ARLEE BOYS BASKETBALL: Reloading

ARLEE - Mariners fans will know the feeling well... it's time to

get excited about Junior.

For Arlee fans, it won't be Ken Griffey Jr. wowing the crowd

this basketball season but rather Junior Sansavere. The senior's

basketball skills helped lead the Warriors to a second-place finish

at the Class C state tournament last year.

ARLEE - Mariners fans will know the feeling well... it's time to get excited about Junior.

For Arlee fans, it won't be Ken Griffey Jr. wowing the crowd this basketball season but rather Junior Sansavere. The senior's basketball skills helped lead the Warriors to a second-place finish at the Class C state tournament last year.

While Arlee lost a good group of seniors to graduation, they'll be looking to reload rather than rebuild.

"We have a lot of kids that are very capable," head coach Dustin Keltner said. "We're going to have pretty good depth."

Along with the talented Sansavere, the Warriors should get production from Mark Fullerton, Sam Nelson, Justyn Adams, Christian Haynes and Nelson Big Sam. Arlee fans should also look for Dustin Baker, 6' 5" Josh Reed and senior Camas McClure to do some work on the hardwood as well.

Fans last year were treated to a fluid form of basketball that was just plain fun to watch.

While there will be new faces this year, that style of play shouldn't change.

"We're not going to change our philosophy from last year; if it's not broke don't fix it," Keltner said. "We just need to mesh and peak at the right time. That's who we are and the kids love to play fast and aggressive."

The Warriors should also expect to get the services of Brandon Hergett after Christmas.

"He's got some skills," Keltner said. "He's a good player."

Keltner expects his team to hit its stride in the second half of the season in a tough conference that includes an experienced Noxon team, a skilled Two Eagle squad, Mission Valley rival Charlo and the newcoming Superior squad that dominated in football this year. Keltner expects the district to have a strong showing at divisionals and beyond.

"Our district is loaded," Keltner said. "It might be the most well-rounded group of talent I've seen in my 16 years of coaching."

Keltner has loaded up his schedule with plenty of play-up games to Class B and that should mean his squad will be used to the dogfights that await them in district play.

"I like the kids we have and they're willing to learn which is great as a coach," Keltner said. "They're going to give everything they have and really it's just up to establishing roles on the team."

With a fourth-place finish at state two years ago and a second-place finish last season, Arlee has established a legacy of greatness and will look for the momentum to continue.

"There's a lot of buzz around our program," Keltner said. "I teach at the elementary school and the kids there are talking about it. Coach Tucker before me and the kids have put a lot of work into it and our goal is to try and be consistent."