2003-04 Season Preview

By Scott Ellis
SABL Commissar

One of the best SABL drafts ever just happened and several franchises moved to new divisions. You can't tell your teams without a scorecard, so here is my demented assessment of who is gonna finish where this year. I'm never right, BTW, but who cares . . .

ROYAL CONFERENCE

EAST

1. Akron - Kevin Garnett has the best Strat card this year. P.J. Brown and Ilgy are good, and so is Ray Allen and Wally. Plus, Dave Scott picked up some guard help in Armstrong and Jay Williams for his playoff run. It's close, but give Dave the nod by a whisker over . . .

2. McLean - Now that Bob Storey has escaped from the Super South Division (actually, it's not so super anymore without him) and Classic Conference, he is really in the hunt thanks to Jerry and his kids. Andre and Arenas make a dynamite guard duo. Richard Jefferson and Brad Miller are good, too.

3. Richmond - Last year's division winners and Royal Conference champs are still plenty good, it's just that Akron has gotten so much better and McLean has escaped from the Southern dungeons. Dirk is back, Redd's gettin' better, Baron Davis is really good. Peja can score, too. A playoff team for sure.

4. Iowa - Dennis is not in the derby just yet, although Keith Van Horn's card is unreal. If the Tornadoes could whip up a bonafide inside scorer, McGrady would lead this team to the Promised Land.

5. Brooklyn - Dang it, Steve Feldheim's team is OK, but the East Division has probably become the strongest in the league now and he's not quite there yet. Kenyon Martin, Gasol and others are getting better, but no good PG hurts.

NORTH

1. Quad City - Young Kathleen's squad is so much better this year. Rashard Lewis is a shooting stud, Kurt Thomas is a solid inside guy, Tinsley and Eisley define dazzlers and she picked up Okur, to boot.

2. Tri-City - Chris Feeney's team is not the most Amazing in the North this time. But he has just enough to go with Mr. Marbury to get into the playoffs.

3. River City - Gets real murky after the top two, but I go with young Mike Resnick, who, with Allan Houston's great card, will take it up a notch this season and win some more games.

4. Bettendorf - Mark always does better than I predict because he is one of the best coaches in the league, so he'll probably prove me wrong again. I just don't know if he can hold off the youngins' this year. But he gets more out of his players than anyone I know.

5. Davenport - It's just not right for a team with the name "Dazzlers" not to have a dazzler PG.

CLASSIC CONFERENCE

SOUTH

1. St. Lucie - OK, it's not nice to brag on your own team, so I won't, but it's pretty good. But it was good last year and I didn't win the division and it was even better the year before and I got beat in the Finals. So I'm gonna shut up.

2. Galactic - He won it all last year, but Steve Walters would be the first to tell you that he is gonna find a harder row to hoe this time. But once again, the Card Gods have smiled on Galactic as Malone, Cassell, Grant Hill, Payton and Pippen are simply super. He's picked up some of his famous role playing freak cards again, too. Somewhere, Reggie Slater is smiling.

3. Chapel Hill - That's right, sports fans, Tommy Fields is not gonna finish last in the division again this year. His defense is too good and his offense is gonna produce just enough to finally get him outta there. And he's not trading Kirilenko back to me this time.

4. New Orleans - The SABL's Gumbo Trophy will go to Jeff's Roosters. Terry and Nash sure are nice.

5. Louisiana - Close on Jeff's heels will be the Buzz. But Mashburn and Walker ain't enough - yet.

SOUTH

1. Bakersfield - Hands down the winner here with Shaq, Rahim, Billups, Big Dog and Giricek. Getting Gordan at #20 is incredible and it actually helps this team cement the division crown.

2. Cave Creek - The former East Asia Dragons still have plenty of fire. Nene, Big Ben, Eric Snow and Jumpin' Jerome Williams make a terrific trio of defenders and Paul Pierce puts it in the bucket and draws a million fouls doing it.

3. Finney - Look at his defense - Christie, Artest, Iverson, Jason Collins, Cliff Robinson, Haywood, Bobby Jackson, McKie. Ratliff, Candyman. With Iverson, he has just enough offense to get the job done. Possible playoff team.

4. Tulsa - What? Phillip's gonna finish down here? He's got some real good guys, but I just don't see enough defense to get higher.

5. Holcomb - Again, he ain't bad, but he ain't good enough to catch Bakersfield. Worst defense in the division.

Royal Conference Champs - Akron

Classic Conference Champs - St. Lucie

SABL Champs - St. Lucie