"Getting that playoff experience was a big thing for a group so young," says Tate. "Now that we have one year under our belt, I think we'll definitely be more seasoned."

The Huskies return virtually their entire team, led by junior Brandi Arey and sophomores Anna Diggs, Julia Brown, Kelsey Dean and Courtney Carroll. Tate is looking forward to getting multiple seasons with the same core group of players.

"They know each other well, so it won't take until midseason for us to learn how to play with each other," she says. "If you can keep a group together like that for a long time, it can be a huge advantage."

After finishing third in I-Meck play with a conference record of 9-5 last season, the Huskies will be looking to contend for the conference title, too.

"It's always our goal to come into the season envisioning winning the conference," says Tate. "We also want to build on our postseason experience from last season and take it a step further."

The Huskies also hope to get their first win over conference foe Mallard Creek. The Mavericks defeated Hough four times last season, none more lingering than the final meeting, a 56-48 contest that bounced the Huskies from the playoffs.

"We're still so young, but I'm definitely holding them accountable for how they perform on the court," says Tate. "I want to show them they have the potential to be a good team. We just have to pull the most out of them that we can."

Hough takes the court for the first time Monday at home against Independence.

— Ian Richardson

Hopewell

There's enough talent returning for the Hopewell Lady Titans to view themselves as a contender for the I-Meck Conference championship again this season.

But so many of the mainstays who helped the team to 48 wins over the past two seasons and who have their names near the top of virtually all the school's career records are now gone that it will be a different look, style and method to get this 2011-12 team to the same heights. The Titans, who reached the 4A West Regional semifinals and went 25-4 last year, have won the past two I-Meck championships.

"Some girls are going to have to step up and fill those gaps created by graduation," says coach Gary Richmond. "But I'm confident they can do it."

Three-time all-conference player Shareé Boyd returns for her senior season, along with rising star Bryanna Curry, a sophomore, and veteran forward Tiera Burks.

But the fortunes of this year's team might be best determined by how quickly the players from last year's highly successful junior varsity team adjust to the varsity level, and how well senior transfers — T'Shea Glenn, who played at Concord First Assembly last season, and Tae Lynch, who started at Concord High — adjust.

Glenn and Lynch will comprise the starting backcourt and give the Titans an ultra-fast duo that will apply constant defensive pressure on opponents and push the ball up the court quickly on offense. They'll look for Boyd, who scored 11 points per game a season ago and also hauled down six rebounds and dished out four assists per outing.

Burks will provide the low post presence, where she has been unstoppable at times during her three seasons on varsity. She averaged seven points and five rebounds last year.

The 5-foot-9 Curry, meanwhile, became one of the team's top outside scoring threats last season, connecting on nearly 50 percent of her three-point attempts and providing match-up problems for opponents.

— Denny Seitz

North Meck

If proving doubters wrong is a motivator, the North Meck Lady Vikings should have plenty of reasons to work hard and try to excel on the court this season.

Jennifer Baker's team lost most of its key players from last year's 14-12 team, and the top returning scorer — Destiny Barrino — averaged just six points per game.

But Baker says the low expectations just fuel the desires for the team to overachieve. And she says people might underestimate the abilities of the younger players, some of whom starred at the middle school level.

Two freshmen and four sophomores are on the varsity squad, with just one senior, 5-foot-10 post player Eboni Dixon. More than 40 players greeted Baker on the first day of tryouts, many of them far more athletic than Baker anticipated.

"We're so young," says Baker, "and our coaches are having to do a lot of teaching, but there are some players out here who are going to surprise people."

Barrino and Dixon should be two of the mainstays, along with other veterans who played supporting roles a year ago — junior forward Jasmine Cash, and junior guards Jasmine Bullock and Kelly Beasley. Juniors Satara Caldwell and Brittany Moorman will also contribute.

There's no lack of athleticism, so Baker expects the team to be fast, play pressure defense, and be balanced. Freshmen guards Aliah Pine and Jaydah Hayden could be future stars, boasting great athletic ability and basketball instincts. Pine is 5-7. Hayden is 5-10.

Peta Kalokola, a 6-1 post player, joins Barrino and Lindsey Harris as sophomore post players, while fellow sophomore Brianna Jones will see time in the backcourt.

— Denny Seitz

Lake Norman Charter

The Lady Knights won 19 games last year, but the first round of the NCHSAA 1A playoffs was a learning experience.

LNC, which opens the season Nov. 30 against Hough, entered the postseason as a wild card team, earning the spot as a successful independent team. But the Knights lost 51-38 to Highland Tech, and in hindsight, LNC coach Bobby Williams says his team just wasn't prepared.

It wasn't for lack of effort, but because the Knights weren't in a state-sanctioned conference, they played anyone they could. In the coach's final assessment, that just wasn't good enough.

"Nobody wins when you play a team and beat them by 50 or 60 points," says Williams. "That's like having a bad practice if you ask me."

This year, however, the Knights are in the Southern Piedmont Conference, the same as Highland Tech, and the 1A/2A league should benefit LNC, says Williams, as it already has in other sports.

The Knights return four starters from last year's team, including senior guard Jamie Williams, who led the team with 13.6 points, 5.2 assists and 4.9 steals per game. Sophomore center Ezzine Mbamalu also returns, a year after averaging 8.8 points and 12.9 rebounds. She is 6-foot-2 and blocked 63 shots as a freshman.

Sophomore Alex Busch averaged eight points and 4.9 rebounds last season, while junior Carolyn Huddy, a college-bound soccer player, is the team's top defender.

—Justin Parker

SouthLake Christian

Terry Batts is raising the bar for his second SouthLake Christian team. He says the Lady Eagles winning the Metrolina Athletic Conference title is not out of the question.

"I think we've got a good group of basketball players who have played over the last couple of years," says Batts.

The Eagles, 22-8 last year, return two players who averaged 18 points per game. Senior center Bri Mack is 6-foot-3 and the Eagles' go-to player (see story, Page 8).

Along with her scoring production in the paint, she averaged 15 rebounds and five blocks per game. She has signed with Western Carolina.

Senior guard Kourtney Hailey also averaged 18 points per game and is now attracting recruiting attention from small Division I programs.

"She can really shoot it from outside," says Batts.

Senior guard Anna Landis and sophomore guard Giselle Verville also have starting experience and combined for 13 points and nine assists per game last year.

SouthLake opened the season Tuesday with a 66-60 loss to Gaston Day, after leading by 17 at the half. Hailey scored a team-high 24, while Mack added 13 points and 10 rebounds. Verville scored 12.

— Justin Parker

Davidson Day

Former assistant coach Jennifer Shiley enters her first season at the helm of the Davidson Day program and takes over a Lady Patriots team that finished 7-18 last season. The Patriots are hoping to build on the momentum from reaching the second round of the Southern Piedmont Athletic Association tournament after going 1-7 in the conference's regular season.

"I think we finished in a really positive place last year," says Shiley. "Our momentum was still moving throughout the summer, and I'm looking forward to the season and seeing the girls pick up where we left off."

The Patriots return several key players in forwards Jasmine Hamilton and Kay Funderburk, as well as Alexas Bradford and Rachel Bringewatt at guard.

With the season approaching, Shiley is looking forward to not only improving the Patriots' record on the court, but also making sure each player steadily improves throughout the course of the season.

"We're trying to continue working hard every day," she says.

Davidson Day's first game is Monday at Caldwell Academy.

— Ian Richardson