Predictions and Expectations for the upcoming Guilford County HS Girls Basketball Seasons

Special to Greensborosports.com:

GUILFORD COUNTY PUBLIC AREA GIRLS COACHES/TEAMS

Frank McNeil: Dudley: In his first year as head coach he led Dudley to a 25-2
record and undefeated conference record. He changed a few things that Dudley did not
do in the past by learning how to run sets versus pressing up and down the court
against opponents that did not have true ball handlers. His team is loaded again
this year with the likes of Goins, the Rouse sisters, Curry, Davis, Jackson,
heralded freshman Essence Chambers and 6’4 Maze manning the middle. This team should
dominate their conference again and go far in the playoffs and could easily
challenge for the State Title that may have eluded them last year by not getting the
chance to play eventual State Champion Southwest Guilford. They lose the likes of
Divisional 1 players in Drayton (Charlotte), McIvor(Radford), McGee (A&T) and
JUCO-Denmark Tech, Chell Jackson, whom had been a part of a State Championship Team.
Look for Dudley to have several big blow out games with no mercy to get
back to the level of being not only this areas best but the States best. The fire
is there and it could get ugly for the opposition. Page, SEG, Smith, Western
Guilford had better be ready and SWG may want to avoid any playoff scenario.
Dudley could go undefeated. Prediction: 30-2

Jessica Bryan: Southwest Guilford: Her team won the State Championship last year
and many beieve that they can repeat because she brings back such notables as
Allstate Guards Zena Lovette and Campbell commit Jessica Pone whom create match up
problems for the opposition. The emergence of the Briana Burgins kid will give them
added depth. SWG has always had talent and last year it all came together from start
to finish. If they get off to another great start it will bold well for them in the
second half of the year to make another run. If not this team could also implode and
revert back to their previous underachievement years. Look for them to blow out many
teams and maybe even get off to an undefeated season going into the new year. They
have the moxy , swaggard and talent to dominate around here and beyond again.
Several other players whom played sparingly last year will need to contribute just a
little bit more this year. Prediction: 27-4

Debbie Jones: Page: Had a good season last year and is looking to build on it
with the addition of Dudley’s former coach Krystal Britton. Britton will bring a
toughness that maybe Page lacked in previous years to try and overcome conferfence
foe Dudley. Page success will depend greatly on how Paris Kea does. She has the
ability to score but does she has the ability to lead others to greater heights. Now
that Brittany Drew has graduated and had demonstrated the ability to knock down
shots from the perimeter, it allowed Paris to freelance to a certain degree.
Scoring a lot of points and not winning or leading has it consequences. If Page can
find away to knock off Dudley and go more than two rounds in the playoffs in any
given year (primarily this year) then Paris name will truly be amongst those whom
have actually did it. Anything less than 20 wins or a Conference or Conference
Tournament Championship will raise questions. In games that are blow
outs early on it might make since to allow the other players to play the majority
of the minutes so that they could develop the ability to score which could pay
greater dividends down the road versus leaving the main scorer in against inferior
competition. Prediction 23-5

Kim Furlough: Northern Guilford: Northern won its first conference season title
last year and advanced to the Sectionals. Coach Furlough was named Conference Coach
of the year and was led by Elon signee Samantha Cofer whom was a four year starter.
Northern had several players such as Grinage, Robinson and Boyd whom played major
roles in their success. Now that one Cofer has graduated a lot of pressure is going
to be put on the returning Cofer her sister Amanda whom at one time many said she
could be even better when she was coming out of junior highschool. Can she handle
that pressure night in and night out? That remains to be seen. They will be
Conference favorite to win it all again but for some reason or another they always
had a tough time beating an undermanned Eastern Guilford team which they are 1-6
over the past few years including a loss in the Conference Championship game 56-52
which Stony brook signee Miranda Jenkins scored 37 points.
Northern should have another super season and advance in the playoffs. There is no
reason why they should not dominate this year. Several of their key players must
step their game up a notch or two. Prediction: 25-5

Debbie Joyner: Northwest Guilford: Last year was probably one of her best
coaching jobs. After getting squashed by Page in the early season they regrouped and
went on to win 20 plus games. They run a very nice organized system that uses a lot
of back door cuts. Do they have enough fire power to overcome Conference and State
Champions Southwest Guilford? Probably not. But if SWG self implode they could.
Returnees Munson and Harper could have big years and take NWG one step further and
getting to the Sectional Finals would be a monumental achievement for a team that
has been loaded in the past could never do. Look for NWG to get off to a great start
and participate in the Pizza Hut Classic and maybe seeded so that they have a chance
to reach the final. NWG played Dudley to a 7 point game and was in position to win
but did not close the door. Experience this year should more than make up for
that. NWG has several other good solid players. Prediction:
23-6

