Boys’ basketball: Mission League mania in 2014

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If you thought the Mission League was good this season, wait until 2014. There are many top basketball players returning.

Of the 16 players selected for all-league, 12 are non-seniors.

Trying to pick a champion will be as difficult as it was this season.

Loyola won the title and returns point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright, 7-footer Thomas Welsh, guard Max Hazzard and lots of promising players from lower-level programs.

Crespi returns second-team all-league guards Max Heidegger and DJ Ursery. Chaminade returns its two big men, 6-10 Trevor Stanback and 6-8 Jack Williams. Alemany returns forwards Bear Henderson and Bennie Boatwright and guards Brandon Boyd and Shacquille Dawkins.

Harvard-Westlake returns a healthy Derick Newton at forward and guards Michael Sheng and Alex Copeland. St. Francis returns guards Kyle Leufroy and Evan Crawford. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame returns guard Ryan Ducar.

And just wait until the incoming freshmen show up, not to mention the inevitable transfers.

Welcome to Mission League basketball mania.

-- Eric Sondheimer