2000-01 Season Predictions

Season number seven is upon us. Behold my annual post-draft SABL prognostications, which I'm usually wrong about every year:

ROYAL CONFERENCE - Predicted Champs - East Asia Dragons

EAST

1. East Asia - The Dragons acquisition of The Admiral has cinched it for East Asia this season. Another hammerlock defensive team with more offense this year than last year.

2. Richmond - It'll be tough for Coach Frank Rowley to catch East Asia now. But, he's in the playoffs again and he's building for the future at the same time. Great deals, great draft. He has all his old weapons, along with a new one, Dirk Nowitzki, who developed nicely after Frank plucked him in the middle of the first round last year.

3. Miles - The Odom-Brand deal is a wash, except for this year. Odom fit in well on Miles team, but Brand is not as good a passer. This deal pushes Antoine Walker to the SF slot, which means mucho turnovers if the Bulldogs try to fastbreak. However, Miles can't miss the playoffs and is looking great for the future. Walker finally got the card he deserves and Mutombo is a good old defensive rebounding/blocking machine at center and he has enough young talent around him to keep the team humming.

4. Akron - The talent is there - Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett - but the coaching has not been. When Dave Scott brings that to the table, watch what this playoff-potential team can do.

5. Brooklyn - Even with Odom, Steve Feldheim might be the worst again the SABL. The rebuilding continues.

NORTH

1. Tri-City - In replay after replay, the Blackhawks keep coming out on top or in second place. Will Tri-City repeat as divisional winner? Mr. Marbury keeps this team interesting. Of course, he isn't the only superstar-caliber point guard on the team. Detleff Schrempf, of Portland in real life, got the passing card Scottie Pippen should've got, in this year's freak SOM card accident. Schrempf can play ANY position, rebound, shoot and throw dazzlers all over the place on the break.

2. Iowa - I might have erred picking Iowa first. The lack of a good center hurts this otherwise solid squad. With the great fastbreak shooters this team has, you have to run it, but if you do, Francis throws the ball away. This team is still good for years to come and is a good center away from being truly dominant in the entire league.

3. Davenport - Avery Johnson got a killer passing card, Cliff Robinson rocks, Kukoc can pass at the forward slot. Add the fifth-pick in the draft, Mashburn, Smits and Greg Anthony to the mix, and you spell playoffs.

4. River City - Trade Reggie ASAP.

5. Bettendorf - OK, I picked the Druids last in the this division last year, too. The Druids actually stayed in first place until the last month of the season. Picking up Glen Rice might help them repeat their Cinderella playoff-earning performance, but I don't see anyone touching Iowa.

CLASSIC CONFERENCE - Predicted Champs - St. Lucie Aces

SOUTH

1. St. Lucie - Before you storm the SABL Parliament and throw me out of office, in my defense, let me point out that my team is much worse than it was last year. It's just that everyone else's is, too, so that makes me the favorite to win the conference. I don't have the Mailman or the Admiral, but I do have three young guys named Iverson, T. Thomas & D. Anderson for the future. Cassell has the best point guard card in the set. And McDyess and Webber will actually get to play this year.

2. Galactic Coach Steve Walters got me and everyone else last season, winning his first SABL championship. He's gonna be tough again this year, but the cards didn't break his way as well this time as they did last time. Scottie Pippen's fastbreak passing card is his worst ever. But with The Mailman, Stockton, Brandon and many others still looking good, Steve's a lock for the playoffs.

3. McLean - Trading off Zo has made the Nats a .500 team at best that might not make the playoffs. Still, the future looks bright with Andre Miller now on board.

4. Chapel Hill - Coach Tommy Field's trading of The Admrial means no playoffs, but he looks good for the future with Jamison and Rasheed.

5. Tulsa - This could be the toughest year yet for Philip.

WEST

1. Sublimity - Has become sublime by trading for Mourning. The effect of getting a superstar center like Zo, even for just one year, cannot be overstated. The Senators had to trade off fourth pick Andre Miller, but somehow managed to get Bibby back in the deal. This means a crushing combo at guard with Kidd, and mucho scoring from Houston and Van Horn, too. This team is perhaps the second-best in the SABL on paper and is perfectly capable of winning it all! Wow!

2. San Jose - San Jose knows the way to the playoffs, but not the divisional title, which will certainly be the Senators. Like Iowa, only a good center keeps them from the league's upper echelon.

3. Finney - In the last three years, either the San Jose or Finney franchises have won their division. Finney coulda' contended for it this year, too, if Kobe's fastbreak passing card hadn't also come down with Pippenitis.

4. Garden City - I gotta go with Tim Duncan next.

5. Holcomb - Charlie will rebound, but he will also rival Brooklyn as our league's worst franchise this season 

Predicted SABL Champs - St. Lucie Aces