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Ignoring the early returns from the Alcoa boys basketball team is nothing new.

Coach Micah Marsh's Tornadoes have to play the early season without some key contributors, thanks to the season overlap with football most years. This season, there's even more reason to reserve judgement. A roster loaded down with sophomores and a new district means Alcoa's true colors may not show until February.

"You have to really be patient and realize they're still babies in high school," Marsh said. "You really hope that your seniors will be your leaders. You know a coach can only say so much and holler so much and scream so much. It means so much more from a teammate if a senior's telling them what to do."

More than half the Tornadoes' roster is loaded with second-year players. With just two seniors in uniform, Alcoa will need those sophomores to step up from the start. Luckily, Marsh has one senior, former football player Logan Sharp, on the court much earlier than usual. The senior guard decided not to play football this season, focusing on basketball all summer for the first time. Having his leadership, especially with such a young roster, can only help.