Basketball Capsules
Greenbrier Wolfpack
Coach: Casey Dees (second season)
Last region title: none
Last year's record: 9-14
Returning starters: 3
Key players: Junior SF Reggie Rice (6-1), senior SG Eugene Rogers (6-1), senior PF Gavin Globensky (6-4)
Outlook: Greenbrier has an opportunity to reach the playoffs for the first time in school history. Dees expects to make the playoffs in a new region with two highly rated schools, Baldwin and Statesboro, and a number of middle-of-the-road teams. This is an easier region than the Wolfpack played in the past two seasons.
Greenbrier Lady Wolfpack
Coach: Garrett Black (fifth season)
Last region title: none
Last year's record: 17-8
Returning starters: 3
Key players: Junior F Melissa Lewis (5-10), senior F Alisha Simmons (5-7), sophomore PG Michelle Swiec (5-5), F Brittany Leverett (5-8), sophomore SG Tiffany Blackburn (5-7), junior SG Amanda Glover (5-5), senior F Kristi Nichols (5-7).
Top newcomers: Freshman PG Sara Oland (5-4)
Outlook: Greenbrier will play the defensive style that Nolan Richardson made famous at Arkansas. The Lady Wolfpack will press all game long and try to create easy transition baskets. Greenbrier will be a threat for its first basketball playoff berth in school history. Melissa Lewis and Michelle Swiec are bona fide superstars.
Lakeside Panthers
Coach: Donnie Burch (first season)
Last region title: none
Last year's record: 12-14
Returning starters: 1
Key players: Senior PG Earl McCrommon (5-6), SG Jason Hobbs (5-7), SF Peyton Marsh (5-9), PF Blake Bradenburg (6-1), C Alex Fain (6-4), junior F Chris Drayton (6-2).
Outlook: The Panthers will have a tough time winning games this season. Burch must find a secondary scoring option to assist McCrommon, who is averaging 18.5 points through the first two games this season. The Panthers lost their first two games by a combined 75 points against Butler and Hephzibah. The competition will get easier, but will Lakeside get better?
Lakeside Lady Panthers
Coach: Drew Shelton (first season)
Last region title: none
Last year's record: 14-13
Returning starters: 1
Key players: Senior F Tina Campbell, senior C Meghan Lloyd, junior G Perrin Fryer, SG Ashlee Williams.
Top newcomers: Junior F Amanda Wade, freshman F Alexandria Cassagnol, freshman Aubern Marshall.
Outlook: Shelton gets his shot to coach a team that will have to replace four starters, including Kim Leeds, Jamie Lake and Ansley Evans.
Augusta Christian Lions
Coach: Marty Griffin (second season)
Last region title: 2003
Last year's record: 17-8
Returning starters: 0
Key players: Sophomore PG Kyle Redd (5-9), senior G James Hawes (5-6), sophomore SF Josh Whitaker (6-1), senior PF Chris Curl (6-4). Top newcomers: Senior C Preston May (6-5).
Outlook: Griffin must replace his starting five, which included all-region players Warren Chapman, Jamal Womble, Adam McKinney and Mark Herrman. One bonus is the Lions will go deep into the bench this season to find a combination that works. Chemistry also is a concern, as most of the team hasn't played with each other.
Augusta Christian Lady Lions
Coach: Keith Walton (third season)
Last region title: 1999
Last year's record: 12-13
Returning starters: 2
Key Players: Junior PG Jordan Little (5-6), junior C Sarah Beth McKinney (5-8), junior SG Larrie Reece (5-5).
Top newcomers: Sophomore F Lynlee Satcher, junior F Ashley Troxel.
Outlook: The Lady Lions will rely heavily on Little and McKinney, who averaged 17 rebounds a game last season. Walton said he believes his team can be good, but he isn't sure what to expect in their first season in the South Carolina Independent Schools Association.
