By Ryan Mink
rmink@digitalsports.com

The WCAC is always stocked with talent, but this year may be even more special than others. Not only are there blue-chip recruits, but there are several teams that could challenge for a conference crown and a handful more that won’t make it easy for anybody.

As evidence, three WCAC teams are nationally ranked in the ESPN Rise Fab 50 Preseason Boys Basketball Rankings.

DeMatha leads the group at the No. 13 with Bishop McNamara at No. 30 and defending WCAC champion Gonzaga at No. 48.

“This year probably has more depth in the league than any year in the past 10 or 15 years,” Good Counsel Coach Mike Hibbs said.

“We were talking over the summer and said, ‘Imagine, one of these teams is going to be in sixth place in our league,'" Hibbs continued. "It seems almost unfair for that to happen because they’re going to be a very good team.’”



DEMATHA FUELED BY FAILURE

As if dropping a massive lead over O’Connell and lose in the WCAC playoffs last season wasn’t bad enough, DeMatha wasn’t invited to the Alhambra Tournament for the first time in 34 years.

“That definitely hit home for us,” Coach Mike Jones said. “To win three [WCAC titles] in a row and then a couple guys that weren’t part of the last one, they were disappointed. Then also not getting invited to Alhambra last year. … Our season ended awfully early as far as what we’re used to.”

Thus, this year’s squad is motivated by the shortcomings of last year to prove that DeMatha is still the dominant program people have come to count on. And this year’s Stags may just be one of the most talented team, top to bottom, to ever step onto the court.

The team is led by junior Tennessee recruit Josh Selby, who scored 31 points in DeMatha’s season opener against Archbishop Spalding Tuesday night.

“This year we’re just more motivated and more enthusiastic about the championship and everybody want it,” Selby said.

Selby, a 6-foot-2 guard, averaged 13 ppg last year but will likely increase that this year as he continues to improve his overall game. He also showed the knack for scoring dramatic points when he put DeMatha on his shoulders late in the finals against McNamara, leading the Stags to the Rock Summer League title.

“I haven’t been bashful in saying Josh Selby is a pro,” Jones said. “I know what pros are and he’s definitely one of them.”

The rest of DeMatha’s roster is deep and extremely talented at every position. Jones said it’s as talented as he’s had while at DeMatha. His only complaint is that his team isn’t that big. But what it lacks in size it makes up for in athleticism.

Texas A&M recruit Naji Hibbert will be one of the team’s main scoring threats while senior Marcus Rouse has become a skilled distributor who can also score. Junior Jerian Grant, sophomore Quinn Cook and junior Victor Oladipo can all do multiple things on the court.

Oladipo showed off his athleticism by slamming down a one-handed alley-oop from Cook right overtop a leaping Spalding defender. The gym burst into screams as Oladipo shouted with excitement. (CHECK BACK FOR VIDEO)

“Everybody is so athletic,” Oladipo said. “It’s way better than last year. It’s like everybody grew and everybody just transformed into something better than they were before.”

Oladipo said that he’s heard the Stags are favorites to reclaim the WCAC title, and those whispers certainly are justified. But he said the Stags will always play like underdogs, especially considering what happened last year.

“We’re going to play like we usually play at DeMatha, like we’re down 100 all the time,” Oladipo said.


McNAMARA MAKES A STATEMENT

In reaching the Rock Summer League championship game and nearly knocking off the fully-loaded Stags, Bishop McNamara vaulted itself into WCAC title contention status. McNamara fell to DeMatha, 56-52, in the Rock finals.

“These guys are ready to go for their senior year,” McNamara Coach Marty Keithline said this summer. “I’m very encouraged by their effort on both ends of the floor and their enthusiasm and their work ethic this summer. … We’re learning how to win and how to solidify ourselves for next season.”

The Mustangs return Pittsburgh commit Talib Zanna and also bring back 6-foot-2 guards Rashad Whack and Trask Ivey as well as 6-foot-4 forward Lawrence Smith. Zanna proved he may be the best big man in the conference during the summer.

“This is a big confidence booster because we know next year we’re going to be unstoppable,” Zanna said after the summer loss to DeMatha. “We’re going to be like the Celtics.”

McNamara made another statement to open the season by defeating defending IAC champion Georgetown Prep, 64-62, in Rockville.

“We’re feeling great, feeling good. We’ve just got to keep up the intensity,” Whack said Tuesday before talking about the team’s expectations. “To get to the championship and take it game-by-game and do what we’ve got to do to get the win.”


