Blue Jays welcome new home, new hope

Oak Ridge's basketball players have a new gym to play in and a new coach to play for.

New coach Robert Stein hopes that combination equals new results, even though only one starter returns from a team that won two games last season.

"We want to establish respectability," Stein said. "We want to try to be competitive."

While still trying to familiarize himself with his new personnel, Stein will try to add a more up-tempo style.

"We're going to push the ball, try to play fast pace," Stein said.

Oak Ridge's smaller, quicker guards should be able to accommodate Stein's new fastbreak game plan. The Blue Jays likely will be led on the break by guards Austin Morrison, Brian Reusler, Cody Engler and Tyler Myers.

Inside, the Blue Jays return starter Terry Bogenpohl, along with Ben Hahs and Austin Hahs. Oak Ridge's forwards and post players lack size -- the Blue Jays' biggest player is listed at about 6-foot-2 -- but they have quickness.

"I think we'll be fairly quick," Stein said. "And we're a pretty smart team."

Whether its new gym -- which hosts its first game Dec. 9 against Delta -- will add up to more wins remains to be seen. Oak Ridge will at least be able to count on having more depth this season.

"We've got pretty good numbers, and we're pretty athletic for a Class 1 school," Stein said.

Oak Ridge's four seniors, Engler, Myers, Ben Hahs and Bogenpohl will be counted on to provide leadership for their new coach. All four likely will play key roles on the team.

"I've got four seniors I think all of them will help us in different ways," Stein said.

After years of losing records at Oak Ridge, Stein said one of his biggest challenges this season will be trying to establish a winning attitude among his players.

"I think we're going to surprise some people," he said. "I think we'll be better than people expect."

Stein is cautious about making preseason predictions until after he sees his team actually perform in a real game.

"We're still figuring out who we are and what we can be," he said.