With the boys' basketball season having kicked off in earnest last week, highlighted by Saturday's Breakdown Classic at Minnetonka, here's a quick look at six things every high school hoops junkie in the west metro should know.WHITHER WASHBURN AFTER REGGIE
When he took over as head coach at Minneapolis Washburn in 2005, Reggie Perkins rejuvenated the program, bringing a Class 3A state championship in 2009 and a runner-up finish in 2012. Perkins now is coaching at Bloomington Kennedy, but Washburn is in good shape
The Millers are young but athletic and return a dynamic player in senior guard Nick Anderson. As it was under Perkins, defense will be the foundation. "We emphasize team defense at all times," said new coach Jamin Cook.
ROBBINSDALE ROUNDUP
While neither Cooper nor Armstrong is actually in Robbinsdale, the district's two schools will put a couple of dynamic teams on the court.
Everyone knows about Cooper and Rashad Vaughn, a 6-6 junior swingman so talented that Kentucky's John Calipari has made him a focal point of his recruiting class for 2014.
But keep an eye on Armstrong. The Falcons return six regulars from last year and added scoring punch with guard J.J. Morris, a transfer who led Maple Grove in scoring last year.
BLAKE STEPS UP
Having never qualified for a state tournament, Blake is not known as a boys' basketball hotbed. That could change this year.
The Bears, who won a school-record 24 games last year, have plenty of frontline talent in center Blaine Crawford, forward J.R. Bascom and a charismatic back court of Kebu Johnson and sharpshooting John Veil.
Without a home game until Jan. 5, Blake will be battle-tested come March. With Section 6, Class 3A foes Benilde-St. Margaret's and Minneapolis Washburn rebuilding, this could be Blake's year.
