Welcome to the 2015-16 season in the state of Alabama. The road to Birmingham has officially begun and we couldn’t be more excited to get things rolling. Every day for the next few weeks, our Alabama expert Garrett Tucker will tackle two questions at 2 p.m. CST about the upcoming season.

Have a question? Please use the #AskHoopSeen on Twitter and we will be sure to tackle your questions along the way!

What state championship team from last season is most likely to repeat as champions this year?

First things first, here are our state champions from last year: Sacred Heart Catholic (1A), Lafayette (2A), Madison Academy (3A), West Limestone (4A), J.O. Johnson (5A), Carver-Montgomery (6A), and Hoover (7A).

I expect the majority of last year’s champions to contend for state titles during the 2015-16 season. Madison Academy, J.O. Johnson, and Carver-Montgomery all have some of the top players in the state and those three should be favorites to win their respective classifications this year.

However, the obvious choice here is Sacred Heart Catholic. The Heart returns virtually everyone, with the junior backcourt duo of DJ Heath and Kevion Nolan, along with super sophomore Diante Wood leading the way. Coach Rapheal Graves also has a solid group of role players that will make Sacred Heart the overwhelming favorite in 1A this season.

Last year Woodlawn’s Javien Williams came out of nowhere and had a stellar breakout season. Who are the candidates to do the same thing this season?

It was fun to watch Javien Williams write the junior chapter of his book last year with Woodlawn. He had a fantastic junior year, where he helped lead the Wolverines to the 6A state semi-finals, where they lost to eventual champions Carver-Montgomery. He averaged 20 points per contest en route to being named a Third Team All-State selection.

Williams then went on to star at the Alabama Elite Preview and on the AAU circuit with the Birmingham Storm. He committed to UAB and the rest is history.

While this year’s player isn’t necessarily following in Williams’ footsteps, there are going to be some big shoes to fill. Javien was one of the most exciting guys to watch last season, so this year’s candidate will have to keep the fans engaged.

The first name that comes to mind for me is Jacksonville senior guard Cam Horton. The combo guard is wired to score the ball and is really becoming a hot name in recruiting circles. Texas A&M assistant coach Rick Stansbury saw him last week and many other Division 1 programs are showing interest.

Horton can put up points in a hurry with his ability to score from all three levels, and his athleticism will keep fans on the edge of their seats during games. Many are not familiar with Horton, but if Jacksonville makes it to regionals at Jacksonville State, he could be a guy that really takes ahold of the opportunity.