Flint Hill fans have reason to be excited this winter when their teams step onto the hardwood. Both boys and girls basketball programs are coming off impressive campaigns with deep playoff runs in 2010-2011, and many familiar faces will be leading the way in 2012.

The eighth annual Flint Hill Tip-Off Classic was the most successful in school history, and for the first time, both teams emerged as champions. It was the girls' fourth consecutive title, while the boys picked up their first since 2007 and their third overall.

Coach Rico Reed said his boys team has some specific goals for the season. They're lofty, but with seven seniors and the return of one of the most prolific trios in the team's history, they certainly aren't unreachable.

"We don't even want to lose at home," Reed said. "That's something that hasn't been done in my term here. Also, we want to win the conference outright. The last two years we've shared the conference. And then just to continue to become friends and family."

The Huskies benefit from a lineup that features a number of potential 20-point scorers. Mo Berchie's 24 led the way in the 67-55 win over Bishop Ireton in Saturday's championship game, and Reed will look to Berchie as his primary option.

"He's the guy that stirs the pot for us," Reed said of Berchie. "He's a guy who can penetrate and score, but he's also willing to distribute the basketball."

In the first round game against St. Anne's-Belfield, it was Trevor Ogundepo who picked his team up. His 22 points and hustle defense helped the Huskies to a 73-52 win. Also the starting running back on the football team, Ogundepo is as high energy a player as any.

"He's one of my favorite players because he works hard every day," Reed said. "Once he laces them up, you know you're going to get your best from him. He always wants to guard the other team's best player."

The list goes on. Troy Thomas has proven he can add production when necessary, and junior Chrystian Brown will try to make his occasional stellar performances off the bench a year ago more frequent. Reed cites Brown as the best overall athlete on the squad, and he helped prove that by throwing down a dunk against STAB.

"When the game gets up-tempo, which is the way we want it, Chrystian really thrives on that. He can score in an exciting fashion," Reed said.

At this time a year ago, the Huskies were mired in a five-game losing streak. Building momentum early in the season will be important, but Reed can appreciate the lessons learned by last season's letdowns.

"Some of the experiences we've had in the past are really going to be the main ingredients for our success," he said. 

Girls Squad Looks to Guards for Success

The girls team appears to be reloading, not rebuilding, after the loss of all three front court positions. That group was led by Audrey Dotson, now at Bucknell, and represented a size advantage that Flint Hill no longer has. Head coach Jody Patrick knows that her strength now lies in her guards, and has created an offense to allow their speed to flourish.

Alex Long will lead a starting rotation made up entirely of seniors, and has already established herself as one of the most talented players in the area. Patrick said she's been impressed with the improvement in Long's rebounding, a scary prospect for opponents already trying to contain her on the perimeter.

"She has a great calmness to her at the point," Patrick said of Long. "She's a scoring point guard. I've created the types of offenses that will give her the freedom to score. And she D's it up."

The Huskies receive an immediate boost from Alison Bragaw-Butler. The Wakefield transfer will play her senior year at Flint Hill after deciding she needed a change of scenery. She's also an AAU teammate and friend of Long, and the already developed chemistry has been apparent. While neither is particularly tall nor big — she's listed at 5-foot-10 — Bragaw-Butler's strength makes her a force in the paint, while she's also quick enough and has the range to create mismatches on the outside.

"She's really a 2-3, I'm playing her at the 4-5, but we play a real five out motion offense anyway, so there isn't a whole lot inside," Patrick said. 

Another of Patrick's trademarks is her plan to build chemistry throughout the entire team. She rarely replaces all five players on the court at one time, allowing younger girls a smoother transition to the varsity game.

"That type of chemistry is going to take us all the way. It always does," Patrick said. "The younger players get a chance to play with five seniors at different times. That's a real benefit."

Long scored 26 in a 72-52 win over St. Anne's-Belfield in the first round of the Flint Hill Tip-Off Classic before leading the Huskies to their fourth straight title at their home tournament. The Huskies edged Liberty Christian 48-45 in the championship, nearly the same score as the 48-45 win in the teams' previous matchup in the VISAA state semifinals last season.

Like any new season, Patrick was unsure of how her team would respond to changes. So far, so good, it would seem.

"You never know what you're going to take from the practice floor onto the game floor," Patrick said. "I was pleased to see our defensive intensity."

Tournament Honors

Girls: Seniors Alison Bragaw-Butler and Nicole Freeman were named to the All-Tournament Team. Senior Alex Long earned the MVP award.

Boys: Seniors Troy Thomas and Trevor Ogundepo received All-Tournament recognition. Senior Mo Berchie named MVP.