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Page " . Waterloo Chronicle, 'tttttstty Doc-tuba t2, 1979 éW TWINE TIME! 'if,zsrit, By Rick Campbell Gimmick Soon: Editor The scuttlebutt surround- ing Kitchener-Waterloo Cot- legiate's basketball team is that it contains several in dividual standouts. But individuals only do not a successful unit make and KCI head coach Jim Saddler said getting his club to play together as a team will be his major priority as Raiders prepare to defend their Twin-City and CWOS- SA title-winning pertorman- ce of one year ago. Raiders, who finished third last year before knock- ing off Bluevale and St. Jerome's to win the Twin City title, should submit an- other strong bid this cam- paign with the likes of retur- nees Bob Urosevic, Everton MacDougall, Dave Swartz and Jeff Knight. Hopefully strengthening the lineup will be incoming Steve Forden. KCI power again One team's weakness is another's strength. While several Waterloo County high school senior basketball teams are reel- ing under the loss of key in- dividuals. Waterloo colle- giate Viking coach John Zdrahal sits back and smiles. Mainly because he and seven returnees do not have memories so short they for- get the losses inflicted on them last year, their worst season in recent time. And this time around, things could be different. “I'm optimistic, if I can keep the guys around I have now we should do alright." said Zdrahal with a chuckle, in reference to the chaos surrounding his club last year as it was beset with graduations. transfers. in. juries. and retirements Vikings are " in the pre' The magnificent nine, as Bluevale Knight basketball coach Jim Baird refers to his squad, will have to live up to their nickname if they expect to go anywhere In the Waterloo County high school senior basketball league this year Vikes look strong with large returrtirttrcpst ' Four big guns from last year's 10-2 second-place Knights are no longer with the team and to say they will be missed is the under- statement of the roundball season Brilliant mdividual stars Phil Jarrett and Rich deSil- va. league all-stars with the club that was edged out by CWOSSA - winning KCl in an action-packed semi-final last year, have departed. as have 6-7 Ian MacDonald and guard John Polliee Jarrett and MacDonald are both with the University of Wa- terloo Warriors Of the nine making up this Bluevale lacks size who returns after a year in the United States, Dave Mullins, Bruce Somers, Dave Bauer. Louis Fedora jah and junior graduates Paul Wideman and Frank Anaganostopoulos. Raiders, in compiling a fr 2 pre-season won-lost re- cord, have looked good at times. especially in winning the Sarnia Invitational con- solation championship last weekend, but in losses to Oakville Blakelock and Windsor Lowe have looked rather ordinary. "We definitely lack height and quickness, but our major problem is our lack of team play," said Saddler. "Last year most of the guys had respect for each other on the floor so there wasn't as much freeloading. but this year some guys think that others can't do the job and they have to do it all themselves We have to de- velop more confidence and season with their only two losses coming to John F. Ross and in the final of the King City tournament which they dropped by two points. And of the seven or so in- dividuals Zdrahal plans to build his starting rotation on, five are returnees from last year. Chronicle Sports Line 886-2830 The only personnel loss suffered by WCl was Roger Tribert through graduation Tribert and Mike Bielak were the top scorers on the club last year. but the 6-4 Bielak returns at centre-for- ward along with guard-for- ward Bruce Gordon, this yea r's captain Guards Carey Lee. Doug Green and Andy Coppolino are back and should give Vikings consistency coming up the floor. The other re- turning players and 6-3 centre-forward Tom Hall and guard Dan Fitzgerald year's Knights, five are re- turnees but only guards Andy Harper and Jim Hack- ett and Jamie Hallman. who has been switched by Baird from guard to post, saw any action to speak of Also back IS postman Scott Harper and guard Mike Fronchak while jun- iors Craig Kermer. Ed Fowler and Andy Lawrence graduate from the junior club Fowler is an excellent shooter and will be used on the wing The last member of this year's club is Greg Sekulin. who was out with the juniors two years ago but did not play last year "We're really lacking in size and experience and I imagine that will show throughout the year." said Baird. returning as head coach in place of George Hunsberger. who stepped in admirably while Baird was on sabbatical “We're going Saddier's club lost the! outstanding players fro last year's starting five, Scott Hannah. Jerome Kirby and Dave MacMillan. He says he has a "set three“ with Urosevie, Forden and MacDougall, and likely will turn to Swartz and Mullins to complete his starting five. work on the team play con- cept or else we won't be going anywhere.", J I The KCI boss is expecting Forest Heights, Waterloo and St. Jerome's to be tough opposition, based on what he has seen so far this year of the newly-aligned Waterloo County loop. Raiders open at home Fri- day against Grand River, a team that did not have a senior entry last year, and although saddler assume they (Grand River) '/d'll1 be weaker than some others, says no team can be taken for granted. Prominent newcomers in- clude brothers Fred and Ben Redekop, who came to the school this year from Kansas. Fred, at 6-5 will be centre while Ben is a for- ward. Other newcomers are guard Todd Smith, lan Ma- cLean, Mark Hovey, Eric MacNaughtom Steve Cook and Ken Lee. "Right now we've got our sights set on making the top eight." said Zdrahal. “I think we have the speed and the boards and we're big and quick - sometimes." The last comment re- ferred to WCI's puzzling performance in a dismal loss to Ross, their last tun up before opening at hon. Friday against Elmira at "Let's put it this way. you can say we have a lot of practising to do - a lot." said Zdrahal to have to run and hope to wear teams down Knights have played eight exhibition games, winning against Elmira and Strat- ford Northwestern Last week they travelled to Wim nipeg for the Fort Garry In- vitational, which was won by the third-ranked team In that province A pl Knights open their season on the road Friday with a game at Cameron Heights Next Tuesday they will be home to the always tough Eastood Rebels and are also home one week from tomor, row against Waterloo-Ox- ford before breaking for Christmas