4A basketball

SE Idaho District 6, I see wide open. IF returns the most, everyone else has significant losses. Hillcrest returns 2 or 3, Skyline the same, Blackfoot lost a big crew of seniors, although they have a good crew coming back, Bonneville lost Sorensen and doesn't return much, and I believe Shelley lost a bunch as well. I see Twin, Preston, and Century being the top 3 for district 4/5 and they get 3 full teams. Starts next week, can't wait!!

Burley lost their three best players to graduation all off  to the jc college ranks who between them had about 8 dunks in the first game at state last year.  Ryan Bagley, Andrew Ferrin and Jackson Hill but return the very talented jrs. Jace Whiting and Ethan Gibbons.  Twin returns all of their key players four of five starters and a great 6th man in 6'4" 270 pound Hudson Klundt to go along with 6'9" Brizzee and Ball.  6'4" Winston Duggan is  the two and 6'3" Faust Ystueta is their excellant point guard.   Minico returns their top 3 in 6'7" senior Colby Matsen along with a very talented junior class including 6'5" Kasen Carpenter an elite 3 point shooter and the extremely strong and quick point guard Rylan Chandler,along with a deep supporting cast.  With the addition of the talented jr Hobsen kid from West Side Preston has reloaded with jrs 6'5" Hyde, Smellie at point and wings Ward and Dunne.

Century returns Sr. point Deshun Harwell and 6'7" Post Max Rogers 6'5" Titan Flieshman a soph and

Gunther and company will make Century formidable. Not sure if they have the depth at the guard line to be overwhelming but they are a favorite along with Minico Twin and Preston. Don't know about the transfer kids I have heard about at Burley and their eligability but they don't appear to have the bigs with their returnees. Twins achilles is they are very slow across the board with that incredable height and could be overpowered athletically. Not sure if Preston has the bigs to get across the finish line. The other teams in the conference may not beat any of these teams with the exception of Mountain Home who is an unknown in the ten team district 4 and 5 great basin conference.

Tomorrow basketball is starting across the state. Rocky Borah and Meridian along with Madison and Rigby and others in 5a. Preston Twin Century Minico Bishop Kelley Vallivue and Middleton in 4a with the top in district 6 also in the mix. Fruitland returning their whole roster in defending in 3a. Lapwai and Valley missing only 3 players between them possibly a rematch in 1A div 1. North Freemont also returns their whole team in 2a. Genesis Prep a foregon conclusion a disgrace overwhelming everyone in 1a div 2.

Not up on the boys teams as much as the girls, because I have daughters not sons playing now. That said I will put in my two cents after watching Century and Minico play Bonneville and Aberdeen in a Jamboree the other day. Century has some good pieces in Harwell, and Rodgers ,Titan Fleischman will be a beast some day, but he is a sophmore with more refinement needed. His freshman brother might be even better in time, but not ready to help the varsity yet. Their success will depend on the other players progression throughout the season. They ran away from Bonneville in the second quarter, but Bonneville looks a little weak. Minico ran away from Aberdeen, but looked ragged and undisciplined against a terrible team. I would say Century looked to be a little bit ahead of Minico at this point simply because they played better team ball. Harwell is very calm, but maybe a little too unselfish at times. The athletisism looked pretty even for these two with both ahead of Bonneville.

I think Canyon Ridge and Mountain Home are the two teams to beat in East Idaho 4A.....