It's been stated before, but the high school basketball scene has transformed into something comparable to NBA free agency. On one hand, the kneejerk reaction is to pose an argument for why/how transferring or reclassifying could have a positive effect on said player. The other side of the token typically points to the lack of loyalty, structure, or overall negative effects that could potentially arise. However, the reality is somewhere in the middle. Public school coaches are never going to voluntarily offer up their players for private school programs to poach. There are various examples of players transferring from public schools to other public schools but it's certainly uncommon. Despite being largely painted out as the villains in this comparison, private school coaches are expected to perform a job, which unfortunately requires them to seek out talent from all possible avenues.'

That being said, covering the greater Greensboro area (Greensboro/High Point/Winston-Salem) over the last four years has brought a lot of enjoyment. This upcoming season will likely be more unpredictable than ever before, as there will be an extremely unique collection of talent for public and private schools. This series will be ongoing and broken down into numerous parts, so be conscientious of that if your team doesn't appear'

Northern Guilford

Last Season: 16-10 (Lost in NCHSAA First Round to Jay M. Robinson)

Parts and pieces are constantly in motion within the high school basketball scene, whether it is players, coaches, or entire programs being uprooted. While this might hold true for some schools, little to no programs have seen a situation like Northern Guilford's'especially within the first few years of being built. After the notorious Stan Kowalewski situation, the men's basketball program would see their fair share of struggles. They've always found a way to stay relevant but haven't been able to get over the hump. It's not as if the area is stripped for talent, considering Page and Piedmont Classical are both within ten minutes of the school, and Andy Pack is probably their most decorated player of the last five to ten years. The coaching staff has been knowledgeable and committed since taking over, even when Kellen Parrish was thrust into the lead role just weeks before the start of last season. He and Derek Hodge have really worked to establish a positive culture with this group and seem to get better with each season. Things looked grim during the first month, as the Nighthawks quickly dropped their first four games of the year. After stumbling out of the gate, Parrish brought the team together and they gained a newfound sense of confidence. There were still some ups and downs but a nine-game win streak towards the end of the season meant things were looking positive. At the forefront of the post-Pack era, Nolan Hodge clearly has the makings of a potentially special player. Most people don't realize that basketball wasn't even Hodge's only focus entering high school, as his abilities on the baseball diamond were definitely noteworthy. However, he's steadily worked to improve at all facets of the game and continues to look more comfortable as the primary leader. Hodge's combination of size, skill, fluidity, and pure smoothness make him an obvious matchup problem from the guard position. He shoots the ball at a high level and possesses the necessary feel and versatility to create from all over the floor. Losing productive guys like Carson Lomax and Rashawn Pleasant will be tough to overcome, but having young, proven players like Adonijah Whitley and Jackson Helms in place will extremely helpful. Though full of youth, it shouldn't surprise folks if this group starts making noise within the coming months.