Well after getting to watch 3 WBL teams and LCC play in the tip off tournament we got a little taste of what this league may look like.
LCC- not a wbl team but plays several wbl opponents. This team played Shawnee tough in the championship game. Had a 5 point lead in the 4th quarter, all while not having their true point guard on the floor, Oh, and having only two practices. This team will win a lot of games. Good guard play that can shoot with the best of them.
Bath- has to be the most disappointing team in the tournament. They look like they will be a middle of the road WBL team at best. No guard play whatsoever. Doesnt look like they have anyone who can create their own shot. It looked like most of their offense just came from chucking up threes. They have decent size but dont score enough easy points at the rim. I think they hover around .500 all year but struggle to score, and win games with size, defense, and rebounding.
Elida - the team that surprised me the most in the tournament. You can tell Tabler has brought over the intense, in your face, run in transition type of team that we saw at Perry. This team will go through alot of growing pains this year but will be competitive in more games than what people will think. They start a freshmen point guard who has the potential to be very good, just needs experience and time to gel with the team. I still think they are a bottom of the league, maybe middle of the league type of team. But a lot of promises and could be very good in a few years.
Shawnee - exactly what I expected out of this team. The most athletic team in the tournament, and probably the most athletic team in the league. They have the best PG in the league, and will rely on him every night to put the ball in the hoop. The Miller kid provides alot of offense as well. Very athletic, and scores from all over the floor. In transition, out of sets, or just from cleaning up the boards. Shawnee will rely on these two to score alot of points but has good shooters, passers, and role players surrounding this team. Depth will be a concern for this team as they only go about 7-8 deep. Would not be surprised at all if this Shawnee team wins the WBL a third straight year. Do not sleep on them.