2014 2015 Men's Predictions

[NCTheOne]

Noticed that there was a womens post on the coming season. Thought that maybe a mens one couldn't hurt anything. What does everyone think?

Being a Mount Airy fan, I think that we should be pretty solid. Return pretty much the entire team that went to the third round in the playoffs. If they can play together and as a team and not any of that one-man ball, could be a team that makes a run.

What about other schools?

 

[ObserveAndReport]

East Carteret was a couple of seconds away from winning the state title with a roster of sophomores and juniors. I know they had some kids leave for greener pastures then come back last offseason, but assuming keeping all their kids isn't an issue, I'd say they're the favorite.

In their same conference, Pinetown Northside has one of the top 15 rising juniors in the country in Bam Bam Adebayo, assuming he doesn't go off to Oak Hill or somewhere, like a lot of top prospects from small schools do.

In the west, W-S Prep will always be tough. Even if they did lose two D-I kids...something just tells me they will have more in the pipe line. Alleghany has their whole team back after making it to regionals. Robbinsville, like MA, returns pretty much the entire team from a squad that went to the third round. And Hayesville should be really good as they return their top 3 scorers (including one with multiple D-I offers) and have an undefeated JV coming up.



This post was edited on 6/12 6:35 PM by ObserveAndReport

 

[Dave2kMA]

Prep has a LOT of holes to fill from a team that was nowhere near as good as the two that preceded it, so there's a good chance they will be vulnerable this year (all blustering about recruiting aside, a school like Prep isn't going to replace three D1 players with other D1 players). They'll still be talented and are going to be the favorites until someone proves otherwise.

Elsewhere, Mount Airy has a great deal of size and skill, but guard play is dicey for them. They can be dangerous if they get consistency from there and they add some depth (of which they had none last year). Bishop will be good again this year also, but aren't nearly as deep as they were. East Surry lost a ton and has a lot of holes to fill. Alleghany will be strong again, as will a handful of others.

Like the girls, I think the 1A boys is going to be up for grabs.

 

[bulldog nation2014]

Prep has a guard who will be a senior I believe is getting looked at D1, I am not sure though, I agree losing 3 d1 players will hurt any program. However I believe they will simply reload.

Albemarle (yes I am a Albemarle guy) only loses 2 and they have the players off the bench to replace the two they lost. The one thing that will be interesting will be the leadership aspect but they will actually be alittle more athletic in the starting 5. They have a really good player moving up from JV that will be alittle bit of a factor. They also have one kid that if he gets his act together will help Albemarle alot, they didn't have him for the playoffs due to he got in trouble. They also have 2 really good players coming up from the 8th grade that are 6'3. So a Albemarle team that beat MA and Bishop could be back in the mix.

 

[NCball450]

I keep hearing Mount Airy has 3 kids who will be transferring out.

I've also heard the girls team will be losing some rising players who are transferring as well.

 

[Big43]

Wow what's going on with the Bears is it coaches or the school. Have you heard where any of the players might land?

 

[recycled2]

Originally posted by Big43:
Wow what's going on with the Bears is it coaches or the school. Have you heard where any of the players might land?

Why does something have to be wrong with the school? Maybe it's the kids...funny everyone always wants to blame the school or coaches. Maybe the coach requires they be team players, what a silly concept. Really I have no idea, just find it strange how we jump to conclusions.

 

[Dosso]

Originally posted by recycled2:

Originally posted by Big43:
Wow what's going on with the Bears is it coaches or the school. Have you heard where any of the players might land?

Why does something have to be wrong with the school? Maybe it's the kids...funny everyone always wants to blame the school or coaches. Maybe the coach requires they be team players, what a silly concept. Really I have no idea, just find it strange how we jump to conclusions.

Totally agree with recycled2 and there is nothing wrong with Mt. Airy's coach.

 

[Big43]

It's just odd that three players leave at once you have to admit that's a rare occurrence especially with a good team coming back. So if everyone wants to believe everything is perfect so be it. I guess we will have to wait to see where they land before we can come to any conclusions.

 

[NCball450]

I believe one of those three have landed at North Surry, and I don't think the coach had anything to do with it. I always thought this player was more about himself than the team anyways.

I'm hearing the other 2 will end up in Forsyth County playing with some of their AAU teammates and coaches, If they transfer it will be a very smart move on their part because they would get better coaching(no offense to the Mount Airy coach), more competition, and more exposure.

