Five Teams, One Title: Breaking Down the Conference Race Before Tip-Off
A deep look at the contenders, the sleepers, and the players who could decide everything.
The conference title race this season is as open as it has been in years. Last year's champion graduated four starters. The runner-up lost its coach to a college program. And two teams that finished in the middle of the pack have quietly had excellent offseasons. Here is how it looks heading into the first week of games.
Eastview is the favorite. They return Aaliyah Simmons, who averaged 18 points and seven assists as a freshman and is already drawing interest from mid-major programs. Coach Diana Rivera has added two transfers who should immediately contribute in the frontcourt. If the defense holds — and Rivera's teams always defend — Eastview is the team to beat.
Millbrook is the most dangerous challenger. They lost their leading scorer but return a senior class with four players who have started at least 20 games. Their schedule is brutal in December, which will either sharpen them or expose them before conference play begins.
The sleeper is Central. They went 14-12 last year and nobody is talking about them. But they have the conference's best rebounder in junior Marcus Tate, a new point guard who ran a fast-paced offense at his previous school, and a coach who has quietly built one of the better programs in the region over the past five years.
Watch for the first Eastview-Millbrook game in January. If Millbrook wins, this race goes the distance. If Eastview wins, it might be over before February.