Starting Thursday, we'll start previewing over 60 boys and girls high school teams from around Idaho. The Great Basin, High Country, Inland Empire and Southern Idaho Conferences will be previewed.
*Update: the 4A SIC preview is now online. CLICK HERE
**Update: the girls 5A SIC preview is online. CLICK HERE
Thursday we start with the girls 4A Southern Idaho Conference and Friday will be girls 5A SIC. Then, if everything goes according to plan, we will start the guys on Monday, November 23.
THURSDAY TEASER: in the 4A SIC, two teams look like they are going to stay near the top of the conference while two others seem positioned to keep climbing up in the standings. Can you guess which two? Plus, one team is looking for redemption. And, which two players are early favorites for the SIC player of the year?
Why are these previews different?
Instead of basing our reviews completely on our opinions (though they are in here), we first go to each coach and have them tell us about their team. Returning starters, offensive and defensive systems, coaching philosophies; these are just some of the insight coaches provide. Not all teams respond and that's OK. Keep in mind that these coaches are also teachers, parents and sometimes coaching other teams as well. But we do get a pretty good response rate. And since we see a ton of high school games each year, our input will supplement where needed.
How did all this come together?
The Hoops Preview was originally published as a magazine by KIVI in the Treasure Valley. Several of us ghost writers (including Todd Anderson, Will Hoenike and Vince Trimboli) would get questionnaires from coaches and compile team summaries.
This year, there was no funding to do a magazine. But we knew that lots of people liked reading them so I decided to put them online. We don't make any money but it sure is fun to do!
How come all Idaho teams aren't previewed?
Unfortunately, with no money to produce the previews it means that our resources are incredibly limited. While we wanted to cover all the teams, this first year on our own it was more doable to cover about a third of the teams and then expand in 2010.
If your team isn't in here but you would like to see them next year, have your coach send an email to vince@idahoselect.org and we will work to get it done for next season.
