Senior staff writer
The face of Southside boys basketball has changed dramatically since last season.
Several stars graduated, including Southport’s 6-10 Indiana All-Star Joey Brunk (Butler), Franklin Central’s Marcus Burk (Campbell) and Jimmy Weinke (Urbana) and Marion County All-Star Andrew Fey of Roncalli.
Southport’s Paul Scruggs, a bona fide Indiana Mr. Basketball candidate and Xavier recruit, left the Cardinal nest to finish his schoolboy career at Prestige Prep in California. Southport won its first regional title since 1996 but lost in the Richmond Semistate to eventual 4A state champion New Albany.
The well of talent is not completely dry as 6-0 Beech Grove senior Dylan Allen (16.6 points per game), 6-2 Greenwood junior Eric Moenkhaus (13.3 ppg), Manual seniors Courvoisier McCully (27.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg) and 6-5 Cameron Sembly (13.0 ppg), Roncalli 6-0 senior guard Christian Stewart (18.7 ppg) and 6-9 Collin Sonderman (10.6 ppg) and Southport’s 5-11 sophomore guard Harold Bennett and 6-9 Dut Mabok return to the hardwood.
Franklin Central seeks a fifth straight sectional title while Lutheran defends its sectional title. Both teams are in a reloading mode.
Look for tall and talented Manual to improve, junior-laden Greenwood to make noise and Beech Grove to jell.
The outlook with last year’s won-lost records and individual statistics:
Defending regional champ Southport adjusts to key departures
Roncalli is a sectional threat perhaps more in 2016-17
Perry Meridian regroups from first losing season in four years
Manual might have the best basketball team on Southside
Lutheran Saints are stronger and smarter
Greenwood Christian continues youth movement
Greenwood returns most of its players from .500 team
Flashes aim for five-straight sectional crowns
Center Grove excited for high number of returning players
Beech Grove has the tools to compete