Northern 4A girls basketball preview

OK, so who's the team to beat now that the four-time state champion McQueen Lancers appear to have returned to earth?

That's a good question heading into the Northern 4A girls basketball season, which gets rolling with the start of the two divisional races which begin on Jan. 7. And there don't seem to be any clear answers, just consider this sampling of coaches:

- "I think it's going to be very competitive," Carson coach Paul Croghan said. "You're going to have to be on the ball every night; if not, you may get knocked off."

- "It's anybody's game right now," Elko coach Lynette Davis said. "I think it's going to come right down to the wire in both divisions."

- "There seems to be a lot of parity. I don't see any one dominant team," said McQueen coach Nick Brockovich, whose squad had two Division I signees graduate back in June.

Of course, it's still December and teams are still working to find the right combinations to success. But consider that coming into a full slate of cross-over games tonight, nine of 13 Northern 4A teams have winning records so far.

Included on tonight's schedule will be Galena at Carson in a matchup of teams that are both currently 6-1.

(See Northern 4A standings on B3).