Augusta Prep Cavaliers
Coach: Mike Guthrie (first season)
Last region title: NA
Last year's record: 6-12
Returning starters: 0
Key players: Senior F Clint Luckey (6-2), senior F Aaron Crais (5-11), senior C Robert Sussman (6-4), senior F Alex Murphy (6-2), junior G Michael Crossland (6-2).
Top newcomers: Junior Trey Minor (6-2), senior G David Knerr (5-10), junior F Watson Folk (5-11).
Outlook: Guthrie learned to coach by playing for Mike Krzyzewski at West Point. His strong leadership was needed for a Prep team that struggled last season. The team should be improved, and a run at the playoffs is not out of the question. The transfer of Glen Miller to Evans hurt. The Cavaliers will have to find a way to replace his scoring.
Augusta Prep Lady Cavaliers
Coach: Moe McCormack (first season)
Last region title: NA
Returning starters: 3
Key players: Senior G Abby Alexander (5-5), senior F Mary Hannah Lynn (5-9), senior G Caroline Hull (5-6), senior F Katelyn Gibbs (5-7), junior G Monica Ploetzke.
Key newcomer: Sophomore Mary Beth Horton.
Outlook: McCormack takes over a team full of veteran talent. Alexander is probably one of the best players in the county and will pace the Lady Cavaliers team. Any one of the starters can score in double figures. Prep should make the playoffs this season.
Harlem Bulldogs
Coach: Kim Chambers (fifth season)
Last region title: NA
Last year's record: 10-14
Returning starters: 3
Key players: Senior G Sonjay Boyd, senior F Chris Bowman, senior C Jeremy Larson, sophomore G DeMarcus Morris, junior G Eric Beard, junior G Sean Hackshaw.
Outlook: The small Bulldogs lineup will have a tough time matching up with some of the better teams in Region 3-AAA. With such a young team, Chambers is hoping to build as the season goes on. The Bulldogs will have their hands full - they face Greenbrier, Lakeside and Evans in three of their first four games.
Harlem Lady Bulldogs
Coach: Kim Chambers (third season)
Last region title: NA
Returning starters: 3
Key players: Junior G April Woodard, junior G Beyra Ortega, junior F Shontale Wells, sophomore F Kelley Hamilton, sophomore G Victoria Thomas, junior F LaKeitra Beard.
Top newcomers: Freshman G Kacee Camp.
Outlook: Chambers has a team with potential. The Lady Bulldogs have the talent, led by Woodard, to make a run at the playoffs. The biggest problem will be inexperience. The team has no seniors and lost team leader Sharday Taylor to graduation.
Evans Knights
Coach: Kevin Kenny
Last region title: NA
Last year's record: 8-16
Returning starters: 1
Key players: Senior F Hank McCladdie (6-5), junior G Glen Miller (6-2), senior G K.J. Kenny (5-8), senior F Orlando Bradley (5-11), senior F Matt Hebbard (6-2).
Top newcomers: Junior Jerome Manuel (5-11), senior C Ryan Pressley (6-6).
Outlook: Despite losing four starters, the Knights should be in the thick of the playoff race in Region 2-AAAA. The biggest key is escaping the rigorous play of Region 7-AAAAA. Kenny's teams always play tough defense.
Evans Lady Knights
Coach: Tim Whitfield (fifth season)
Last region title: NA
Last year's record: 6-18
Returning starters: 2
Key players: Senior G Bekah Gibbs (5-2), sophomore C Lauren Middleton (5-11), sophomore F Kelly Seagraves (5-8), junior F Sherrel Parks (5-9), junior G Tynisha Butler (5-6), junior F Abby Donnelly (5-7).
Key newcomers: Freshman G Janay Moore (5-4), junior G Cayla Hale (5-5), sophomore F Tiphani Grimes (5-7), junior F Rachel Hall (5-6).
Outlook: The Lady Knights might benefit more than any team in the county from region re-classification. Evans has been battered by some of the strongest girls teams in the state during the past few seasons while playing in Region 7-AAAAA. Evans might not be a playoff threat, but it will be more competitive this season.