The Big 7 boys almost claimed another state championship, but Royal Valley came up just short against Hesston in the 3A Title game in Hutchinson. The Panthers were 24-2 and won the League title for a third straight season. It was their first state tournament wins in school history!

One cool stat is besides Jeff West, who didn't win a game, every Big 7 league team had a winning record against non-league opponents. Yep, pretty salty, and this year will be no exception. Only one new coach in the League this year and that is Eric Tate who has previously been an assistant at Holton and is familiar with the Wildcats.

Similar to the girls, there is a unanimous and clear-cut favorite as Sabetha sits a top the mountain to start the year, returning all five starters and all their production from am 18-5 campaign a year ago.

It wasn't easy for SABETHA. Remember, they only won three games a couple years ago. But boy did they turn it all around last winter before losing to Royal Valley in the sub state finals. This is the victory lap for Coach Scott Burger who has won 532 games at Sabetha in 32 years and says this is his last. We can't list one name without listing five or maybe even seven upper-classmen that return because they all are very solid, play together well, and have unique strengths that make the Bluejays so dang good. Matt Garber, Davis Rokey, Christian McAfee, Marcus Bauman, Nohl Niehues, Preston Michael and Nathan Voos make a helluva team.

It appears two teams come next in the pecking order with PERRY LECOMPTON and HOLTON. The Kaws have a couple new players in the program while the Wildcats have a new coach that could figure into the final league standings.

Perry returns only two starters and they are counting on a healthy Gunnar Ball who had hand surgery towards the end of football season. He is a baller who notched 17 points and 9 rebounds per game last year. He is a matchup problem at 6'3, and when you have fellow senior Kael Gorski at 6'5, Jack Golden at 6'3 and newcommer Kam Kaniper at 6'4.....this team has size and athletic skills. Kaniper is the newbie after coming over from Silver Lake where he was the Eagles best player averaging 12 points and 8 board an outing. Matt Simmons starts his second year with the Kaws.

Holton will be led by first-year coach, Eric Tate. However, he has been around the program and has two of the best players returning in Matt Lierz and Tyson Snyder. They combined to score 24 points per game in the backcourt and have a lot of savvy on the hardwood. The Cats aren't real tall however and are counting on several seniors to elevate their game to a new level after playing complimentary roles a year ago.

Seems awful silly not to be including NEMAHA CENTRAL at the top of the Big 7 predictions where they have been a fixture in coach Jon Thomas 32 years (479 wins). However, the Thunder also lack size and return zero starters. Tradition never graduates and there is never a shortage of athletes in Seneca. The JV went 17-3 last year and they are your varsity this season.

RIVERSIDE is an interesting team as by far the smallest school in the League and coming off a 7-14 campaign that got ugly at the end and left only 10 players on the high school roster. Yet, the Cyclones got a couple guys in the Duncan brothers that can ball with the best. Todrick (senior) scored 14.3 points and 10 rebounds per game and Percy added 10 and 7.5 as the junior sidekick. Coach Tyler Herbster however foresees playing five freshman and a couple sophomores on the varsity hardwood this winter and that can make for some tough sledding in the Big 7.

It's been a great run for ROYAL VALLEY, but like Nemaha, the cupboard is pretty bare in terms of varsity minutes and production. The Panthers lost five senior starters and their JV only won 7 games. It's a challenge that Coach Chris Brown is looking forward to in his third year with a lot of confidence in the program, but a lot of unproven new faces asked to produce.

Have you ever seen a team decimated with injuries like HIAWATHA? It's not fair as the Redhawks went through four quarterbacks and had more than six varsity football players on crutches late this fall. A few of those boys were counted on to produce on the hardwood and that throws a winkle into plans for fifth-year Coach Garry Smith. The Hawks will build around star senior Ashton Rockey at the point, who is the only returning starter.

JEFF WEST remains in rebuilding mode with Coach Joe Smith back for a second season. The Tigers played a ton of guys and young players with five returning that have starting experience. Yet, none of them are seniors as this team remains young but committed and excited to build together and get some wins to get the program on track.