Posted: Nov. 24, 2012

Narrows League

Central Kitsap Cougars

Coach: Scott McMinds, fifth year

Last year: 14-9 (10-4 league)

Top returners: Michael Thomas, sr., G, 6-2; Chanlin Morgan, sr., G, 5-11; Ty Luna, sr., G, 6-3; Tyler Parker, sr, 6-0, G/F; Bradford Jorgenson, sr., F, 6-3; Andrew Schweiterman, jr., G, 5-8.

Top newcomers: Dain Cox, sr., F, 6-4; Steve Johnson, jr., G, 5-10; Austin Murray, jr., 6-4, F; Alex Smith, so., 6-6, F.

Outlook: The Cougars have six seniors, which is more than they've had on varsity in four years. Thomas, Morgan, Luna and Parker lead the way. CK picked up some height in the newcomers. McMinds expects his team to compete for one of the league's four playoff spots.

South Kitsap Wolves

Coach: John Callaghan, 15th year

Last year: 11-10 (7-7 league)

Top returners: Devon Newquist, sr., W, 6-0; James Hyson, sr., P, 6-5; Josh Osinski, sr., P, 6-5; Tom Simpson, sr., G, 6-0; Ryley Callaghan, jr., PG, 6-0.

Top newcomers: Caulin Bakalarski, jr., W, 6-3; Nic Stoner, sr., PG, 5-10; Nick Mishko, sr., W, 5-11; Quincy Benavidez, sr., G, 5-11; PJ Johnson, sr., W, 6-0.

Outlook: Callaghan has high expectations for these Wolves. They have plenty of seniors, and athletic newcomers. Callaghan expects his team to provide pressure up and down the court.

Metro League

Bainbridge Spartans

Coach: Scott Orness, second year

Last year: 11-13 (6-9 league)

Top returners: Nick Edens, jr., W/P, 6-7; Joey Blacker, jr., G, 6-4; Oskar Dieterich, so., P, 6-6.

Top newcomers: Trent Schulte, so., G, 5-10; Blake Swanson, so., G, 5-10; Riley Irish, so., W/P, 6-5; Greg Shea, sr., W, 6-2.

Outlook: The Spartans are starting to see the benefits of kids playing in their feeder program, Roots Basketball. The Spartans are still young with seven sophomores, and are still going playing the rugged Metro League, which is arguably the top basketball league in the state. Orness is confident in the direction of the program. Bainbridge has some size with Edens and Dieterich.

Olympic League

Bremerton Knights

Coach: Darren Bowden, third year

Last year: 11-10 (10-6 league)

Top returners: Mikey Lawrence, sr., G, 5-10; Andrew Shadle, sr., F, 5-11; Deonte Dixon, jr., G/F, 6-1; Terrick Houston-Sims, jr., P, 6-1; Shaq Jones, sr., P/F, 6-3.

Top newcomers: Beau West, jr., G, 6-1; Austin Garrett, jr., P, 6-4; Casey Winderl, so., G, 5-9.

Outlook: The Knights have made the playoffs the past four years as a 3A team in a 3A/2A/1A league. Now, they just have to qualify as a 2A school, simplifying things as their playoff route isn't decided by a math formula. Lawrence and Shadle have been key parts of the team since they were freshman and competed in the state tournament.

Kingston Buccaneers

Coach: Blake Conley, fourth year

Last year: 24-6 (15-1, league champs, third in state)

Top returners: KT Deam, sr., PG, 5-8; Conner Wall, sr., G, 5-8; Hans Shippers, sr., G/F, 6-5; Henry English, jr., G, 5-10.

Top newcomers: Kyle Hamal, sr., F, 6-6; Nathan Carleton, jr., G, 6-2.

Outlook: The Bucs lost quite a few players off the team that finished third in state the last two seasons. Deam was the starting point guard for that run. Schippers, Wall and English played at state, but we will have to step up to fill departed rolls. Still, Conley expects his team to challenge for a third straight league title.

Klahowya Eagles

Coach: Jim Horan, first year

Last year: 8-13 (8-8 league)

Top returners: Jacob Sheets, sr., 5-10, PG; Carlos Vallejo, sr., 6-0, G; Drew Fagan, sr., 5-11, G; Josh Ganowski, sr., 6-2, F; Alijah Hawley, jr., 5-10, G; Mike Ward, sr., 6-1, G; Cody Roberts, sr., 6-3, C.

Top newcomers: Ricky Holguin, so., 5-11, G; Mitchell Knuckey, jr., 6-6, C.

Outlook: Horan, who has coached at Cedar Heights Junior High in Port Orchard the last 10 years, takes over for Spike Hopper, who wasn't offered his job back after last season. The Eagles have plenty of seniors (six) returning. Horan said he expects all the seniors to be key guys, Ward and Vallejo have looked good in the early going.

North Kitsap Vikings

Coach: Tony Chisholm, seventh year

Last year: 5-15 (4-12 league)

Top returners: Kendal Gill, sr., G, 6-3; Riley Lindsey, sr., F, 6-3; Jacob Hill, sr., G, 5-10; Adam Lemmon, jr., P, 6-5.

