'99-00 SCHEDULE

Dec. 3 -- at Keystone Tip-Off      4-- at Keystone Tip-Off      10-- Linesville      11-- Sharpsville      14-- at Conneaut Lake      17-- at Maplewood      21-- at Cambridge Springs      28-- at Linesville Holiday Tournament      29-- at Linesville Holiday Tournament      30-- at Linesville Holiday Tournament Jan . 4 -- Cochranton      7-- Jamestown      11-- at Union City      14-- at Conneaut Valley      18-- Saegertown      19-- Slippery Rock      21-- at Linesville      25-- Conneaut Lake      28-- Maplewood Feb. 1 -- Cambridge Springs      4-- at Cochranton      8-- at Jamestown      11-- Union City      15-- Conneaut Valley      18-- at Saegertown.

By The Herald Sports Staff

Last year, the Lakeview Sailors started out slow, but flew through the latter part of the schedule by winning eight of their last nine games, all in conference. This year coach Jim Turner hopes his team picks up where last year's team left off, without the early season slump.

"Our team's been working hard," said Turner. "We've got some returning lettermen this year that should make a difference."

One advantage this team has is size. Of their 12 roster players, nine are six feet or taller.

The Sailors also return four lettermen in Jimmy Turner, Rick Turner, Mitch McAfoose and James Charlton. The Turners, 6-5 big man center/forward Nathan Alexander and 6-3 forward Bryson Hoobler will be the upperclassmen trailblazers for the team. Charlton, a 6-4 center/forward, only a sophomore this year, is already the team's lead returning point-scorer with 190.

Jim Turner, a 5-6 guard, was also impressive, with a 6.4 points per game average, 6-1 guard/forward McAfoose, the team's only junior, put down 94 points over 20 games.

Two huge holes need to be filled, however, because of the graduation of last year's top point-getters Brian Grantham and Sam Morrow.

The duo combined for 52 percent of the '98-99 squad's offensive output with both scoring in double-digits in most of the Sailors' contests.

Coach Turner points to Union City as the team to beat in the French Creek Valley Conference. He also pointed out Cambridge Springs as a force to be reckoned with.

"Those two teams should have beaten George Junior last year. Union City has everybody coming back, so they're going to be tough. They gave (George Junior) a good game. (Union City) was up by 15 going into the fourth quarter in the playoffs and Cambridge Springs was just about the same."

The Sailors won only two of their first 14 games, both against non-division teams in tournament play. Their season started a turnaround after a 63-60 loss to division rival Linesville. Afterwards, they ripped off two wins against both Jamestown and Conneaut Lake and wins versus Maplewood, Cochranton and Saegertown, which had all beaten the Sailors earlier in the season.

"Hopefully, our defense takes over," said Turner of his team's focus. "But you've got to put the ball in the hole to score."

This year, they will play Sharpsville and Slippery Rock in non-league games. Other big games will be against Union City on Jan. 14 and Feb. 15 and Cambridge Springs on Dec. 28 and Feb. 4.

Lakeview's assistant coach is Adam Zetwick.