREEK

5. LAKE NORMAN

6. HOPEWELL

7. MOORESVILLE

8. NORTH MECK 

There you have where they'll most likely end up.  The first 2-4 are practically set in stone, however, the rest could fall in any order depending upon young and/or new player development.  We will now begin the team previews with the favorite.....................

The Wildcats of this season feature the Mooresville Skyline frontcourt of 6'8 Troy Warren and 6'8 Hunter Seacat, the twin towers who will dictate how this season goes for the "Lakers".  6'5 Blake Cranor will back them up.  The backcourt will be manned by budding star, 6'4 sophomore G,F Kishawn Pritchett, who is a capable scorer that will get better as the season goes on.  He will be aided by 6'3 Brandon Lee, 6'2 Mike Dezervos and 5'10 A.J. Guffey.  The Cats' zone defense forces opponents to go to their shooters and doesnt yield many second shots.  That will help LN as they can easily move up if they can offset bad athletic matchups with their size, but could drop if they can't.  However, their size should be enough to keep their distance ahead of.............................. 

Titan coach Damon Bost enters his 3rd year at the helm and put a very young team on the floor last campaign.  That may pay dividends this season as the Titans return a solid backcourt group led by 6'3 C.J. Bryce, who can shoot and take it to the rack.  5'11 Taj Middleton is a long range bomber who gives HW one of the best backcourts in the IMeck.  The frontcourt needs work but 6'7 Kalon Buchanon is a defensive presence who needs to produce consistently on offense if the Bolt Throwers are to challenge for the playoffs.  6'4 Michael Sandry is a sneaky frontcourt role player who can burn you from 3 point land if you turn your head.  HW should be athletic and could give matchup problems to less athletic teams.  They should hold their own enough to possibly move up and probably stay ahead of...........................................

The Blue Devils are practically an unknown entity as the Shawn Lester era is over and like several teams, the emergence of young players could move them up into playoff contention.  The frontline is anchored by 6'5 Dre Howell, a 3rd year starter who can score and clean up with the best of them.  He is joined by fellow starting F 6'3 Ralph Montgomery who is a space heater that can move.  The question mark is the backcourt as Lester, Kendrick Johnson and Brandon Bego are gone, but Kurt Richter looks like he could give minutes, as does Robby Sherrill.  Until a solid guard tandem emerges, the Sadster will hold the jury out on the Devils as far as moving up in this tough league.  The Ville does have enough to stay ahead of fellow enigma team....................................... 

The Vikings haven't finished last in recent memory and this year's team could be no different, but like others, there are more questions than answers.  It all begins and ends with 6'5 senior F Tahjai Watt.  He's a consumate hustler and thinks every rebound is his.  6'3 Andre White and 6'3 Daquay Collins must step up and give Watt some help.  Since the graduation of Shivaughn Wiggins, the backcourt is murky.  5'7 senior PG Justin Elliott figures to start with 5'11 freshman Davion Mintz helping out, but the Norsemen must find shooters to open up the paint.  6'0 Nigel Hudson, 6'2 Kahlil Robinson and 6'2 Caleb Thomas are the likely culprits that will try and fill that role.  NM plays hard defense and has the ability to move up, but the Sad One is from Missouri on this team as they must "show me" that they can fill the holes and make a run..................

There you have it folks.  This should be an exciting season as matchups are the key night in, night out and will ultimately dictate who will pass and fail on the Great One's progress report.  Look for the Sadster's Furious 5 every week and he will also come out with a Twitter page very soon.  Get to the gyms to take in some games and stay tuned!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sad Sam - HS Basketball Genius