LEOPOLD LOOKS TO CONTINUE ITS TURN-AROUND

Leopold's veteran basketball coach Carlton Thoma expects his players to play as big as their muscles have gotten this year."I expect we'll have a pretty good ball club," Thoma said. "I would like to exceed last year's 14-12 record. We have fair size, more maturity than last year and we've been working out in the weight room; we're definitely stronger." The Wildcats improved drastically last season, rising above the 6-18 record the team had earned the year before. "I thought we could've won a few more games," said Thoma. " We had a pretty good team last year."Even brighter days may be ahead as four starters return from last year's squad.

Jason Van de Ven, a 6-1 senior starting point guard and James Ashton, a 6-4 junior post player, are the top scoring players returning from last year, each hitting for double-figure scoring averages. Vandeven's strengths are team leadership, ball handling and shooting. James returns as one of the physically strongest players on the team, as well as being one of the best shooters. Adam Horrell, a 6-5 senior, will split his time starting both on the wing and back on the post. Horrell, a good shooter with leaping ability, brings strong leadership to the Wildcats. Horrell started as a junior. Six-foot senior Lee VanderMierden, also in his second year as a starter, will play forward. VanderMierden excels on the boards and is the team's top defender. Rounding out the varsity team will be Danny Nenninger, a 5-11 senior with quickness; junior Daniel Schaab, a 6-0 junior who was hurt and played most of last year on the JV squad; junior guard Adam Landewee (6-0); back up post-player Daniel Van de Ven (6-2 , Jr.); Scott VanGennip (6-2, Soph.), a good shooter, will play forward and guard; and Kyle Broshuis (6-1, Soph.). Broshuis and VanGennip may split time between the JV and varsity squads.

Thoma hopes to field a Wildcat team with a good balance between offensive and defensive skills. Such a balance should produce a successful Leopold team this year.

Leopold opened its season Nov. 22 at Meadow Heights.