 

[bulldog nation2014]

Interesting I just read an article the other day about the AAU and how it affects basketball. You will find that there are some good programs out there that just want to develop players but let those players know that the High school program takes precedent over the aau team. You have other AAU teams( Some of the programs which are featured alot as GREAT programs) which are essentially feeder programs to some of these high level prep schools or recruiting machines for their programs.

Essentially these coaches (who are not really coaches, essentially there practices are scrimmage or teaching plays 0 skill development) are interested in building there name. Much like college is becoming a big business its coming to high school basketball as well. If you don't believe me go out and watch some aau tournaments. In addition these kids are told and told again that you have to play at this school for this coach or 4a to get notices. When in all reality that player may get to said school and not get off the bench. Here is some food for thought. If you are a D1 talent and play 1a colleges will find you. Thats why they get paid the way they do. However you have these knuckleheads selling this to these kids.

In short this has nothing to do with the MT. Airy. I thought Coach Mayo did a good job and I thought the same about the boys coach. This is about player movement and the kids wanting to go to a bigger high school to get more looks. Its as simple as that. Everybody thinks there kid is a D1 talent and thats not the case. The size of High school you goto does not matter unless your coach is not featuring your talents, but that can be the case at 4a as well. There are plenty of elite camps you can goto, if you are with a good AAU program that has a strong development background and coaches who want to work hard for you, along with a good HS coach that features your abilities and talks to coaches, if you have the talent you will be found.

FYI its not uncommon for some of these AAU programs to get kick backs for "referring" these kids to some of these private and prep schools.

 

[smt0214]

bulldognation you are correct. A good example is Aaron Williams and Ashley Williams from Croatan. Croatan lost to kinston in the regional final a few years back and it was known throughout the area that the Williams boys were the best players in the conference and this part of the state. They ended up transferring to Greenfield in Wilson, and while Ashley Williams is signed to go to Western Carolina, he was already getting d1 interest at Croatan. I have no idea on Aaron Williams though.

 

[smt0214]

Also Bulldognation the 8th grader coming up from Albemarle is the real deal. I coached against him this year and when he came over to West Montgomery he was unguardable. His name slips me but he is 6'5 and is skilled enough to play the wing. If he stays around at Albemarle he is going to be a force at the D1 level, and I would imagine he will be on varsity right away.

 

[ObserveAndReport]

Originally posted by bulldog nation2014:
Interesting I just read an article the other day about the AAU and how it affects basketball. You will find that there are some good programs out there that just want to develop players but let those players know that the High school program takes precedent over the aau team. You have other AAU teams( Some of the programs which are featured alot as GREAT programs) which are essentially feeder programs to some of these high level prep schools or recruiting machines for their programs.

Essentially these coaches (who are not really coaches, essentially there practices are scrimmage or teaching plays 0 skill development) are interested in building there name. Much like college is becoming a big business its coming to high school basketball as well. If you don't believe me go out and watch some aau tournaments. In addition these kids are told and told again that you have to play at this school for this coach or 4a to get notices. When in all reality that player may get to said school and not get off the bench. Here is some food for thought. If you are a D1 talent and play 1a colleges will find you. Thats why they get paid the way they do. However you have these knuckleheads selling this to these kids.

If you liked an article on that subject, check out a book called "Play Their Hearts Out" but George Dohrmann. Really good breakdown of AAU culture by a Pulitzer-prize winning Sports Illustrated writer. Sheds a lot of light on how a lot of these coaches (certainly not all, and he points that out, too), don't know much basketball and use kids as essentially a business opportunity to get jobs at shoe companies, assistant coaching gigs, etc.

 

[Catawbavalleybasketball]

Don't overlook the Ironmen of Cherryville. They lost their best player but there are several sophomore who are in the mold of the great Ironmen players over the years. Yes, Alleghany made it to the regionals but no one ever mentions that Cherryville best player (leading scorer, rebounder, and best defensive player) got in trouble at school and did not get to play in the finals of the sectionals against Alleghany. Only in the last few seconds when a freshman missed a free throw did the Alleghany team win the game. So don't overlook the Ironmen. The two best traditional high school teams in the west last year were Cherryville and Hayesville. That could easily be the case in the 2014-2015 season.

 

[Xman8balla]

I was told by a solid source that Queens Grant will make some noise in 1A hoops this year they have transfers and returning talent. One 6'7 kid moved in from Phillip O Berry HS and another 6'4 Guard from Rocky River HS. I was told they beat defending state champs Winston Salem Prep in summer league. Now granted summer league doesn't count for much, and Winston Salem Prep will be in rebuilding mode as they have a youth movement coming they graduate a lot of talent that will be hard to replace.