For the past three seasons, the chase for a NIC-10 girls basketball title has been a two-horse race: Boylan and Hononegah.  Expect more of the same.

The Indians went 16-0 in 2016, and the Titans have captured the most recent two at 16-0 as well.

But the difference maker may well be Hononegah senior Jordan King, who could come out of this season as the greatest scorer in NIC-10 history. King averaged 21.1 points last season, when she was named conference MVP for the second straight year and was chosen second team all-state by the IBCA. If she scores at that same clip this season, she should pass the league’s No. 1 scorer – Brea Edwards (2,130 points) – about 20 games in.

King, a 5-9 senior who will be playing at Marquette next season, also led the league in steals (4.0) while pulling down 7.3 rebounds and dishing out 2.6 assists. She is joined by fellow first-team all-NIC-10 selection Cali Schmitz, who averaged 9.5 points, 3.3 steals and 7.3 rebounds.

Other key players for the Indians will be Hannah Malcomson (5-7, Sr.), Julia Burns (5-6 Jr.) and Marissa Kershner (5-10, Sr.).

Boylan, however, will put up a great fight to stay atop the league, thanks to the return of three starters in Frankie Schiro (5-4, Sr.), Ashley Reyes (5-5, Sr.) and Peyton Kennedy (5-11, Jr.). Kennedy averaged 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds, while the relentless Schiro was fourth in steals (3.1) and second in assists (4.0). Reyes averaged 9.0 points, 2.3 steals and 2.5 assists.

“We will be very aggressive with above-average speed and improved shooting,” said ninth-year Coach Paul Perrone. “We gained a lot of experience going 32-1 last season. The biggest question will be how our lack of height will impact us.”

Belvidere North, behind four returning starters, will be out to prove the NIC-10 is not a two-team race. The Blue Thunder, who went 9-7 last season (16-15 overall), are led by first-team all-NIC-10 selection Madison Diercks (5-10, Jr,) and special mention pick Brianna Lake (5-8, Sr.). Lake averaged 11.7 points, while Diercks scored at an 11.6 clip. Diercks was also third in rebounds at 7.8.

They will be joined by key newcomers Jocelyn Callahan (5-5, Jr.) and Katie Luna (5-8, Jr.).

“Our starting lineup is a competitive group,” sixth-year coach Aaron Leonard said. “Ultimately, the success of our season will come down to how much our bench players get acclimated to the varsity level and how much they can score.”

Darryl Watkins’ Auburn Knights also have a strong corps of returning starters – especially at the guard position. Sydney Erwin (6-0, Sr.), Nya Taylor (5-6, Sr.) and all-NIC-10 selection Nia Neal (5-7, Sr.), lead the way. Neal averaged 10.5 points and 2.3 steals.

Other key players will be Da’Sani Hannah (5-9, Jr.), Madison Hoel (5-6, Jr.), Kiara Stevens (5-6, Jr.), Felicia Brathwaite (6-0, So.), Brooklyn Gray (5-10, Fr.) and Zhakyla Evans (5-7, Fr.).

“Last year, we were trying to make an identity in our program,” said Watkins, whose team went 6-10 in the NIC-10 (12-17 overall). “Now we know what we need to bring to the table every single night. You will see a lot of inside-out basketball utilizing all of our options from strong guard and post play.”

The Harlem Huskies will be a young team, with three freshmen and a sophomore playing key roles on fourth-year Coach Beth Meyer’s squad. But they will be led by a pair of returning starters in Catie Daily (5-8, Sr.) and Brielle Shaw (5-4, Jr.). Daily averaged 8.5 points, 2.7 steals while hitting 31 3-pointers. Shaw pulled down 5.5 rebounds while collecting two steals and nearly three assists per game

Other key players for the Huskies will be Tamari Stamper (5-6, Sr.) and Bri Jackson (5-10, Jr.).

“We are young, but we have a defensive-focused team that can run and has depth,” said Meyer, whose Huskies tied East for third last season at 12-4 (22-9 overall).

Fifth-year coach L.A. Malone once again fielded a strong team last season, as the East E-Rabs tied for third at 12-4 (18-12 overall), giving him a 71-46 mark over his career.

But it may be a little more difficult to stay up among the top teams this year after losing four of five starters. Halee Bergstrom (5-8, Sr.) is the lone returning starter, bringing back her long-range prowess after pouring in 44 3-pointers last season. Key newcomers expected to fill the other starting spots include Kabrea Jamerson (5-11, Jr.) and Chanell Williams (5-5, Jr.).

“We’re an inexperienced team, but we still look to be competitive with all our opponents,” Malone said. “We will continue to get better as the season progresses, however the early part of the season may be unpredictable.”

“Young” is the buzzword for the Guilford girls. Even though they bring back three starters from their 5-11 team (10-18 overall), Coach Matt Huels only listed three seniors on his roster.

Leading the way will be Kate Dennis (6-2, So.), who as a Special Mention All-NIC-10 player last year after scoring 11.2 points per game with 50 3-pointers, fourth best in the conference. She has already received Div. I interest from Illinois State and Valparaiso. Myliaha Ezeofor (5-9, Jr.), who was No. 2 in the NIC-10 in rebounding at 8.3 per game, and Mya Williams (5-9, So.), who was fifth at 7.5, round out the returning starters.

“Our strength will be our depth, with a great variety of skill sets on this team,” Huels said. “We are committed to ‘bettering our best’ on a daily basis.”

With three starters back from a 3-13 team (4-22), new coach Greg Bridges calls this a rebuilding season for the Freeport Pretzels. But that doesn’t mean a basement finish.

“We only have six seniors and no juniors,” he said. “But we have speed, improved shooting with the addition of sophomore Brooklyn Sellers, and our rebounding will be much better with Jaeden Peahl.”

Peahl (6-0, Sr.) joins Riley Kleckler (5-10, Sr.) and Jordin Mason (5-9, Sr) as returning starters. Kleckler averaged 11 points and 4.6 rebounds last season.

Belvidere, which went 2-14 (6-22 overall), looks to start climbing. It helps to have four starters back in Maya Smith (5-3, Jr.), Quinn Yerk (5-7, Sr.), Rylee Abraham (5-7, Sr.) and Lexi Keating (5-3, Sr.). Smith averaged 10.8 points, 2.7 steals and 2.5 assists, while Abraham was one of the league’s top rebounders at 6.5 per game.

Third-year Coach Christina Douglas says defense will be the Bucs’ calling card. She hopes their aggressiveness will help overcome their lack of size.

After not fielding a varsity team last season, Jefferson will be back in play. But it will be a tough climb for Coach Maurice Smith and his young J-Hawks.