(WLOS) For the past several seasons Enka has been a dangerous team in the WMAC; however, in the four years of that conference's existence the Jets finished fifth three times. The danger was in how they played. Enka runs up and down the floor, shooting almost without a conscience.
If they're on, you're in trouble. If they're not, they are in trouble.
But this year the team returns more firepower than any other in the newly-formed Mountain Athletic Conference. Head coach Brian Carver has his top nine scorers back from a season ago, led by Jacob Tiller and his 14.1 points per game. The top five rebounders are back. The top seven assisters are back.
In short, the Jets are loaded.
"All of them are knock-down shooters," stated Carver. "Obviously spreading the floor and shooting the basketball is one of our strengths."
What wasn't one of their strengths last season was defense. While the Jets averaged 68.5 points per game, they also allowed 65.7 points per contest.
"We were not very physically strong last year, so we made a commitment to get in the weight room this offseason and get a lot stronger," said Carver. "I think our kids have done that. We've grown! Most of our kids were considered small or below-average size for their position and we've grown a lot. We're no longer the tiny team out there."
Enka, considered by many as the conference favorites, will also have a different postseason landscape to look at. Half of the seven team conference is now in 4A (Asheville, McDowell, Reynolds, Roberson) while the rest remained in 3A (Enka, Erwin, North Buncombe).
The NCHSAA awards one automatic bid per class represented in a 7-team league. So, if Enka finishes ahead of the Blackhawk and Warriors they are guaranteed to go dancing.
"You've got to control your own destiny and make sure you're taking care of business inside the 3A portion. It's a great league, it's always been a great league," explained Carver. "There's always that team out there that surprises people and then there's your heavy hitters, so we've got our hands full but we're excited to be back."
Enka opens the season on the road at Pisgah next Tuesday.