WHO WILL BE CHAMPS?

HS BASKETBALL The Bandys Trojans are bringing back all but one of the key players from last year's playoff team. "This is, by far, the most talented group I've had from top to bottom," said Bandys head coach Brandon Helms. Leading the way for the Trojans this season will be 6'9" center Landon Vaughan.

Vaughan is a skilled player who takes advantage of his size to score from close range. He can also handle the ball in the open floor and shoot 3-pointers. Those skills make Vaughn an early contender for conference player of the year.



"Six through 14, I think most of those guys could start at other schools," Helms said. "Every practice will be a full-out competition to see who plays. And there's going to be some weeks where some guys who are really talented don't play quite as much as they probably should just because we're so deep.

" Helms expects that depth to be a difference-maker in conference play and in playoff games. Newton-Conover Red Devils Leading the way for the Red Devils this season will be twin brothers Owen and Noah Cannon. The Cannon brothers have combined for nearly 50 points per game through Newton-Conover's first two games.

Returning starter Braxton Eckard has also played well. Coach Nicholas Wilson said he is also expecting significant contributions from three seniors who were on varsity last year but didn't play a lot of minutes. "We've got some other seniors who played some minutes last year," said Wilson.

"Mason Rice, Oskar Isenhour and Jack Hoffman. (They were all) on the team last year and played in meaningful games." The Red Devils won the conference championship team last year.

This team is different but the winning formula is the same, Wilson said. "We've got to come out, guard well, protect the basketball and execute," he said. Maiden Blue Devils Maiden has one of North Carolina's most prolific rebounders, Raheim Misher, back for his senior season.

Misher averaged 14.6 points and 14.4 rebounds per game last year.

Head coach Justin Brittain will also bring back point guard Zion White and key contributors Lincoln Frasure, Tae Maze, Cross Arias and Gerald Danner from last year's team. Add in transfer student Carson Bess from Fred T. Foard and Brittain will field a deep, battled-tested team.

Bunker Hill Bears Bunker Hill features a largely new group of players. Head coach Jordan Wilson said he's still figuring out who his top players are going to be. He said this year is going to be a learning experience for him and his players.

He said he believes his team will quickly improve and be in a position to win some games when conference play starts. "It's a new group. So, I get to coach a new group and that's always exciting," he said.

"That's the main thing, just trying to work as hard as we can work and get better." Jason Koon is the Sports Editor for the Hickory Record and can be reached at jason. koon@lee.

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