Top newcomers: Michael Urquhart, jr., G, 6-2; Jarrod Felix, so., F, 6-1; David Perry, so., G, 5-11.

Outlook: After languishing toward the bottom of the league standings in recent years, Chisholm thinks his team has a shot at a playoff spot.

North Mason Bulldogs

Coach: Steve Hackett, third year

Last year: 1-19 (0-16 league)

Top returners: Anthony Price, sr., 6-0, G; Evan Daley, sr., 6-4; F; Riley McKean, sr., 5-9, G.

Top newcomers: Matt Duckworth, jr., 6-0, G; Matt Decker, fr., 5-9, G.

Outlook: The Bulldogs took some lumps last year and finished in the cellar with just one win. Hackett said the guards, Price and McKean, have some experience and will be leaned on for scoring and leadership. Duckworth stepped up in the summer and will be relied upon.

Olympic Trojans

Coach: Devin Huff, sixth year

Last year: 12-9 (9-7 league)

Top returners: Quentin Phillis, sr., G, 6-0; Andrew Hammond, sr., P, 6-4; Makiah McInnis, sr., G, 5-10; Kyle Setten, jr., P, 6-3: Brian Tyson, sr., P/G, 6-4; RJ Neal, sr., G, 5-8; Zach Thornton, sr., G, 5-11.

Top newcomers: Makaleb McInnis, so., G, 6-0; Tarence Mosely, jr., G, 6-0; Randy Grier, sr., P, 6-0.

Outlook: See related story.

Port Angeles Roughriders

Coach: Brent Stephens, first year

Last year: 17-8 (12-4 league)

Top returners: Marshall Elliott, sr., 6-4, P; Hayden Gunderson, jr., 5-10, G; Garrett Payton, sr., 6-5, G/W.

Top newcomers: Miki Andrus, so., 5-7, G; Lambros Rogers, fr., 6-3, G/W; Derek Schumacher, jr., 6-3, W; Caleb Trieder, sr., 5-10, G.

Outlook: Stephens, who has been coaching in the small college ranks as well as high school over the last 12 years, takes over for Wes Armstrong, who moved. He has a young team overall but has some veterans mixed in.

Port Townsend Redskins

Coach: Tom Webster, third year

Last year: 3-17 (2-14 league)

Top returners: Brian LeMaster, sr., F/C, 6-3; Paul Spaltenstein, jr., G/F, 6-4; Cody Russell, jr., 6-2, G; Skyler Coppenrath, jr., F, 6-3; Will O'Brien, jr., 5-8, G; Daniel Charlton, jr., 6-0, G/F; Jacob King, jr., F, 6-0.

Top newcomers: none

Outlook: The Redskins had six sophomores on varsity last season that saw significant time. Those six return and they expect that experience to help them rise in the team standings.

Sequim Wolves

Coach: Greg Glasser, sixth year

Last year: 16-9 (12-5 league)

Top returners: Alex Barry, so., G, 6-2; Anthony Pinza, jr., G, 5-8; Gabe Carter, sr., G/P, 6-4; Jayson Brocklesby, sr., G/P, 6-2; Tim Guan, sr., G/P, 6-2.

Top newcomers: Erick Christensen, jr., P, 6-5; Rory Kallappa, jr., G/P, 6-4; Dylan Eekhoff, sr., G/P, 6-2; Jedd Posadas, sr., G, 5-7; Donovan Lee, sr., G, 5-7; Andrew Shimer, sr., P, 6-4.

Outlook: The Wolves will be competing for the league title this year. Carter and Brocklesby were second-team all-league players last season.

Nisqually League

Chimacum Cowboys

Coach: Jim Eldridge, fourth year

Last year: 13-10 (6-6 league)

Top returners: Rafael Pagasian, sr., G, 5-9; Derek Ajax, sr., F, 6-0; Riley Downs, jr., F, 6-3; Kevin Miller, sr., F, 6-2.

Top newcomers: Tracyn Anderson, jr., G, 5-9; Orion Weller, so., P, 6-4; Seth Ham, sr., P, 6-3.

Outlook: The Cowboys made the playoffs last year, but lost three of their top four scorers. Anderson and Miller are able replacements and are good shooters as well as Pagasian. Eldridge expects his team to be better on the boards.

Sea-Tac League

Crosspoint Warriors

Coach: Dave Kerkoff, first year

Last year: 2-16 (0-12 league)

Top returners: Mikal Pattee, sr., G, 5-8; Levi Stuart, sr., G, 5-6; Michael Cooper, sr., F, 6-0; Zach Miller, jr., 5-10, G;

Top newcomers: Patrick Wheeler, jr.; Chris Kelley, jr.; Dominic Brooks, jr.; Michael Shea, so.; Logan Everett, so.; Darin Brown, so.; Cody Arns, so.; James Apodaca, so.; Seth Huschka, fr.

Outlook: The four returners are the heart of the Warriors, particularly Cooper. Kerkoff returns as coach after a year in retirement.