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District 10-5A Boys Basketball Predictions
BY Kevin Hageland, Matt Welch and Richard C. White, Staff Writers
1. Plano East
To watch the Panthers this season, it's hard to fathom that this squad missed the playoffs in 2011-12.
A year older and wiser, senior-heavy East has asserted itself as a state tournament darkhorse, currently ranked No. 7 in 5A by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches.
Most recently, the Panthers toppled three state-ranked teams en route to a second-place finish at the Whataburger Tournament. East is hitting its stride at the right time and that momentum should carry into district.
2. McKinney Boyd
Boyd heads into its district with a strong 16-3 mark.
Boyd has impressed throughout non-district, winning several tournaments along the way. The Broncos also have one of the deepest rosters in the district, and one of the most experienced ones as 11 of their 14 players are seniors.
This senior-heavy roster has provided the team with equal parts depth, leadership and experience throughout the first half of the season.
Leading the way for head coach Dean Christian's squad are guards Manney Collins, Daylon Markham, Michael Grant, Mikel Parish and Faisal Mansour. Based off their first-half success, Boyd is poised to cause trouble for many of their area rivals and should be among the district's top teams, with a run at the 10-5A Championship a very viable goal.
3. McKinney
The Lions have had quite the first half of the season.
The team boasts a solid 14-5 mark with a lone basket the difference in all but one of those losses. All five of the Lions' defeats were by five or fewer points -- and four of those losses were by three points or less.
Head coach Wes Watson's team is led by several talented players, included guards Connor Fuentes, Remington Edwards and Jonathan Shannon, in addition to forward Tracy Miles and post Raynell Denny.
Given their penchant to play teams close, the Lions must break through their occasional late-game troubles if they hope to compete with the district's best, but it should still be enough to assure a playoff spot in their 10-5A debut.
4. Allen
The Eagles are a tough team to peg at the moment, primarily because they've gone practically all of non-district without their full complement of players.
But Allen enters district with all hands on deck.
Thus far, the Eagles have relied on the backcourt of senior Cameron Epps and sophomore Olin Carter, plus junior jack-of-all-trades Myron Fisher at wing.
The presence of junior Tay Evans, who partnered with Fisher last year as two of Allen's linchpins off the bench, should bolster the Eagles' physicality and athleticism down low, while the additions of juniors Jamuni McNease, Jackie Davis and sophomore Bobby Evans give the Eagles a towering frontcourt.
Waiting so long for its full ensemble means players getting acclimated to one another at an inopportune stage, but the battle-tested core of Epps, Fisher and Tay should be enough for a postseason return.
5. Plano West
Consider the Wolves the anti-Plano East in regards to varsity experience.
The Wolves bring back just two players -- senior A.J. Lozano and junior Austin Enloe -- for their 2012-13 campaign, while working in a litany of underclassmen new to the varsity level.
The early returns have been promising with sophomores D.J. Hogg and Soso Jamabo flashing moments of prosperity for what lies down the road. Lozano complements that duo as West's three-headed scoring monster, with senior Zack Levick steadying the tide at point guard and senior Devron Kennedy a threat to lead the district in blocks.
The Wolves, whose non-district was highlighted by a consolation championship at the Whataburger Tournament, certainly have a bright future. But as with any young team, there are inevitable growing pains and, in this case, those may put West's five-year playoff steak in jeopardy.
6. Plano Senior
It took until Nov. 13 for the Wildcats to finally win their first game of 2012.
The winning hasn't stopped there with Plano having already eclipsed last season's total of nine victories.
Plano has done so by acclimating a bevy of last year's reserves to expanded roles, with senior Dustin Bercutt and junior Broderick Perkins seizing the reins as Plano's 1-2 punch this season. Senior Sheldon O'Neal and sophomore Jason Bardgett stretch the floor, while the team recently added juniors Austin Evans and Jacques Stephenson to bolster an already big frontcourt.
Plano is hovered around .500, although slow starts have the team riding a five-game losing skid that includes an average deficit of 8.8 points in the first quarter.
While the Wildcats' progress should net a more favorable outcome in 10-5A this season, a return to the playoffs may take more time.
For continued news and coverage on the local sports scene, follow @MWelchSCN on Twitter.
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