THE FRONT ROW WITH MARK NELKE: Thursday, December 3, 2015

In most years, by the time November turned into December, there had been enough girls basketball games played to at least have some idea which way the season was headed for local teams.

This year, not so much.

Girls basketball season in Idaho started three weeks ago. But since the neighboring Washington schools didn’t start until this week, that leaves Idaho teams to schedule other Idaho teams, and they are reluctant to play too many league games — meaning, hardly any — this early in the season. And with the 5A teams playing the 4A teams once, rather than twice, that also means less games in the early going.

Plus, that little windstorm two weeks ago that knocked out power all over North Idaho also knocked out a few scheduled games in November.

Through Monday, the 10 local girls basketball teams had combined to play a total of 15 games.

So, as the girls hoops season continues, and the boys basketball and wrestling seasons begin this week, there’s still a lot of questions.

CAN POST FALLS repeat?

Which Post Falls team, you ask.

Take your pick. Either way, coaches “love” the question about the “R” word when they’re coming off a state title.

And usually, they reply by saying they’re not trying to defend their title as much as try to win another one. And besides, in most cases, the roster of the team that won the title is often markedly different than the one coming back the following year.

Which is true with both the Trojan wrestling and boys basketball teams, which took the state championship bus ride/caravan through Post Falls with a week of each other last winter.

In both cases, both return a star or two, but both lost key team members last year to graduation, so it will depend on how the newcomers and other varsity returners being asked to take on increased roles perform.

CAN TIMBERLAKE’S girls basketball team break through, and win a state title after coming so close in recent years?

There’s no reason why not.

Unlike either of the Post Falls teams, nearly everybody is back from last year’s state 3A runner-up for Timberlake — and a few of this year’s players were on the team two years ago, when the Tigers also finished second at state.

Timberlake has played for the state title four times in last five seasons, coming in second each time. The Tigers have the talent to make it back to another state final, at which point title games are usually crapshoots.

The only thing that might derail Timberlake is injuries, though the Tigers fought through those last year.

CAN THE North Idaho College men’s basketball team qualify for nationals for the first time since the 1996-97 season?

No other NIC team has gone that long between trips to nationals. The Cardinal men have played for a few regional titles and come up short since then; a couple of years, NIC was the top-seeded team in its own gym, but stumbled each time in the semifinals.

Again, the road to nationals will likely go through CSI — and it will literally go through Twin Falls, site of the Region 18 tournament.

And at least this week, NIC is ahead of CSI — the undefeated Cardinals moved into the NJCAA poll this week at No. 17. CSI, ranked No. 1 in the preseason, has dropped to No. 21.

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter@CdAPressSports.