If we’ve learned anything from the first two days of the annual Times Free Press Best of Preps basketball tournament, it’s this: Hang on for what should be a wild season of hoops.
The first month of the high school basketball season is more or less a preseason for most teams, a time for coaches to set their rotations before the new year brings with it a slate of district games that determine which teams have legit shots at advancing to their respective state tournaments.
The three-day format of the Best of Preps is set up not only to spotlight top area talent for fans but also to help coaches prepare their teams for the rigors of playing on consecutive days, as they will once the postseason tournaments begin.
Several of the boys’ and girls’ teams competing in the Best of Preps tournament look poised to become state tournament contenders, which would be a welcome upswing from recent seasons when the area prep basketball scene consisted of a couple of teams separating themselves from the pack.
It’s no secret that Chattanooga teams have struggled to contend with the rest of the state, but as is the case with all school sports, the cycle is due for a positive swing for local teams.