Now that the 2009-10 Texas high school basketball season has ended, it is not too early to take an early look at some of the more interesting subplots that should take place next year across the state. The University Interscholastic League’s biennial realignment took place in February, which means there will be some intriguing new rivalries as well as some established ones that should only become more heated. 
Deion Houston, Duncanville
File photo by Jim Redman
In Class 5A, southern Dallas County has always produced some of the most hotly contested districts with the likes of Duncanville, Cedar Hill, DeSoto and Lancaster mixing it up. Lancaster remains at a Class 4A level but as evidenced in its state championship loss against juggernaut Yates (Houston), has proved it can play against anyone. Until two years ago the first three schools were all paired in the same district, where they basically took turns beating up on each other.
But the past two years saw DeSoto moved to Region II where they were placed with the Mesquite schools along with the Tyler schools. The song remains the same for the next two years as Cedar Hill and Duncanville remain district mates while DeSoto is lumped with the same Mesquite schools, Tyler Lee and Longview, which moves up from 4A and replaces Tyler John Tyler, which drops down from 5A.
It is interesting during every realignment to see where Central Texas schools will be placed, and this year was no different as five Austin area schools along with Del Valle were slotted into Region II and District 15, a move from the previous realignment when the schools were in District 25 and Region IV.
When it comes to a geographical spread, however, nothing can beat the new set up in District 8-4A. You again have some Central Texas schools in the presence of Waco, Midway (Henrietta), University (Waco) and Killeen, but then you move west and toss Stephenville and Lake View (San Angelo) into the mix for a most unusual combination of schools.
From Region II, Denison and Sherman appealed to not have to make the long drives East and South in their new district, but the appeal was denied. So as it stands the Yellowjackets and Bearcats, schools that this past year produced a pair of Oklahoma commits in T.J. Taylor and Cameron Clark, link in with Greenville, Mount Pleasant, Royse City, Sulphur Springs and Texarkana Texas High.
Houston Yates, which smashed opponents on the way to the Class 4A state championship and top ranking nationally by MaxPreps, will again be a force as it competes in the same district before with fellow HISD schools Austin, Davis, Lee, Reagan, Sharpstown, Sterling and Waltrip.
In Class 3A, expect District 21 to again produce fireworks as perennial powers Sour Lake Hardin-Jefferson and Silsbee battle it out from Region III. Cleveland from District 22 will again be formidable as well.
Dallas Madison, the state’s top Class 3A team for much of the past season, welcomes fellow DISD foe A. Maceo Smith in the 3A ranks to go along with expected tussles from Carrollton Ranchview and Dallas Roosevelt.
District 6 will also be a sizzling one with Danny Nix’s Burkburnett Bulldogs and Wichita Falls Hirschi’s Huskies vying for bragging rights.
The Class 2A alignments are interesting if only for the fact that there are 15 districts that field eight teams, which makes every district contest even more important.
Cayuga, which rattled off state championships in football and basketball, remains in Class A Division I and is paired with Big Sandy, Hawkins, La Rue La Poynor, Malakoff Cross Roads and Ben Wheeler Martins Mill.
Elkhart Slocum, a power out of Class A Division II in the past, moves up to Division I and is slotted with Alto, Grapeland, Latexo and Lovelady from District 23. Also watch for Big Lake Reagan County, which is in District 7 and moves down from Class 2A where they have been stout.
As always, new teams will emerge on the scene as contenders while some of the teams listed above might find tough sledding in their new homes. It is all part of what makes the Texas high school basketball season one of the most exciting in the nation.
R.V. Baugus is editor and publisher of Tex Preps Basketball magazine and www.texprepsbasketball.com.
