Courtside chatter

Matt LaBove, St. John's High, Shrewsbury: One of the few true centers playing Division 1 in Central Mass., the 6-foot-8 junior is a double-double threat every night. Averaged 13 points, nine rebounds as a sophomore.

George Jordan, Marlborough: The 6-foot-5 athletic swingman averaged nearly 19 points per game for the Panthers.

Willie Lyons, Newton South: The junior is one of the most talented guards to come through the Lions' program in years.

Alan Hodgdon, Medway: As a junior, the 6-2 forward averaged 15 points per game last season to power the Mustangs.

Jean Baptiste, Needham: A second-team Bay State Conference pick as a sophomore, he's among the BSC's more athletic players.

Newton North: Injury bug has already hit four Tigers starters. Will they survive the early stretch?

Franklin: On the heels of a 14-4 campaign, the Panthers are again one of the favorites in the Hockomock League.

Newton South: Lyons and junior forward Tavone Wynder form one of the most athletic tandems in the Dual County League.

St. John's: A solid supporting cast behind LaBove and sophomore David White make the Pioneers a favorite in Central Mass.

Marlborough: With Chris Pinsonault gone, George Jordan is poised to make the Panthers the team to beat in Mid-Wach B.

Girls' basketball players to watch
Kelly Meredith, Franklin: The 5-foot-10 Assumption-bound senior averaged nearly 21 points per game a season ago.

Michelle DeRoma, Mount Alvernia: American International-bound guard is a smooth scorer, and has the Mustangs thinking about another Division 4 championship.

Renee LeBlanc, Waltham: One of the Top 10 scorers in EMass (20.5 ppg) in her junior campaign for the Hawks.

Kathleen King, Framingham: Her solid rebounding skills make the Flyers a contender in the Bay State Conference again.

Sarah Wetmore, Lincoln-Sudbury: Point guard kept the Warriors steady and spotless en route to the Division 2 state title.

Lincoln-Sudbury: A trio of 6-footers - Bentley-bound Shatasia Kearse, Whitney Donaldson, and Allison Linke - make the Warriors a contender in Division 2 again.

Franklin: The Panthers were 20-2 last season and sisters Kelly and Ashley Meredith lead a talented frontcourt. Siobhan Sullivan, also a lacrosse star, will be at point.

Framingham: With Kathleen King on the boards and guard Bri Velasquez making defensive stops on the perimeter, the Flyers can reload in spite of losing Denise Beliveau (University of New Hampshire), the Globe's Female Athlete of the Year.

Needham: After graduating loads of talent to graduation, the Rockets are looking to young sophomore forward Christine Ganser this season.

Shrewsbury: Colonials will look to 6-foot-2 center Kelly McKenna on the blocks.

Compiled by Brendan Hall