As promised, we have preseason basketball predictions and a preseason all-SWakeSports team for the girls basketball season. As we saw last year, Cary Academy and Cary Christian can play at the same level as some, if not most, Tri-Nine teams. That's what makes this sport more fun to rank than the others.
In all our weekly rankings, we're going to tag it under "SWakeSports rankings," a change from last year's "TCN/SWW rankings" which were tagged under "TCN rankings."
Our preseason girls basketball rankings & All-SWakeSports team: Apex had this area in a stranglehold last year, but losing Cassandra Mitchell and Chloe Wells makes the Tri-Nine wide open. Meanwhile, Cary Christian returns everyone from a 28-3 team.
1. Cary Christian - The Lady Knights had no seniors on last year's team, and can only get more dominant with sophomore Dakota Dukes (our preseason SWakeSports Player of the Year).
2. Green Hope - Their record from last year doesn't do this team justice. Once healthy, the Lady Falcons mopped the floor with Athens Drive and everyone else not named Apex. Reigning coach of the year Michael Robinson has several scoring options, starting with sophomore Kristen Gaffney.
3. Athens Drive - I like the unparalleled size the Lady Jags have, but tiny Green Hope showed last year they were the better team. Without playmaker Alyx Ingram, someone will have to step up and learn how to create their own shot.
4. Apex - I know somebody out there will want me to drop them down to 7th or something like that, and I understand why. They lost the two best players in the Tri-Nine Conference. But they didn't make this program, coach Scott Campbell did. They'll do well without Wells and Mitchell.
5. Middle Creek - This team could easily finish in the top two of the Tri-Nine with some solid play and the right breaks. They've got nice mix of size and shooters — but they have to use that size, which didn't happen at times last year.
6. Cary Academy - New coach Danielle Haber isn't walking into the job with the cupboard bare. Kelsey Lee, Haleigh McFarland and other give the Lady Chargers a nice nucleus to build around.
7. Holly Springs - Coach Denitra Hayes might blow a gasket even after wins, but she does win. The Golden Hawks will have to replace some key parts to last year's team that finished second in the Greater Neuse.
8. Fuquay-Varina - The biggest advantage the Bengals have to the teams below them is a go-to player. Raquelle Keeton is capable of 20-point outbursts.
9. Cary - Donald Kent, just four wins away from No. 200 in his career, has most of his team coming back, but who's going to score?
10. Panther Creek - Everyone returns, and we'll see how that translates into wins. The Lady Catamounts are due, as every other P.C. program it seems is making the playoffs in either its third or fourth year.
All-SWakeSports preseason team
G - Camille Forbes, Green Hope
G - Bethany Collins, Apex
G/F - Kristen Gaffney, Green Hope
F - Keisha Gatling, Athens Drive
F - Dakota Dukes, Cary Christian (preseason player of the year)