EAGLES DEFEND

And of course, who can forget the defending conference, city and Alhambra champions?

Replicating that success will be difficult considering Gonzaga graduated much of last year’s title team’s scoring in point guard Rodney Gould, wing/forward Cameron Johnson and guard Max Kenyi. But it’s not impossible by any means as the Eagles still return plenty of firepower.

“We’re coming off a big season and I think we can contend for a championship again this season,” Coach Steve Turner said. “It’s a new group and they’re excited about doing new things.”

First there’s 6-foot-7 forward Ian Hummer, a Princeton commit who averaged more than 14 ppg and 9.5 rebounds last year. Hummer will look to continue his strong inside play this season.

“You’re going to see the same player you saw last year,” Turner said of Hummer. “He’s a warrior down in the paint.”

Gonzaga also has Duke recruit and junior point guard Tyler Thornton, who will likely step into more of a scoring role this year after averaging 8 ppg last season.

Senior 6-foot-8 center Connor Ford and last year’s sixth-man Cedrick Lindsay step into the starting lineup after being role players on last year’s team. Lindsay could be one of Gonzaga’s main scoring threats with his outside shooting.

“I think he’s emerged as one of the top guards in the city,” Turner said.


CAN THE FALCONS MAKE A RUN?

Good Counsel has many banners from many different sports in its gym. But there’s one sport missing: boys basketball.

This year, with a deep, experienced roster, Good Counsel has a chance to change that.

“Every time I look up there I get mad,” senior guard Recardo Gaddy said. “We’re still the underdogs in the league. Nobody really respects us. … We’ve got to earn our respect.”

The Falcons return nine players and four starters from last year’s team that went 21-8. This is Coach Mike Hibbs’ fourth season and he purposefully put many of the players on varsity their freshman year to slowly prepare them for a championship run this season.

“The kids like each other, they’re working hard, they’re playing hard,” Hibbs said. “So we do have that opportunity. Like I told them, that opportunity doesn’t come around every year here at Good Counsel.”

Gaddy is one of the team’s best all-around players, but he has plenty of other weapons around him. The Falcons have two adept point guards in 5-foot-8 Rodney Glasgow and 6-foot-0 Stanford football recruit Louis Young. Ben Hazel, a three-year starter and sharpshooter, gives the Falcons four high-caliber guards.

Down low the Falcons have 6-foot-11 Southern Methodist recruit Julius Omoniurhie, who gives Good Counsel a defensive presence in the paint. Omoniurhie has worked to improve his offensive game. Also watch for 6-foot-7 forward Sean Wright.

Devin Wright-Nelson is the newcomer to what would be called the typical starting five, although he may be one of the Falcons’ top threats this season. He steps in for last year’s top scorer Jordan Clarke, but showed his rebounding and scoring touch this past summer as Good Counsel reached the Rock League semifinals.

“I don’t think anyone can key on one player this year,” Hibbs said. “We’re very well balanced. I think we play different styles. So I do think we have the possibility to be there in the end.”


DANGEROUS FROM THE OUTSIDE

St. John’s has the parts to challenge the upper-echelon. The Cadets are led by sophomore Chris Martin, who was named to the third-team WCAC squad last year as just a freshman. But look out for senior 6-foot-3 New York City transfer Derrick Thomas, who announced his WCAC arrival this past summer at the Rock Summer League after playing junior varsity last year.

O’Connell won’t be the same without last year’s star Jason Clark, who is now at Georgetown. Clark averaged more than 20 points per game in leading the Knights to the WCAC and Virginia private school tournament finals. The Knights have three seniors this season and will now lean on returning 6-foot-4 junior North Carolina recruit Kendall Marshall.

Paul VI welcomes Millbrook transfer Erick Green with open arms. The Virginia Tech recruit lead Millbrook to the Virginia AA title last year. The Panthers have a rather young roster but could still be dangerous on any given night. The Panthers are already 2-0 after a 68-42 win over Cesar Chaves Tuesday night.


NEWS AND NOTES

Carroll has to fill the place of Kris Joseph, the 6-foot-7 Syracuse freshman, and Rodney McGruder, the do-it-all Kansas State recruit who transferred out of Carroll to play in Florida.

St. Mary's Ryken has a pair of transfers from Turkey in 6-foot-9 forward Gokham Sirin and 6-foot-5 forward Gorkeem Sonmez, which will help the typically undersized Knights. St. Mary's Ryken went 13-15 last year under then first-year coach Dave Tallman but could surprise some people this season.

Ireton started it's season with a win over Christ Chapel, 87-25.