Scouting Stevenson boys basketball

STEVENSON

Coach: Pat Ambrose, 12th season

2009-2010 record: 21-7, 7-3 Lake

2009-2010 IHSA tournament results: Lost to Waukegan in sectional semifinal, 68-52.

Key players lost: F Nate Johnson (St. Leo), G Shaun Albert, G Mark Swanson, G Jeff Levitt, Brad Tivin

Key players returning: F Mike Chada, sr., F Kevin Earl, sr., F Brion Wood, sr., G Ryan Chapman, sr., G Johnny Ricchio, sr., F/C Doug Niedrich, sr., F Brian Carlson, sr.

Outlook: Looking on the bright side, Stevenson returns plenty of lettermen from last season. But on the other hand, many of them weren't getting off the bench very often. The Patriots' lineup and rotation was very senior-dominated. “We graduated a lot of minutes,” Stevenson coach Pat Ambrose said. “A lot of our experience went out the door. The good news is that we have a lot of kids back who know what it's like to be on varsity and are familiar with what we do. They just haven't done it much in a game. We have our work cut out for us, but we also have a lot of kids who have been working hard and are driven to compete. There's a lot of time for these kids to chew up.”…

Stevenson isn't completely devoid of players with game experience. Point guard Mike Fleming is just a junior but was a major part of the Patriots' rotation as a sophomore. “He's a very good shooter and he handles the ball well,” Ambrose said of Fleming. “Kevin Earl and Brion Wood also got time last year. But we're still going to be in kind of rebuilding mode as we get some of these other kids playing time.”…Ambrose says he especially excited to watch the development of newcomer Colby Cashsaw, a 6-foot-6 junior forward whose best attribute is his athleticism, and senior guard Ryan Chapman, who showed promise last year but was derailed by sickness and injury.

Opener: Vs. Holy Trinity at Buffalo Grove, 6 p.m. Monday