While we all wait patiently for the All-WNY picks to come out and frost the cake that was the 2008-09 basketball season, I’d like to point out why the 2009-10 season is already shaping up to be spectacular.

 NFHS will continue to mass produce talent and if Myron Respress decides to take care of business in the classroom, the rims on Porter Road will be rocking all season.  But in order to continue as kings of the AA Class, they will once again have to contend with Sweet Home, who only graduates three players.

There are teams like Nichols and Williamsville South who have been winning for the last couple of years with the same core.  Both teams will return four starters.  Regan, Canestro, & Coppola will FINALLY be seniors after three years of highlights and accolades.

The Vikings will enter as the season as Manhattan Cup favorites for a third straight year as they return four starters from a three-loss team.  However, two of those loses came to St. Joe’s and Canisius.  The Marauders graduate just two players, while the Crusaders will return nine from the championship squad.  Then there is that St. Mary’s team who beat Joe’s and gave Nichols and Canisius all they could handle before stopping by the Civic Center in Glens Falls. Plenty of talent back for the Lancers, along with a second year staff to be reckon with.

Middle College and Riverside will enter Class A2 to bang heads with Yale Cup foes East, South Park, and Lafayette, along with Buffalo State annual Maryvale.  And after this season, I think Cheektowaga has earned its way into the discussion.

Thought the B1’s were deep this year?  Just wait until next season when Grover and Depew join the class that sees Olean and Medina each return three starters.  Throw former A schools Lackawanna and East Aurora into that mix and something tells me we could have a state champ somewhere in that mix.

Wilson only graduates two,  Allegany-Limestone three, Akron returns the Short twins, and Southwestern returns a couple names that are well known in its athletic department…Sopak & Bursch.

Randolph will have Maycock, Milliman, & Morrison back in uniform next season and one of Westfield’s top players, 6’6” Michael Bova is just a sophomore.

Then there’s Maple Grove. That independent schedule they will play should serve as a massive gag in the mouths of all the Chris Secky doubters out there.  The will Dragons lose three starters, but I still think starting a fundraiser now to secure a Greyhound bus for Glens Falls is a good idea.

 I’ll make a prediction today that you can hold me to in a couple weeks – this year’s All-WNY teams will have nine underclassmen on them.  That’s nine of the top 20 players in the area returning for next season:

Regan, Secky, Coppola, Helton, Briggs, Jackson, Canestro, Marshall, & Rivera.

Maybe you disagree with me about one or two or three of them.  Here are some possible alternates:

  Palumbo, J. Stokes, Davis, Stalyga, Jefferson, Young, Holland (yes, all underclassmen as well).

I still haven’t included players returning next season like Pace, S. Wier, Maryniewski, Virgil, Butts, Larson, Shepard, Barczykowski, Carney, A. Moore, K. Stokes, Nowak, Baker, Moxham, Tritto, Licatta, Kazmierczak, Barnhardt, Aiello, Joseph, Nevins, Dour,  St. Joe’s…oh wait that’s a team – well you get my point. 

Next year is loaded with top notch returning teams and players.  Only 237 days until the Pastor-Cooper Tournament tips off!