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SENECA

* Coach: Brandon Grammer (first year).

* Last season: 7-22, lost to St. Xavier 50-36 in Seventh Region quarterfinal.

* Player to watch: Gerald McCarver, a 5-10 senior, was an honorable-mention Minnesota All-Stater the past two seasons at Minneapolis Minnehaha Academy, where he averaged 23 points, six assists and five rebounds last season. "He's an old-school point guard," Grammer said. "He doesn't try to do too much from himself. He gets his teammates involved."

* Other top players: F Jeont'a Samuels (6-4, Jr.); F Kenneth Wachira (6-6, Sr., transfer from Western); F Brandon Trotter (6-6, Jr., transfer from Moore); G Antonio Dyson (6-3, Jr., transfer from Chicago); G Darian Porter (6-1, Sr.).

* Outlook: Grammer, a 2000 Ryle graduate, was coach at Fort Pierce (Fla.) Central last season. Four of his top players are transfers, including 6-6 forwards Wachira and Trotter. "They're not bangers," Grammer said. "They're very thin, but they should help us control the boards better than they did last year." Grammer said his biggest obstacle will be developing a team concept. "We have several very good players, but they have never played in a game together."


TRINITY

* Coach: Mike Szabo (12th year).

* Last season: 35-3, beat Scott County 71-53 in Sweet 16 final.

* Player to watch: Darryl Hicks, a 6-4 guard, may be the go-to player after the graduation of Mr. Basketball Nathan Dieudonne. Hicks averaged 12.1 points and 4.1 rebounds and is the state's No. 2-ranked senior behind Bullitt East's Derek Willis.

* Other top players: G James Quick (6-2, Sr., 8.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg); G Miles Rice (6-0, Sr., 4.4 ppg); F DeMarcus Page (6-1, Sr., 3.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg); G/F Sam Strothman (6-4, Sr., 1.9 ppg); F Craig Owens (6-3, Jr., 2.8 ppg); G Trey Ivory (5-10, Jr., 1.3 ppg).

* Outlook: The Shamrocks lost three starters in Dieudonne, Charles Foster and Troy Saxton. Hicks is expected to score more this season, but Szabo doesn't think he needs to average 25 points. "We're going to share the ball and play as a group," Szabo said. Quick won't join the team until football season ends. Page is only 6-1, but Szabo expects he'll guard opponents' post players because of his strength and toughness. If the Shamrocks can match last season's defensive intensity and find a No. 3 scorer behind Hicks and Quick, they can compete for another state title.

WAGGENER

* Coach: Bryan O'Neill (second year).

* Last season: 8-21, lost to Seneca 64-59 in district semifinal.

* Player to watch: Joseph Head, a 5-9 senior guard, averaged 20 points, 3.4 assists and two rebounds last season and will anchor the backcourt again.

* Other top players: G/F Semaj Ingram (6-0, Jr., 6.4 ppg); F Tyrone Stallard (6-2, Sr., 8.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg); F Roddrick Maddox (6-2, Jr., 7.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg); F Garrett Dennison (6-6, So., 3.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg); G/F Daeron Adams (5-8, Jr., 3.4 ppg, 1.5 rpg).

* Outlook: Head and Ingram return as starters for a team that lost 13 of its final 15 games last season. O'Neill is excited about a freshman class that includes big forwards Nicholas Kratholm (6-7, 210) and Kevin Kirby (6-5, 200). They'll try to help the Wildcats reach the regional for the first time since 1999.

BALLARD

* Coach: Chris Renner (15th year).

* Last season: 24-9, lost to Trinity 58-55 in Seventh Region semifinal.

* Player to watch: Quentin Snider, a 6-1 junior guard who has committed to the University of Louisville, might be the state's best player regardless of class. He had an outstanding summer after leading the Bruins in scoring (16.9 ppg) and shooting 45.3 percent from 3-point range last season.

* Other top players: G Lavonne Holland (6-0, Sr., 15.7 ppg); F Kelan Martin (6-6, Jr., 13.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg); G Dontez Byrd (5-10, Sr.); F Malik Dow (6-3, Fr.); G/F Jalen Perry (6-1, So.); F Raeshawn Robinson (6-3, So.); F Corey Douglas (6-4, So.); G Zach Caggins (6-2, Sr.); G Timmy Haick (6-1, Sr.); G Brandon Berry (6-1, So.).

