It’s cold but there is golf to play this morning, so let’s jump right in:

1. Who will run the point for Mount Vernon? We start off with an epic question. (I thank myself, of course…) As you know, I’ve grown more and more enamored with the Knights, but my one worry is how they will distribute the ball when it matters. Sure, in most instances they’ll be able to survive with someone old and slow like myself running the show. But surviving against mediocre teams should not be the focus in MV. That team has too much potential to settle for anything but a Class AA championship and a deep state playoff run. Right now it looks like Taylor Palmer will start at PG, but the team would probably be better served with her at SG more often. She can really score, plus that alignment would allow Kwinnyata Mercer, a terrific rebounder, to shift to SF. The onus may fall to little Sade King, an eighth grader who is still in the process of developing as a varsity player. Between Palmer, Mercer and King, someone will have to prove she can get a good shot for a teammate in a key juncture. All recent championship teams (White Plains-Aguirre, Ossining-Awerdick, Lourdes-Viani, Barnum, Rye-Blumberg, Albertus Magnus-Byrne, Brauer) have had legit PG’s running the offense.

2. Someone has to win Class A. Who’s it going to be and when they win are they going to be state-playoff worthy? I consider myself a reasonably intelligent man who knows a remarkable amount of information about local sports in the area, particularly LoHud girls basketball. I cannot answer the question above…I simply cannot. Beacon’s probably the favorite right now, but Lakeland, Pearl River, Ardsley, and Spring Valley are probably all good enough to win it. … We just don’t have any idea one way or the other.

3. Who is the next White Plains? Wow, I am full of good questions today, but this one may be the most fun one to answer, simply because we don’t really know. That, of course, is what makes sports so great. Somewhere out there a new dynasty looms. A young team with enough talent to launch a sustained run at winning gold balls the next two, three, or four seasons. Ironically, I think Mount Vernon has the potential. The Knights have a pair of 6-foot-4 seventh graders in their system and will rotate an eighth grader, a freshman and two sophomores in their top seven this season. I also suspect Irvington to use last season’s disappointment at the County Center as a catalyst. The Bulldogs are loaded with talented underclassmen, like Riley Harrington and Tara Gableman. And watch out for Lakeland. The Hornets could take advantage of modest competition in Class A this season, then bring back a fierce front line for a run at three straight gold balls.

4. Will any of the new coaches have success early on? We’ll see, but I think it’s a strong possibility. The case of Kenny Haskins at Haldane is an interesting one. Here’s a man with great basketball pedigree, a disciple of someone who has done as much with his resources (school/players) than any coach in Section 1. Haskins told me recently his Blue Devils will run up and down the court more to create opportunities for players not named Brittany Shields. All and all, we’ll just have to see whether or not his approach works. Haskins may follow turmoil and turnover, but he also follows a bunch of guys who flat-out won. … I also like the situation at Mahopac, where faithful blog reader Jerry Fioretti takes over the once-proud and now possibly up-and-coming Indians, who are led by Gillian Felix and Jessie Kavanas. They front a strong junior class that gives Mahopac an opportunity to compete in League I-C. Fioretti has a strong rep among his fellow coaches, so he should only help the Indians mature.

5. Outside of Albertus Magnus, will we see Rockland County representin’ at the County Center? I’m not sure. There have been brighter preseasons west of the Hudson. Take our all-county team, which lost Brianna Peterson, Jen Canale, Theresa Dowling, Kerri Confrey, and Kaitlyn O’Keefe to graduation. Obviously, as you probably know, I like Albertus Magnus’ chances to compete for a gold ball in Class B. But without Confrey and O’Keefe, who knows what Pearl River will do to fill in its leadership void? Without Peterson and Alaina Walker, North Rockland still has terrific size, but who will handle the ball and who will score it? What will Clarkstown North do to replace Dowling, one of the best players in program history? And how will maturing Suffern adjust without Amanda Bender, who transfered after being 1/2 of the Mounties’ promising post tandem? … Lots of questions in Rockland but several months remain before they’ll be answered.

6. The catholic and private schools always provide their fair share of stories in boys basketball. Is this a year the girls do the same? I think this answer will prove to be a resounding ‘Yes.’ Maria Regina and Our Lady of Victory will resume one of The Sixth Man’s favorite rivalries. OLV lost just one senior from last season, while Maria Regina went 16-9 last season and also lost only one senior from that team. You want a shocker? I think these Tigers (the other Tigers) may be strong enough to win next week’s White Plains tournament. There’s a rivalry in Rye, too, between Fairchester League foes Holy Child and Rye Country Day, Sophia Aleksandravicius vs. Alexandra Osborn-Jones. They are two of the great catholic/private school players to watch out for. Others: Maria Regina’s Bianca Kowgios, OLV’s Natalie Detko, and Hackley’s Meghan McDermott, who leads a quintet of returning starters.

7. Can teams who lost their stars galvanize and prove they are just as good? I can think of a few candidates. First up, I like Scarsdale. The Raiders played great in stretches without Jackie Alemany last season, like the time Christine Yankou and Alison Menna led them to victory over Preston in the Maroon and White Tournament after Jackie fouled out in the third quarter. Now, I don’t exactly believe Scarsdale is a 15-5 team, but it may win games unexpectedly. I also like North Rockland to win a lot. The Red Raiders have a number of winnable games on their schedule, and I think Mary Abrams and Shanekwa Kellman will respond well to increased roles. Both certainly have the talent to help No-Rock survive without Peterson and Walker.

8. Are there injuries worth watching? Always, and some are important. Brittany Shields told me last week that she is still bothered by the ankle that cropped up against Dobbs Ferry at the County Center last year. Shields didn’t have surgery, but she will wear a brace to protect it. Obviously, she’ll look for a balance between staying healthy and performing. Also, I’ve heard rumors swirl about injuries that may effect teams in Classes AA and A (all of them unconfirmed) but one truth holds true: There’s not enough depth in Section 1 this year for a contender to survive a key injury.

9. Is the Slam Dunk any closer to gender equity? It sure doesn’t look like it. The girls will still have only half the number of teams in their field as the boys (8 to 4). It will include Mount Vernon and North Rockland (no qualms there), but their opponents are from upstate…and we’re not exactly talking Rush-Henrietta or Elmira-Notre Dame. The Briarcliff-Lourdes challenge game is solid, but why not include those schools in the regular draw? … Compare it to the boys,with Peekskill, White Plains, Stepinac and Braircliff all participating. Imagine a field with Mount Vernon, North Rockland, Lourdes, Briarcliff, White Plains, and Lakeland, along with two out-of-area teams. That’d draw interest and would prove great for the game locally. Maybe someone should create The Sixth Man Holiday Classic!…just need a venue…

10. And lastly, Whose named will be the first goofed first on TV? I’d say Sophia Aleksandravicius, but I’m pretty sure RNN sports anchor Ben Sosenko took care of that honor during the ESGs. (Not that anyone’s blaming him…) I think the odds-on-favorite is Ossining sophomore Hayley Awerdick. There’s an 84% chance she’s identified as Melissa before Christmas Eve.

I hope this helped you conceptualize the season that lies ahead. I will check in tonight after Briarcliff-Ossining, which should be fun. Hopefully, the fingers on my right hand (my non-glove hand) will be spared of frostbite.