Top Teams Top Players Fast Break • The starting lineup and coach (Vaughn Jones) from the M.M. Washington team that advanced to last year's DCIAA final are now at Coolidge, which hasn't had a winning season since 2001-02.
• Cardozo has won an unprecedented four straight DCIAA titles, but has only four players returning, led by guards Dominique Aull and Rafiel Guthrie.
• Roosevelt returns four starters and gets a boost from a pair of Dunbar transfers: Tyler, who hit 68 three-pointers last season, and 6-foot-8 Chris Roberson.
• Ballou, which swept its league schedule last season, returns only two starters, but should be in the thick of a balanced East Division. Top Teams Top Players Fast Break • The early favorite to win the county is defending champion Broadneck, which brings back most of its starting lineup from last year's 22-3 squad. Hicks' scoring, Hunt's rebounding (he's set to be the school's all-time leader in that category), and Atkins' ability to shoot the three (42 percent in final 12 games last year) could land the Bruins in the state tournament for the first time since 1995.
• Severna Park's Bald, who will play for UNC Wilmington, transferred from Archbishop Splading. He and sharp shooter Aaron Nutter will have the Falcons contending.
• Annapolis Coach John Brady, in his 31st season, calls his squad the most intelligent he's had in years, able to handle various schemes and situations. Top Teams Top Players Fast Break • Long Reach will be tough with all-county player Ukwuoma and G Deon Queen, a scorer who transferred from Chesapeake. Long Reach won a state title two years ago.
• One of defending state champion River Hill's top players, G Michael Campanaro, is forgoing basketball this year because of football commitments, but the Hawks (who move from 3A to 2A) will still contend with their Princeton-style offense. C Kevin McCarthy is a good rebounder and can shoot the 3.
• Four of five Atholton starters from last year are gone, but the Raiders (moved to 2A from 3A) have excellent outside shooters in Deon Cook and Conner Cortes, and good rebounding with 6-5 senior Anthony Jones. Top Teams Top Players Fast Break • Frederick lost all five starters from last season's 2A West Region championship team.
• Linganore should be much improved, with four starters coming back for the Lancers.
• Urbana lost three starters to graduation, but has four talented newcomers that should make the Hawks competitive.
• Brown, a four-year starter who averaged nearly 25 points per game last season, is undoubtedly the best player in the league, but has yet to garner much interest from college recuiters.
• Many coaches said there is more parity in the MVAL this season than in any other they can remember, with only Walkersville a clear favorite.
• Middletown has won more MVAL championships (15) than the next two programs combined. Top Teams Top Players Fast Break • It should be a very balanced year in the county, which has produced the past two Maryland 4A champions -- Sherwood last year, and Whitman in 2006 -- and a 4A finalist in each of the three previous years (Blake, Springbrook and Magruder).
• Holston had a strong summer, and by playing beside senior PG Dominique Budd he is poised to become a dominant player after serving as Deontay Twyman's sidekick last year. Top Teams Top Players Fast Break • With Sutton, Largo is the clear-cut favorite in the county, seeking a third consecutive trip to the state semifinals. Three of the county's top players transferred out of the area prior to the season: Wise F Roscoe Davis (West Virginia) to Hargrave Military Academy, Oxon Hill G Maurice Creek to a Connecticut private school and Bladensburg F Wally Judge (Kansas State) to a Jacksonville, Fla., private school.
• Wise, in its second year of existence, has four players with Division I scholarship offers. Bladensburg brings back three starters, led by G Jerald Williams, a junior entering his third year as a starter. Mustangs Coach Jim Butler is recovering from a mild heart attack, according to assistant Ray Brewer Sr. Top Teams Top Players Fast Break • Seniors made up last year's entire first and second All-Southern Maryland teams voted on by coaches, meaning there will be many new faces and role players stepping into the spotlight this season. Thomas Stone's Lendrick Eackles would have returned as possibly the top player in the conference, but moved back to Louisiana.
• Last season's top two teams, Great Mills and Thomas Stone, were especially ravaged by graduation, but cannot be taken for granted. Top Teams Top Players Fast Break • Once again the bulk of the area's top teams are private schools. Montrose Christian, with its trio of top juniors and a handful of transfers, is considered among the nation's top teams.
• Another independent, National Christian, is led by Taylor and three seniors likely to get Division I college scholarships: G Trevor Brown Jr., F Wilbur O'Neal and F David Diakite.
• In the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, Gonzaga lacks standouts but does have several talented players, including Kenyi, F Cam Johnson (bound for Virginia to play football) and junior C Ian Hummer. The Eagles and O'Connell are out to knock DeMatha from the league's perch. O'Connell has the area's most talented player in Clark, who signed with Georgetown. DeMatha must rebuild, with Baltimore transfers Hibbert and G Josh Selby leading the way.
• Georgetown Prep should head the Interstate Athletic Conference, led by G Garvey Young, though Bullis and St. Stephen's/St. Agnes could challenge.