The future is bright for the Troy boys basketball program and longtime head coach Gary Fralick. First off, the Colts, coming off an 18-6 season where they won a district championship, have possibly the best freshman in the state in 6-4 (and still growing)dynamo wing James Young. To say Young has been amazing this season, would be an understatement. On a team laced with veteran talent like Damon Brown and Bobby Wunderlich, Young as stepped to the forefront and quickly developed into the Colts number one option on offense – a role he shares with Wunderlich, a true workhorse in the paint. His breakout was early in the season when he had back-to-back games of 25 points and 15 rebounds. One of those games was against county thoroughbred Clarkston and Ball State-signee Matt Kamieniecki. Then on Thursday, he put in another colossal effort in a rivalry game against crosstown foe, Troy Athens, by scoring 25 points and grabbing 10 boards in a Colts 'W.' Expect Young to develop into a major league D1 recruit who will almost certainly end up going down as one of the greatest Troy bballers ever. It will definitely be fun and exciting to watch his progress over the next three and a half seasons.

Sophomore point guard Evan Mahone is another fast rising star for Fralick's gang of gritty hoopsters. Earning a starting spot at the beginning of the year, Mahone has been an injection of energy and hot shooting running the offense for a still work in progress Troy squad – the Colts are 5-7. This kid goes hard every play and is the definition of spunky on the floor. Against Athens, Mahone knocked down five 3-balls on his way to 15 points. Lurking in the shadowns is Maceo's Baston's son, an eighth grader expected to step into a role on the varsity for the Colts next season. Baston himself prepped in Dallas, Texas before coming to play his college ball at Michigan, where as a senior center and co-captain he helped lead the Wolverines to the 1998 Big Ten Championship. Drafted by the Bulls in the second round of the '98 NBA draft, he has spent considerable time in the NBA as well as playing ball with multiple teams overseas.