Shawn Newton: Southeast Guilford: This team is always in the mix and usually one
of the few teams in the conference that actually gives Dudley a scare or two over
the past few years. Do they have enough fire power to overtake a Dudley or Page? Do
not know if they have the mindset to take on such an arduous task. Kenya Hailey must
now raise her game to another level if SEG is going to have a chance to compete
night in and night out. Gone is tough St.Peterburgh JUCO recruit Ayshia Mcneil and
tough inside player Brittany Price. This team could have a very decent season going
by past history but if they do not come to playe they could be overtaken by the
likes of Western Guilford and Smith moving up the ranks. Newton’s coaching will be
the key to trying to offset such happenings. They do not have enough firepower or
mindset to overtake a Dudley or Page. Prediction: 18-9

Shonna Polk: Western Guilford: This team made great strides this past season and
should build from it. They finished in the upper tier of the Conference by going
6-6. Some nights they look pretty good and then on occasions they look like they
never heard of basketball or played it. They have the components in All Conference
Brittany Clency and Carnique Mark controlling the middle, but losing season after
season creates self doubt. They played Dudley to a 7 point loss 49-42 in a game they
could have won but ill advised mistakes cost them. Usually that is what you get with
500 percentage teams. Coaching now must figure out a way to minimize such occurences
and if they do, they could finish above 500 or this season could turn in to total
chaos. It would not be a good way for Clency one of the most productive players in
the area to end her career. Prediction: 15-13

William Whitaker: Southern Guilford: Southern finally had sort of a break through
year by finishing around 500 after so many sub 500 seasons. They now have something
to build from with Pembroke College signee Kamile Horne going out a winner as
conference player of the year and team finishing second in conference and making the
State playoffs. Sylvia Bass the Page transfer of a few years ago must now elevate
her game to another level to be amongst the elite players in the area. They have a
good nucleus of players returning in Suggs, Harper, Chandler, Moore, Smith, Johnson,
Henderson, Williamson and Johnson. That being said it is no reason why they should
not be unable to win the conference and advance. Good coaching and senior leadership
is going to be vital or the team could revert back to their old ways. They must also
learn to win outside of the conference against more formidable opponents to really
be taken seriously. They have the weapons to do
it. Prediction: 15-13

Will Perry: Smith: What will the fans see this year from Smith becomes the age
old question? Will we see the team that won the Pizza Hut Tourney a couple of years
ago and knocked off Samantha Cofer and Northern Guilford convincely last Pizza Hut
tourney 40-28 that messed up the brackets or will we see a team that goes on 4 and 5
game losing streaks? Coach Perry has Zhan Greer back whom should be one of the areas
best (15 ppg) and speedy Jo Jo Phillips whom must now transfer that speed into
consistent productivity. Smith has the ability to challenge the likes of Dudley and
Page provided they stay away from mental collaspses during stretches and focus on
the task at hand. This could be a very interesting year for Smith but a lot of
things must occur to make that possible. Winning the Pizza Hut tourney does not make
a season. If they could have more discipline on and off the court, this could be a
pretty solid year. Zhan Greer needs to be the leader and
set the stage for this team or there will be a lot of players looking for direction
but going no where. Prediction: 14-14

Tina Gunn: Eastern Guilford: Why does every year it seems like Eastern is in no
mans land but some how they win 20 games or more and are either Conference or
Conference Tournament Champs and advance in the playoffs further than many teams
that are always rated above them? It looks like every year they play tough opponents
irregardless of what they have on their team and seem to always prevail? Tina Gunn
is the driving force that allows her players to be what they are and for some reason
she has learn to win with that formula. Many observers agree that it was no way that
last years team after losing such notables as Fayetville State and Conference Player
of the Year Capricia Smalls, 5’7 rebounding machine Amerijah Jamison and Kristin
Crosby who all had been four year starters and won several All Conference awards
could win. Some how they found a way to win 23 games and knocked off 4A State Champs
Southwest Guilford 60-45 at their home site. Eastern
was predicted to win 7 games and no other team in this area has ever been predicted
to win 7 games and went on to win 23 plus a conference tournament championship over
a highly ranked Burlington Williams 49-38 in Semifinals and Northern Guilford
56-52 in the Championship game on their home court and advance to the second round
of the State playoffs before losing in overtime on the road with a team with no
returning starters but one. Eastern squad will be young again led by Olerich,
Parks, Jackson, Rumley, Poteat and Alston and will be predicted to finish behind
Northern Guilford, Burlington Williams, Rockingham and Eastern Alamance. Tina Gunn
and Eastern Guilford is the Rodney Dangerfield of this area but their overall year
in and year out records tells a different story. Prediction: 12-14