After a well deserved break all the area basketball teams have laced up the Nikes and hit the courts running.

In the second half of the season, I expect all the teams to improve their marks.

Starting with the Greenville High Tigers, Karl Bledsoe's squad has a tremendous amount of talent but needs to be more consistent.

Over the holidays, Bledsoe challenged his players to commit themselves to the game.

If the guys can utilize what they got, then they'll be something

to reckon with.

Just ask Elba (the previous No. 2 ranked team in the state),

which the Tigers beat in the opening round of last month's Andalusia Invitational.

The recent addition of Jeremiah McConico to the team adds a more complete dimension to the offensive side of the ball.

All the pieces are there.

The coaching is there. In this next half of the season, all the Tigers have to do is play a more consistent brand of ball like they are capable of.

The Tigers' schedule could play to their advantage. Seven of their next 10 games are at the friendly confines of the Greenville Middle School Gym.

At GA, the girls' and boys' basketball teams will continue to get better in this second half of the season. I say, in a couple of years, the Tornado girls will be the team of old.

This young squad, as well as the guys, will have to work their way up by getting that crucial experience on the hardwood.

At Fort Dale, its the same ol' teams. Both the girls and boys are dominating much of the time and are poised to return to those championship games that they have grown accustomed appearing in.

However, there remains a lot of questions to be answered in this half of the season.

Half the fun is seeing what will take place. Hopefully, we, as a city, will have a chance to rally around a few clubs come mid-February.

I know I'll be there. What about you?

I have a feeling you will.

Until then, support these area teams.