Pre-season Basketball in the GCL

Basketball season is finally back in Greater Cincinnati, and high school gyms all cross the city are packed with players working super hard every single day to get ready for opening night. You can hear sneakers squeaking on the courts, whistles blowing, and coaches shouting plays as pre-season training officially wrap up. The Greater Catholic League (GCL) South in famous for being one of the toughest and most competitive high school basketball leagues in the whole state of Ohio. Featuring four traditional powerhouses. Archbishop Moeller, Cincinnati St. Xaiver, Elder, and La Salle this winter is going to be filled with fast paced games, huge student sections, and intense rivalries.

 First up Archbishop Moeller enters pre-season with massive expectations after having such incredible winning history from their head coach Karl Kremer, who has spent the last few months focusing on tough defensive, good passing, and smart playmaking every day in the off season. Moeller features a really great mix of experienced senior leaders and dynamic new guards who know how to control the tempo of the game and score points inside the paint coach Kremer knows how tough this league can be every year, and he constantly reminds his players to stay focused every time they step onto the court. "Every single night in the GCL South feels like a regional final," Coach Kremer said after a good win over there rivals the St. Xaiver Bombers. "You cannot take a single possession off or rely strictly on raw athletic talent. If you do not bring maximum discipline, mental toughness, and attention detail from the tip off this league will bury you fast."

Meanwhile over at Cincinnati St. Xaiver, the Bombers are super hungry to challenge for the top spot in the conference title race. St. X plans to rely on impressive perimeter three-point shooting, fast breaks, and full court pressure. Their Coaching staff has been pushing them hard during pre-season.

Over in Price Hill, Elder High School is getting ready to bring the signature physical style on the basketball court. The panther loves to play aggressive defensive, dive after loose balls, and grab every single rebound.

"Playing in front of a crowd that gets really loud and you can barely hear yourself is a fun thing to play for, it gets you ready for those big moments," says Eyobel Abraham.

Finally, La Salle brings tons of speed and athletic skill to the division this year. Even though they have a few young players in the main rotation the Lancers can steal the ball and score quick transition layups in a matter of a second, making all four GCL South teams ready to put on an incredible show for local basketball fans.