As conference play kicks off in high school boys basketball around the Treasure Valley, it’s time to take a look at how the leagues shake out. Who are the favorites? Who are the players to watch out for.
From 5A to 2A, we have it all broken down for you.
5A SOUTHERN IDAHOÂ CONFERENCE
It should come as no surprise that the Owyhee Storm are once again overwhelming favorites to win the 5A SIC.
Just months after the school opened its doors last year, Owyhee announced its hoops presence in a big way, winning the league, district and state titles in its inaugural season. Now the Storm are back for more.
Of the five league coaches who responded to a survey, four voted Owyhee to win the league yet again, and it’s not hard to see why.
Owyhee returns all its key players, except for Jack Payne, who is now at Colorado State. The list of returners includes Liam Campbell, a highly sought-after recruit who holds offers from Pac-12, Mountain West, WCC and Big Sky schools and has even started drawing interest from national powers like Villanova and Texas. Sophomore Jackson Rasmussen, who has an offer from Washington State, is a returning starter, as are Titus Bailey and Preston Sherburne, who are being recruited by smaller schools.
The Storm also add Jayce Allen, a sophomore who transferred from Skyview, plus a couple of tall forwards from the junior varsity team, so they figure to be a very deep team, once again.
Eagle, which returns two starters from last year’s state tournament team, was a pick to finish second. While SIC Player of the Year Donovan Jones and second-team all-conference selection Gage Jones both graduated, the Mustangs do return second-teamer Landon White.
Mountain View was picked third, despite returning just one starter, Dyson Judd. Another expected starter, Nate Ojukwu, transferred to DME Sports Academy in Florida.
Timberline could be the surprise team in the league, picked to finish fourth by coaches. The Wolves are led down low by 7-foot senior AJ Labeau, who is committed to Washington State. Labeau is joined by five other seniors on the roster, giving Timberline an experienced team.
4A SOUTHERN IDAHOÂ CONFERENCE
Teams in the 4A SIC will be racing to fill the void left by Middleton, winners of the past three conference titles, which moves up to the 5A classification.
With five conference coaches responding to a preseason questionnaire, the general consensus seems to be it will be a three-team race to take over the conference.
Bishop Kelly, whose only two conference loses last season came against the Vikings is the favorite to win the conference despite losing many key pieces from last year’s team.
The Knights graduated nine seniors, including all five starters and three all-conference players from a team which won the District III Tournament title and took home the consolation title at the state tournament.
Do you LOVE local news? Get Local News Headlines in your inbox daily.
Knights coach Ryan Kerns says he has an athletic team with several players who can play in multiple positions, giving Bishop Kelly the flexibility to try different things on the court to find what works.
Ranked behind Bishop Kelly is Skyview, which is moving back down to the 4A classification from 5A.
The Hawks return point guard Eloy Chaparro who was an All-5A SIC honorable mention last season after averaging 11 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals per game. Max Cutforth, who averaged eight points per game, also returns.
The third contender, according to conference coaches, is Ridgevue. The seventh-year program has never won more than seven games in a season, but the Warhawks return three starters to a very young team which won’t have a senior starter.
Four of Ridgevue’s starters are 6-foot, 4-inches or taller, including 6-6 sophomore Javonte Boles, who was an all-conference honorable mention as a freshman, averaging 10 points and seven rebounds per game.
3A SNAKE RIVER VALLEYÂ CONFERENCE
With four of six conference coaches responding to a questionnaire, Homedale is the favorite to win its first conference title since 2014, a year which saw the Trojans advance to the 3A State Title game.
Homedale returns six players with significant varsity experience from a team which won a 3A State Consolation Championship a year ago. That includes a pair of four-year starters in Jaxon Dines and Mason Strong, both of whom were first-team all-conference selections a year ago.
Fruitland, which will also be a fairly senior-heavy team, was selected to finish second in the league. The Trojans are led by a pair of all-conference honorable mentions from last year in Luke Barinaga and Tyler Capps.
Two other second-team all-conference selections return in Payette senior Jaydin Morin-Bishop and Parma junior Peyton Johnson.
2A WESTERN IDAHOÂ CONFERENCE
Only two coaches responded to a preseason questionnaire, making it difficult to gauge an accurate coaches poll, but Melba is back as the defending state champs are reloaded to make another run in the 2A WIC.
The Mustangs return a pair of first-team All-2A WIC selections and many other key pieces from last year’s state title run.
Cache Beus averaged a double-double last season (10.2 points, 11.3 rebounds), while senior Braden Volkers averaged 12.7 points per game.
Both Ambrose and Cole Valley will be looking to chase the Mustangs, with each returning second-team all-conference players. Ambrose gets back Tyson Hughes, while Max Myers is back for the Chargers.