* Outlook: The Bruins are No. 1 in The Courier-Journal's preseason poll of coaches for good reason. It starts with the top three scorers from last season: Snider, Holland and Martin. Snider and Holland both shot better than 42 percent from 3-point range, and Renner said Martin played "like the best player in the state" for much of the summer. Much of the Bruins' depth comes from a talented sophomore class led by Perry and Douglas, and Renner said Dow is "one of the best freshmen in the state."

CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

* Coach: Casey Smallwood (second year).

* Last season: 14-17, lost to Eastern 59-47 in district semifinal.

* Player to watch: Logan Wade, a 6-2 senior, is the Centurions' top returning scorer (9.3 ppg) and is "our best 3-point shooter, easily," Smallwood said.

* Other top players: G/F Sawyer Hobbs (6-0, Sr., 8.6 ppg, 2.7 rpg); F Chase Darst (6-3, Sr., 7.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg); G Colton Talley (5-10, Jr.); F Max Duff (6-5, Jr.).

* Outlook: Wade likely will be CAL's top scorer, but Smallwood said, "We don't really have one go-to guy." Hobbs is the top driver, and Darst "will score 80 percent of his points in the paint," Smallwood said. CAL played tough against several top teams last season, losing to Trinity (66-55) and St. Xavier (56-50) in January. "These seniors are all hard workers," Smallwood said. "Nobody is going to outplay us on a given night. There's not a guy on this team that I can question about how much they care."

EASTERN

* Coach: David Henley (first year).

* Last season: 17-14, lost to Central 64-61 in Seventh Region quarterfinal.

* Player to watch: Demontay Hassell, a 5-11 senior guard, is expected to be the leader after all five starters graduated.

* Other top players: F Chris Renfroe (6-4, Sr.); F Jocarie Beattie (6-1, Sr.); G/F Aaron Matthews (6-1, Sr.); G Jordan Brangers (6-0, Sr.); G Austin Howard (6-0, Jr.); F Jacob Biller (6-3, Jr.); F Zach Duvall (6-5, Jr.); F Tyler Cambron (6-3, Jr.).

* Outlook: Henley, who coached Holmes to the 2009 state title, takes over from Jason Couch, who took the Shelby County job. He inherits a program searching for leadership after the loss of several stars over the past two seasons. "The thing I like about our team is we don't have any superstars," Henley said. "We will have eight to 10 players ... who should be able to contribute on a nightly basis." Brangers, who transferred from North Hardin before last season, is an outside threat but will be out until at least Christmas because of a stress fracture and strained Achilles tendon.

KENTUCKY COUNTRY DAY

* Coach: James Booker (fifth year).

* Last season: 14-13, lost to Ballard 80-41 in district semifinal.

* Player to watch: Robert Scholtz, a 6-5 senior forward/center, is a college prospect in football at quarterback but also is the top returning scorer (8.3 rpg) and rebounder (4.1 rpg).

* Other top players: G Henry Crockett (5-10, Sr., 7.6 ppg, 3.1 apg); G/F Zach Lyles (6-2, Jr., 6.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg); G/F Benton Seay (6-2, Sr., 1.5 ppg); G Khaleel Wilson (5-9, Sr.).

* Outlook: KCD lost four of its top seven players, including leading scorer and rebounder Blake Scinta (20.1 ppg, 10.9 rpg). Scholtz, Crockett and Lyles will provide the nucleus, and Booker expects several underclassmen to contribute heavily as the Bearcats shoot for their third straight winning season. "We'll be a quick, athletic team that is strong on the defensive end of the floor," Booker said.

WALDEN

* Coach: Norm Linton (second year).

* Last season: 2-12, did not compete in postseason play.

* Player to watch: Senior William Davis, a 6-3 forward/center, averaged eight points and four rebounds last season. "He has a quick first step and good range," Linton said. "He can go inside, and he can go outside."

* Other top players: F Jacob Wunsch (6-0, Jr., 8 ppg, 8 rpg); G C.J. Burton (5-5, So.); G/F Sean Dowling (6-0, So.); G Sarah Holloway (5-6, Jr.).

* Outlook: The Wolverines will not compete in the 28th District Tournament this season but are playing a more competitive varsity schedule. "We might take our lumps again with this schedule, but hopefully we can be more competitive with the teams we've played in the past," Linton said. Holloway is in her third season after being allowed to join the team because the school doesn't have a girls' team.

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