Boys basketball: Scouting Lake Zurich

Coach: Billy Pitcher, 2nd season

Last year: 7-20, 3-9 (NSC Lake)

Last year's tournament: Lost to Lake Forest in the regional quarterfinals, 60-49.

Key players lost: C Drake Orser, G Mike Boyd (North Central), C Tyler Every (North Central), G Colin Rathe (Illinois Wesleyan, soccer)

Key players returning: G/F Mirko Grcic, sr., Ryan Roach, jr., F Doug Murphy, sr., F Jeff O'Brien, sr., G Brenden Seeger, sr., G Justin Peterson, sr., G JD Parcheta, sr.

Top newcomers: G John Repplinger, jr.

Outlook: Free Michael Jordan warm-ups. That's all the motivation players at Lake Zurich needed to hit it hard in the weight room during the off-season. Head coach Billy Pitcher made a deal with the Bears, theorizing that a stronger team would make for a stronger season this winter. "I challenged everyone on the team that if they could beat me in bench press and pull-ups that they wouldn't have to pay for their new Jordan warm-ups. That motivated them and a few guys earned some nice warm-ups for free." The Bears are hoping to not only look like a million bucks, but to play like it, too. It's been a tough few years for the program, which went winless in the North Suburban Lake Division just two years ago. Last year, the Bears bumped that up to three wins in the Lake. "We plan to improve again this year," Pitcher said. "This summer, we won some close games and overtime games and we have the confidence now that I don't think existed last year. We have a tight-knit group of seniors that have been working hard on the court." The seniors also have a history of success. They posted winning records as freshmen and sophomores. "They have high expectations for themselves and we do of them as well," Pitcher said of a senior class that includes last year's leading scorer, Mirko Grcic. Grcic averaged 14 points and 7 rebounds per game. "At 6-foot-6, he is our biggest guy," Pitcher said of Grcic. "But he is also our best ballhandler, shooter, rebounder and post player. He will literally play all five positions for us this year."

Opener: Vs. Palatine at the Palatine Thanksgiving Tournament