High school basketball teams all across the state started practice this week. For several schools, what is seen on the floor is merely a skeleton of what will be out there in a month or so.

Girls teams are waiting on soccer to wrap up. By the way, Region 4-AAA's Siegel won their first game at the state tournament 1-0 over Franklin.

Boys squads will have to wait longer before they are at full strength.

Shelbyville Central and Cascade are both poised to enter the state playoffs with their first round games on Nov. 9. So, it looks like a little more than a handful of kids like Julian Haile and Jacob Carkuff will miss a minimum of two weeks of practice. Haile is the quarterback and a guard for the Golden Eagles. Carkuff mans the same two positions for the Champions.

Both schools won their respective district tournaments on the hardwood last year and Shelbyville graduated but one player, Robby Rowland. Optimism is high.

Some basketball coaches love seeing their athletes playing other sports like football, noting how it toughens them up both physically and mentally. Still others watch with one eye open and one closed in fear of seeing an injury.

In my opinion, if you can drop back and complete a pass on third-and-13 at Clarksville in November, you have the mental fortitude to drain a 3-pointer at the Murphy Center in March.