North Star Boys Basketball

In predicted order of finish

Lakeside Knights

1996-97 record: 8-0 (NSL), 23-1 (state champ)

Coach: Greg Stutzman

Years coaching, record: 6th, 58-55

Top returners: Sam Lozeau, 6-1, senior, wing/post; Ken Pluff, 6-0, sr., w; Buck Allen, 5-11, sr., point guard.

Newcomers: Benjamin Gajkowski, 6-4, junior, w/p; Adam Kolar, 5-10, jr., w.

Bonus shot: The Knights will look toward 6-foot-4 foreign-exchange student Benjamin Gajkowski from Germany as a force under the basket. Senior Andrew Twiss, a 6-5 post who led Knights to the state title last year, transferred back to the Vancouver, Wash., area.

Coach’s comment: “They’re looking pretty sharp. We have a lot of depth and a lot of quickness. These guys were all reserves last year, but any one of them with their talent could have stepped in and started.”

Outlook: As last year’s state champion, Lakeside is a favorite again in the North Star League. Stutzman believes he has a good chance for a repeat performance, despite losing four starters from last season. Lakeside opens against another power, Troy, at home today .

Clark Fork Wampus Cats

1996-97 record: 3-5, 9-11

Coach: Brian Powell

Years coaching, record: 1st Top returners: Brent Stevens, 5-8, sr., g; Nate Stutzke, 6-2, jr., w/p; George Klontz, 6-1, jr., p.

Newcomers: Brent Stutzke, 5-10, freshman, g; Antone Changala, 6-2, frosh., p/w.

Bonus shot: Although Powell is beginning his first year at Clark Fork, he is no stranger to the Wampus Cat court. Powell spent the last five years as the assistant varsity coach and the five years before that as the junior high coach.

Coach’s comment: “The kids are really dedicated to having a good season this year and they’re working really hard. I see a lot of talent in them.”

Outlook: After losing only two seniors from last year, the Wampus Cats come into the season with experience. Clark Fork will have to use its speed and pick up the outside shot if it wants to compete with Lakeside. Clark Fork opened with a 63-52 loss Tuesday to Priest River.

Falls Christian Eagles

1996-97 record: 3-5, 10-12

Coach: Tim Marks

Years coaching, record: 1st

Top returners: Jared Bligh, 6-3, jr., w/p; Drew Baker, 6-0, jr., g/w; Micah Walker, 6-3, jr., w/p.

Newcomers: Aaron Bligh, 5-5, frosh., g.

Bonus shot: Marks and former head coach Wes Davis were teammates at Northwest College in Kirkland, Wash. Davis moved to the Seattle area to a job as a youth pastor.

Coach’s comment: “We have a pretty good team and I wouldn’t trade them for anything. If we could just add a 6-foot-6 kid to the team, we’d be a pretty good force to reckon with.”

Outlook: The Eagles will probably have a slow start this year as they find their groove with their new coach. With a little improvement on defense and in their ball handling, they could finish up the season strong. Falls opened with a 73-53 win over Springdale, Wash., on Tuesday.

Kootenai Warriors

1996-97 record: 0-8, 5-14

Coach: Mike Howland

Years coaching, record: 2nd, 5-14

Top returners: Randy Reinhofer, 6-5, sr., forward; Scott Johns, 5-11, jr., g; Dallas Passow, 6-7, sr., p.

Newcomers: Jason Shanks, 5-11, jr., g; Jeremiah Foley, 6-0, sophomore, g; Chad Parson, 6-1, jr., f.

Bonus shot: Howland begins his second season as the first coach in six years to remain longer than a year at Kootenai. Howland has coached American Legion baseball for more than 20 years and helps out with basketball camps in the summer.

Coach’s comment: “You never feel like you have enough practices in by the first game because there’s stuff you think you could go through quickly, but end up spending more time on it than you want to. But once it all starts, you just go with it and the pressure goes away.”

Outlook: What the Warriors lack in quickness, they’ll have to make up with their height and be aggressive under the boards. Kootenai opens today at the Silver Valley Tournament in Wallace.

Mullan Tigers

1996-97 record: 6-2, 18-8

Coach: Brian Arthun

Years coaching, record: 1st

Top returners: Steve Greenfield, 6-2, sr., w.

Newcomers: Shawn Morris, 6-1, sr., p; Justin Valley, 5-10, sr., g.

Bonus shot: With only 10 players turning out for varsity and junior varsity combined, Arthun frequently finds himself in the middle of a scrimmage. The Tigers will concentrate all 10 players mostly on the varsity.

Coach’s comment: “We don’t have a lot of experience coming back and the guys need to learn to play together. I think once they do that, we’ll be a lot better off.”

Outlook: The Tigers took a big blow after graduating nine players last year, leaving them with a small, inexperienced team. The team will have to look to the five seniors for leadership and toughen up the defense. Mullan opens today at the Silver Valley Tournament in Wallace.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Players to watch Sam Lozeau, 6-foot-1, senior, wing/post, Lakeside Ken Pluff, 6-0, senior, wing, Lakeside Brent Stevens, 5-8, senior, guard, Clark Fork Jared Bligh, 6-3, junior, wing/ post, Falls Christian Randy Reinhofer, 6-5, senior, forward, Kootenai Buck Allen, 5-11, senior, point guard, Lakeside