Posted: 12/8/04
Untested talent will be put to the test for boys basketball
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Joe Drennan
Sports Editor
After six players graduated from last yearís team, the Forest Lake High School boys basketball team is forced to fill some big shoes.
Guard Tom Frericks was one of the hardest working Rangers last year along with his supporting cast of seniors of guard Collin Authier and forward Ross Miller.
ìWeíre still trying to decide who is going to fill those shoes,î Rangers head coach Chuck Gunderson said. ìOur returning seniors are going to have to show us what they're going to do.î
Returning players who Gunderson expects to step up for the Rangers are guard Noah Lawson, Nate Robertson, Chris Sobieck, T.J. White, Adam Young and Darek Mayen.
Last year Lawson was one of the top scorers on the team and heíll be looked upon for some more offense again this year. Robertson was the Rangers top defender and Gunderson says he expects him to be that again this year.
This yearís Rangers squad has several sophomores on the roster with Aaron Jacobs, Drew Cremisino, Matt Hansmann and Josh Williams standing out.
ìThey are going to have to prove themselves,î Gunderson said of the sophomores. ìA host of juniors will have to do the same though.î
The juniors that will have to prove themselves are Erik Zentzis, Mitch Minnig, and Dan Cromwell.
ìThis is going to be a team that is evolving and molding itself as the season progresses,î Gunderson said. ìWe're going to see what these guys can do at a varsity level and what five guys can play the best together.î
Competition
With the Suburban East Conference as competitive as it is, Gunderson says he uses the conference schedule as preparation for the section 4AAAA playoffs.
ìWe prepare for our conference foes, but I look at what type of team do we have and how can we mold them for the sections,î Gunderson said. ìWhat do we have to do to beat those teams is what I look at.
Donít get me wrong though, weíd like to win the conference.î
The Rangers only had one game this past week so they made the most of it, beating St. Paul Harding 58-49. The Rangers had two players in double digits scoring with Robertson scoring 18 points and Jacobs, 11.
The Rangers next game is Saturday at Duluth Denfeld at 1:30 p.m.
Forest Lake Times
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