MaxPreps 2012-13 Delaware preseason boys basketball Fab 5

MaxPreps 2012-13 Delaware Preseason Fab 5 Presented by the Army National Guard

1. Sanford (Hockessin)
Head coach: Stan Waterman (5 state championships)
2011-12 finish: 23-1, state champion

Sanford returns four starters from last year's three-peat state championship team even though it lost last year's Delaware Player of the Year, Khallid Hart (Marist). Anthony Mosley (6-0, Jr.), who helped lead his AAU team (DC Assault) to a national championship, will slide over to the point guard position. The other three returning starters are Sabri Thompson (6-3, Sr.), a gifted shooting guard who averaged 12 points per game, Todd Hughes (6-2, Jr., G, 10 ppg), and Austin Ford (6-5, Sr., F, 6 ppg, 8 rpg). Kyle Rose (6-6, Sr., F), who played quality minutes all season during the Warriors' championship run, will likely step into a starting role, and Shayne Sanders (6-7, Sr., F) will be a major contributor.

View the MaxPreps Preseason Xcellent 25 National Boys Basketball Rankings



2. Glasgow (Newark)
Head coach: Shahid Perkins
2011-12 finish: 16-6, second round of state tournament

Glasgow's lineup is deep, returning three starters who averaged double digits last season. Mahir Johnson (6-foot, Jr., G) scored 20 points per game, while Khyle Coleman (6-1, Jr., G/F) chipped in 10 and Tyrell Sturdivant (6-6, Jr., F/C) averaged 11 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks. Transfer Ryair Smith (6-3, Sr., G) and returning lettermen Keith Johnson (6-foot, Sr., G) and Hanief Graves (5-10, Sr., G) will play important roles on a team that should threaten Sanford's reign.

View last season's Delaware boys basketball Freeman Rankings

3. St. Andrew's (Middletown)
Head coach: Terell Myers
2011-12 finish: 16-4, second round of state tournament

Defense will be the key as the Cardinals are looking to go deeper into the playoffs this season, if not win it all. Ben Bentil (6-9, Jr., F/C ) averaged 18 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks to earn a second team All-State selection last season, while Austin Tilgham (6-1, Jr., G), a third team All-State selection, averaged 18 points, 2.5 steals and dished out seven assists per game. Newcomer Jordan Bonner (6-3, Soph., F), a transfer to the private boarding school from Houston, Texas, gives St. Andrew's a second ball handler and another strong defender. Nnana Amakari (6-1, Sr., G) moves into the starting lineup from his sixth-man position of a year ago and can play four positions on the court.

View last season's Delaware boys basketball stats leaderboard

4. Howard (Wilmington)
Head coach: Chris DiMascio
2011-12 finish: 15-6, state tournament quarterfinals



The Wildcats aren't tall in stature, but what they lack in height they'll make up for in experience with four senior starters returning from last year's state tournament team. High-scoring guard Larry Woody (5-9, Sr.) averaged 19 points per game and he's joined in the backcourt by Tyaire Ponzo-Meek (5-10, Sr., 12 ppg, 5 assts.) and Gjaimeir Stanford (5-11, Sr., 8 ppg, 4 rpg). Lamont Davis (6-3, 9 ppg) will be the man in the middle after averaging five rebounds and three blocks per game last season. Justin Cunningham (5-8, Soph., PG), Jakir Stewart (6-1, Soph., G/F) and Bryan Wright (6-4, Jr., F) will battle for the fifth starting spot.

View last season's Delaware boys basketball playoff brackets

5. Concord (Wilmington)
Head coach: Ralph Flowers
2011-12 finish: 18-5, state tournament semifinals

Concord has been on the cusp of a state championship the last two seasons, and although the Raiders lost five starters from last year's semifinal team, this year's squad is made up of several players who saw significant playing time last year and spent the summer playing together at several team camps. Jalen Thompson (6-6, Sr., F), Will Chapman (5-5, Jr., PG) and Stan Dollard (6-0, Jr., F) played an important role off the bench in Concord's final four run last year and they'll be joined by newcomers Paul Truckley (6-5, Jr., F) and Charles Morgan (5-11, Jr., G). Concord will be tough defensively and balanced offensively, with the potential to have four or five players averaging over 10 points per game.



Jon Buzby is the sports columnist for the Newark Post and on the radio broadcast team for the 1290 The Ticket High School Football and Basketball Games of the Week.