Boys' basketball preview capsules

Ardrey Kell

•  Coach: Mike Craft

•  2011-12 record: 9-16 (5-9 Southwestern 4A)

•  Returning starters: 5-foot-8 senior guard Preston Trout (5.3 ppg, 4.5 apg); 6-foot-2 sophomore wing Steven Santa Ana (6.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg); 6-foot-3 junior wing Markel Pollard (5 ppg, 2.6 rpg); 6-foot-3 senior forward Michael Barclift (4.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg); 6-foot-5 senior forward Tate Small (7.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg).

• Notes: The Knights have plenty of experience but lack size inside and a true post player. Small, who holds the school record for most blocks in a game with seven, will have to make up for that.

Butler

•  Coach: Donald Kirby

•  2011-12 record: 17-10 (10-4 SW4A)

•  Returning starters: Juwan Johnson; C.J. McVay; Riley Ferguson; Channing Stribling; Sean Wiggins.

•  Notes: Butler finished tied for second in the conference last year and won the conference tournament. The Bulldogs are an experienced team with six players coming back that played starter minutes last year. Butler will look for some younger players, like 5-foot-11 freshman guard Raequan Scott, to contribute in the rotation.

Carmel Christian

•  Coach: Jay Forsythe

• 2011-12: First year program.

• Projected starters: 6-foot-2 junior guard Nick Isaac; 6-foot-4 senior forward Brian Battle; 5-foot-9 junior guard Josiah Harper; 6-foot-3 junior guard Dan Thompson.

•  Notes: Carmel Christian, a private school housed in Carmel Baptist Church in Matthews, is fielding a varsity boys’ basketball program for the first time.

Charlotte Catholic

•  Coach: Mike King

•  2011-12 record: 22-7 (9-3 ME-GA 7)

•  Returning starters: 6-foot-7 all-conference senior forward Mark Pollack (15 ppg, 6 rpg); 6-foot-2 senior guard David Belfield (4 ppg, 4 apg); 6-foot junior guard Robbie Anderson (3 ppg, 2 apg, 1.5 spg).

•  Notes: The Cougars return three starters from a team that finished second in the ME-GA 7 3A/4A. Catholic loses top scorer Robert Champion, but returns the team’s second leading scorer in Pollack, who is committed to Army.

Charlotte Christian

•  Coach: Shonn Brown

•  2011-12 record: 24-8 (8-0 CISAA)

•  Returning starters: 6-foot-3 senior guard Patrick Rooks (14.2 ppg); 6-foot-5 junior guard Matthew Fisher-Davis (11.6 ppg).

•  Notes: Six seniors graduated from Charlotte Christian last year, including Ryan Potocnik and Ben Richter, who averaged a combined 23 points per game for the Knights last year. .

Charlotte Country Day

• Coach: Dwayne Cherry

•  2011-12 record: 11-15 (3-5 CISAA)

•  Returning starters: 5-foot-11 senior guard Matthew Spears (9.6 ppg, 6.4 apg).

•  Notes: Charlotte Country Day returns just one starter after graduating five players. The Buccaneers will also be hurt by the transfer of juniors Kendon McLaurin (Davidson Day) and Troy Henderson (Gaston Day).

Charlotte Latin

•  Coach: Chris Berger

•  2011-12 record: 17-10 (5-3 CISAA)

•  Returning starters: 5-foot-10 all-conference senior guard Adam Herrmann (13.5 ppg, 4.2 apg); 6-foot-8 senior forward Jacob Nabatoff (8.6 ppg, 7.9 rpg); 6-foot-2 all-conference junior guard Rusty Reigel (12.4 ppg, 8.0 rpg); 6-foot-2 junior guard Joe Baynard (8.9 ppg, 5.6 apg, 4.4 rpg).

• Notes: The Hawks are loaded with experience in the starting lineup with four returning starters, including two all-conference players. Herrmann had shoulder surgery over the summer but should be back to full strength.

Covenant Day

• Coach: Wade Tapp

• 2011-12 record: 11-18

•  Returning starters: 6-foot-4 senior wing David Airing (18 ppg); 6-foot-2 senior point guard Ben Hawks (8 ppg, 2 apg); 6-foot-4 senior Drew Pierce (5 ppg); 5-foot-10 senior Ethan Vandevelde (6 ppg).

•  Notes: Covenant Day is experienced with nine seniors on the roster. Tapp is in his first year as varsity head coach. The Lions also picked up 6-foot-6 East Meck transfer Justus Melton.

East Mecklenburg

•  Coach: Jason Grube

•  2011-12 record: 15-12 (8-6 SW4A)

•  Returning starter: 6-foot-2 senior wing Jerrin Morrison.

