Welcome back, basketball

After a long, tough offseason, it?s finally back.

The squeak of shoes on the court, the whistles being blown by the referees and the cheering and groaning coming from the stands signify that the best season of all has arrived: Basketball season.

Maybe it?s that romantic idea of March Madness that makes me fall in love with basketball season all over again each November, or maybe it?s the idea that anyone can win on a given night.

If a group of athletes can fuel themselves with grit and determination, they can help power themselves over a seemingly superior opponent.

Excusing the shameless alumni plug, take, for example, the Western Illinois men?s basketball team. The Leathernecks play in the little-known Summit League, a conference that will only send one representative to the NCAA Tournament each season, regardless of what happens in the nonconference slate.

Western was picked to finish last in that conference coming into the season, and it?s easy to say they shocked the nation on Friday night. Proving that anything can happen, the Leathernecks went into the Kohl?s Center, and defeated the No. 17 ranked Wisconsin Badgers.

The idea that a team that is near the bottom of the 345 Division I basketball schools can defeat a team ranked in the Top 25, is what makes basketball so great.

When looking at the high school basketball season, there are a number of teams and athletes that are going to be exciting to watch.

Both Washington?s boys? and girls? basketball teams should be intriguing this season. The Demons are looking to bounce back from a pair of tough seasons last year, and both have the potential to do so.

The boys have a number of strong athletes returning to the floor this season, with leading-scorer Derek Anding fresh off a summer in the Primetime League, and sophomore Jaivonn Willis, who only played in limited games last season, but his size and athleticism made a big impact late in the season.

On the girls? side, new head coach Jordan Bentley is looking to help the Demons respond from a tough year last season, and with a number of athletic guards, they could be a fun, high-scoring team to watch.

Around the area, Highland and Iowa Mennonite, with returning conference player of the year Eli Gingerich, should be very competitive in the tough Southeast Iowa Super Conference North Division, with Winfield-Mt. Union looking to be right there at the top as well.

On the girls? side, Highland is looking to rebound from losing a number of key contributors from last year?s squad, but the Huskies are embracing their new role as an underdog.

Although the weather will get cold soon, there will be a lot of hot action going on inside the area gyms starting this week, and going all the way to

February.

I?m excited to see where these teams can take themselves.