The boys basketball season has started for the private schools, and the public schools will begin play Thursday. That means it's time to start rolling out the projections for this season's top teams.
In the coming days, you can go to Varsity Letters for a countdown of the top-five teams. The area's preseason No. 1-ranked team will be posted Tuesday. The entire Top 15 poll, along with the top players to watch, will be available online Tuesday night and in Wednesday's print edition.
Following No. 5 Patterson are the No. 4 City Knights.
Coach: Daryl Wade
Last season: 20-6, No. 8
Postseason: 3A North regional final
Key players: Timmy Bond, Sr., G; Omari George, Sr., G; Kamau Stokes, Sr., G
Outlook: By season's end, the Knights could very well finish as the area's No. 1 team. They have the experience, talent and motivation with a stacked roster that's on a mission to win a state title.
Coming off last year's heartbreaking playoff loss to eventual Class 3A state champion Milford Mill, the Knights bring back all five starters and add sharpshooting guard Stokes, who won a state title with Dunbar last season. In Bond, George and Stokes, City has three players capable of taking over a game. When you add in emerging junior guard Blair Davis and senior twin forwards Juwan and John Grant — also starters from last season — the Knights have an overflow of talent that clearly makes them the team to beat in Baltimore City.
No longer in the same region with Milford Mill, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the teams meet in the state tournament this season.