Ravenwood had a lot of high expectations last season and Brentwood was the younger, inexperienced team, and now their roles are somewhat reversed this year.

Juniors Cody Shelton (32), a Bruins baseball player, and Will Jones (34), also on the soccer team, will be counted on heavily on the hardwood.

But both teams had outstanding seasons and still have some big pieces of the puzzles remaining to launch a postseason championship run in 2011-12.

“We hope to defend our titles from last year, but expect every team in the league to be dangerous this year,” Bruins Coach Dennis King said.

BHS put it all together to win the District 11-AAA regular season and tournament titles, then made the regional finals and the sectionals.

RHS set a school record with 21 victories, following the previous year’s 20-win season, and made the region semifinals again.

Ravenwood Coach Patrick Whitlock said he is “excited about this team,” which he believes would be picked third in the district behind Brentwood and Hillsboro.

Whitlock said the Raptors “should have better chemistry than last year and will have a chance to surpass last year’s team if they come together as a unit.”

The first basketball Battle of the ’Woods will take place Friday, Jan. 20 at Ravenwood, and the two teams will end the regular season at Feb. 10 at Brentwood.

Brentwood Academy, meanwhile, is coming off a disappointing 11-15 season and often gets off to a slow start due to football players involved in the program and in the playoffs. The Eagles are expected to have more depth this year, however.

A closer look at this season’s BA, BHS and RHS basketball teams:

Brentwood High

Point guard Jack Montague has one more season for the Bruins before heading off to play Division I basketball for Yale University in the Ivy League. The six-foot senior averaged 14.5 points and six assists a game last season.

Also making a big impact last year was 6-5 forward Cody Shelton (11.9 points, 5 rebounds per game), who got a lot of big-game experience as a sophomore.

Junior Will Jones (5.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg), a 6-3 forward, and Ryan Meacham (4.2 ppg, 2.6 steals), a 5-11 guard, are two other top returnees for BHS.

Brentwood point guard Jack Montague is expected to be a leader on the court this year. BHP file photo.

Brentwood will need somebody to step up – especially on offense – for the loss of shooting guard James Cox (14.6 ppg).  The Bruins also graduated 6-5 Will Joiner (9.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg) and Skyler Sims (7.2 ppg).

Among others expected to make contributions to this year’s team are junior Gates Gustafson, a 5-10 junior guard; Jack Maher, 6-3 sophomore forward; Andy Schumpert, 6-2 sophomore G-F; and 5-9 junior guards Elijah Gonzalez and Luke Pastina.

King said his team’s strengths are depth, quickness and guard play, but the Bruins need more inside physicality.

Brentwood is coming off a 23-9 record in contending for another District 11-AAA championship. King, in his 25th year at BHS, could reach his 500th win with BHS (477-269) and at least his 600th victory (585-314).

 “We play a brutal pre-district schedule,” he said.

Brentwood plays Clarksville Northeast and Kentucky commit Alex Polythress; the defending Class AA state champs Liberty Tech; and Class A winner Lake County (Dec. 27-29 at Hickman County tournament).

Other non-district  foes include host Dickson County in Tuesday night’s Hall of Fame game opener ; Columbia in Thursday’s Hall of Fame game at home ; Blackman and Lavergne in the Dec. 16-17 Independence Classic; and Alabama teams Decatur and McAdory (Dec. 20-22 at Ensworth tourney).

Click here for Brentwood basketball schedule

 Ravenwood High

The Raptors lost a lot of experience with point guard Evan Forhetz  (14 points, 3.5 assists, 2 steals per game) and its big front line of 6-6 center Robert Veal (12 ppg, 8 rpg) and 6-6 power forward Sam Wilcox (8 ppg, 7 rpg). Forhetz is now playing basketball for Lee University.

Andy Moore

Senior 5-11 point guard Devin Robinson returns after accounting for 14 points, 3.2 assists and 2 steals a game. Andy Moore, a 6-2 senior guard, also gives Ravenwood a big threat from 3-point range after hitting 35% behind the arc last year.

RHS will still have a lot of height against opponents, with senior center J.P. Liederbach standing 6-6 and junior power forward Joey Barnes at 6-8.

“This will be a team with a lot of offensive firepower,” Whitlock said, as well as “lots of guys that are ready to step into bigger roles.”

The Raptors don’t have a lot of varsity experience, however. The toughest competition on this year’s schedule include Brentwood (Jan. 20 at home, Feb. 10 at BHS); Blackman (Fri., Nov. 25, 2:30 p.m., in Columbia Classic); and Siegel  (Dec. 9 at home).

Ravenwood tips off the season with two Hall of Fame Games at home this week, Tuesday, Nov. 15 vs. new Williamson County high school Summit, and Thursday, Nov. 17 vs. West Creek. The doubleheader each night starts with the girls game at 6 p.m., followed by the boys matchup at 7:30 p.m.

Click here for Ravenwood basketball schedule

 Brentwood Academy

BA had a young squad last season, but will miss the 20 points a game from Weldon Garlington.

Seniors Tyler Emery, a 6-1 point guard, and Al Thompson, 6-1 guard, are top players back for the Eagles along with 6-4 junior forward Josh Lester and 6-3 junior guard Danny McGrath.

Al Thompson

Thompson, a BA wide receiver who has committed to play DI football at Arizona State, was carried off the field after sustaining a big hit in Friday night’s second-round football playoff loss at Christian Brothers. Thompson is OK but has a very sore neck, football coach Ralph Potter said Sunday.

BA baseball player Eric Henninger and football standout D’montre Wade are newcomers expected to make an impact on the basketball court this season as well.

Coach Lyle Husband, 75-50 in five seasons at BA, said the team doesn’t have any real height. But the Eagles do have several skilled players and good depth to make this year a promising one.

"I am enjoying working with a good group of kids who want to be the best they can be,” Husband said. “They work hard and play together, and they are very teachable."

The Eagles coach expects the toughest competition in Division II-AA’s East/Middle Region to come from Ensworth, Montgomery Bell Academy and Father Ryan.

BA hosts a Hall of Fame Classic game at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, against Centennial, following the Lady Eagles’ game against Antioch.

The Eagles boys team doesn’t have another varsity game scheduled until Nov. 29 at Hillsboro, and only has one other home game until after the Christmas break – 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3 game with Jackson Christian in the middle school gym.

Brentwood Academy does play at nearby Christ Presbyterian Academy at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6.

Click here for Brentwood Academy basketball schedule