The votes are in and the Muldrow girls are the preseason pick to win the NOAA conference basketball title.

The Lady Bulldogs won the NOAA championship last season and league coaches made them the unanimous selection to repeat in balloting conducted by Your TIMES.

The Muldrow girls have starters Brandie Holt and Debra Silva back from their C4A state semifinal team along with top returning scorer Fontana Tate.

Stilwell received three first-place votes from the coaches and topped the NOAA preseason boys poll. The Roland boys got two first-place votes to tie Poteau for second place.

In the Big Eight Conference coaches’ poll, the Central Lady Tigers were picked to finish second behind defending champ Boynton. The Vian girls were one point behind Central in third.

The boys coaches voted Keys as the preseason favorite in the Big Eight. The Vian Wolverines narrowly edged Gore for third place.

Coaches in the Riverside Conference picked Porter to win the boys’ title and Porum to finish first in the girls’ standings.

The Webbers Falls boys came in at second in the poll, while the Gans Lady Grizzlies were picked to finish second in the conference girls’ poll.

To read more about all the county-area teams, look for the annual basketball preview in the Sunday, Nov. 29, of Your TIMES.

Preseason Basketball Coaches’ Polls

NOAA

Boys: 1, Stilwell; 2 (tie), Roland and Poteau; 4, Sallisaw; 5, Spiro; 6, Muldrow.

Girls: 1, Muldrow; 2, Stilwell; 3, Roland; 4, Poteau; 5, Sallisaw; 6, Spiro.

Big Eight

Boys: 1, Keys; 2, Hulbert; 3, Vian; 4, Gore; 5, Warner; 6, Central; 7, Boynton; 8, Okay.

Girls: 1, Boynton; 2, Central; 3, Vian; 4, Keys; 5, Hulbert; 6, Warner; 7, Okay; 8, Gore.

Riverside

Boys: 1, Porter; 2, Webbers Falls; 3, Porum; 4, Midway; 5, Gans; 6, Braggs.

Girls: 1, Porum; 2, Gans; 3, Midway; 4 (tie), Webbers Falls and Porter; 6, Braggs.