KEY STORYLINES TO FOLLOW

1. Is the title North Little Rock’s to lose?

The offseason acquisitions of Nick Smith and Corey Washington obviously point to that, but North Little Rock was going to be good anyway. There’s no doubt they’re the favorites, and most will agree. But Bentonville is going to be really, really tough and won’t take a back seat to anyone. The Charging Wildcats won’t be at full strength until mid-December so there’s time for others to take a leap forward.

2. Can Fort Smith Northside get its swagger back?

So many things went wrong for Northside last year, but the biggest was that the team was never completely whole. Two kids out here, three kids out there for various reasons. But when you’ve got a top-level coach in Eric Burnett on the sidelines, there’s always a chance. The Grizzlies will return to their contender status this season, bank on it.

3. How much will Bryant miss Cam Hunter?

A ton, particularly because he did so much for Bryant. The Hornets, though, have a mixture of shooters and playmakers that will be asked to pick up the slack. Drake Fowler and Gabe George will have expanded roles while Khasen Robinson is back after missing most of last season because of injury. Bryant will make some noise.