•  Notes: The Eagles graduated five players and lost five more players in the program to transfers. Morrison will be helped by senior point guard Ronnie Gipson (5-foot-10) and a trio of juniors who helped the JV team win the conference two years ago: guard Tryle Poindexter (5-foot-10), wing Ray’Quelle Days (6-foot-1) and forward Jon Rankin (6-foot-3).

Evelyn Mack Academy

• Head coach: Michael Wright

•  2011-12 record: 29-5, (3-3)

•  Returning starters: 6-foot-7 senior guard Raheem Watts; 5-foot-11 point guard Marcus Johnson.

•  Notes: Evelyn Mack plays a tough schedule this year, including games against Oak Hill Academy and Huntington Prep.

Independence

•  Head coach: Preston Davis

•  2011-12 record: 2-23 (1-13 SW4A)

•  Returning starters: 6-foot-4 senior forward Jeffrey Dennis (6.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg); 5-foot-11 junior point guard Tayon Gleaves (13 ppg); 6-foot-3 junior forward Workpeh Kofa (5.8 rpg); 6-foot-1 senior guard Dequan Barnes (10.8 ppg); 5-foot-11 junior guard Marcus Graves (5.9 ppg).

• Notes: The Patriots, who finished last in the SW4A last year, will be deep and experience this year, returning nine varsity players from last year’s team.

Kennedy Charter

•  Coach: Jermaine Walker

• 2011-12 record: 24-3.

•  Returning starters: 6-foot-3 senior forward Julius Hamilton (10 ppg); 6-foot-5 senior forward Kedar Muhammad (4.6 ppg); 6-foot-1 senior point guard Jalen White (14.2 ppg, 7 apg).

•  Notes: There are a lot of changes at Kennedy Charter: a new head coach in Walker, a new conference in the Greater Carolina High School Athletic Association and some new faces after the transfer of Donte Clark (Hargrave Military Academy) and B.J. Gladden (Olympic).

Myers Park

• Coach: Wes Hepler

•  2011-12 record: 16-11 (10-4 SW4A)

•  Returning starters: 6-foot-8 senior forward Clayton Massey (10.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg); 6-foot-5 senior forward Major Thomas (8 ppg, 7.7 rpg).

•  Notes: The Mustangs have plenty of size in the starting lineup with four players taller than 6-foot-4. Massey has been a two-time all-conference player for Myers Park.

Providence Day

•  Coach: Brian Field

•  2011-12 record: 13-17 (3-5 CISAA)

•  Returning starters: 6-foot-1 all-conference junior guard Jordan Watkins; 5-foot-11 senior guard Bryon Fields; 6-foot-2 junior forward Devin Mills; 5-foot-9 sophomore guard Chaz Raye.

• Notes: The Chargers have a load of experience back from last year’s team led by Watkins, who has 10 Division I scholarship offers already.

Providence High

•  Coach: Myron Lowery

•  2011-12 record: 4-21 (3-11 SW4A)

• Returning starter: 5-foot-10 junior point guard Giovanni Mack (15.4 ppg)

• Notes: Mack is the lone starter back from last year. The Panthers will be inexperienced. Three freshman varsity players – 6-foot-3 center Jeremy Spencer, 6-foot-3 forward Jonathan Davenport and 6-foot-3 forward Jack King – will be expected to contribute.

Queens Grant

• Coach: David Wilson

• 2011-12 record: 11-14

• Returning starters: None.

• Notes: Queens Grant is in its first year playing in the N.C. High School Athletic Association, competing in the 1A division.

Rocky River

•  Coach: Jason Buzzard

•  2011-12 record: 10-15 (7-7 SW4A)

•  Returning starters: 5-foot-9 senior guard Sidney Lawson (7 ppg, 3 apg); 6-foot-3 senior forward Kendall Burton (7 ppg, 3 rpg).

•  Notes: Rocky River is in its first year under new head coach Jason Buzzard. The Ravens return two starters from last year’s team that finished fifth in the conference and lost in the first round of the playoffs. The team’s two leading scorers from last year -- Matt Ward and Rob Harvey -- graduated.

South Mecklenburg

•  Coach: John Fitch

•  2011-12 record: 23-6 (12-2 SW4A)

•  Returning starters: 5-foot-9 senior guard Craig Thompson; 6-foot-9 senior center Malcom Mathews; 6-foot senior guard Chris Phifer.

•  Notes: The three returning seniors will be the strength of the Sabres this season. Bench depth could be an issue after South Meck graduated six seniors last year.

United Faith

•  Coach: Muggsy Bogues

•  2011-12 record: 18-10

•  Returning starters: Senior point guard Alec Wintering (6.1 ppg, 3.8 apg); 6-foot-5 junior forward Nehemiah Mabson (9.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg).

•  Notes: United Faith is in its second year under ex-Charlotte Hornet Bogues. Wintering, a Portland-commit, scored 34-points in the Falcons’ season opener against Durham Mount Zion.