Granite basketball squads have work cut out for them

Despite the fact that both teams refer to themselves as the "Farmers," the boys and girls basketball teams, and their respective situations, could not be any more different.

The boys squad is young and inexperienced, sporting more question marks than an entire book of knock-knock jokes. Their success this season will depend on whether the new group of players turns out to be a bunch of unknown overachievers or just a bunch of unknowns.

The girls roster, on the other hand, will remain largely unchanged. No one knows, however, if fielding the same players will help or hurt the Lady Farmers. Last year's team suffered from chemistry issues throughout the season, and their play on the court did little to ease the tension. Both teams will have to be at their very best if they are to be competitive in the new-look Region 8.

Boys: Last year's boys team was undoubtedly a bright spot for Granite's athletic program. The scrappy group of seniors finished 12-8, an overall record that was good enough for third place in the region and a berth in the state tourney.

This year's team, however, looks to be completely different. If the Farmer faithful have trouble recognizing their own players, it will be because all five starters are underclassmen, and only one of them saw significant playing time last season.

"We are very, very young this year," says head coach Ron Burnside. "We don't have a single senior on the team."

With very few proven players and a new region that features a handful of perennial powerhouses, Granite's fortunes will most likely be tied to the performance of Daniel Young, a 6-foot-4 center that was a top contributor last year and the only player on the squad with any varsity experience.

"We don't have a lot of guys who have played a lot of minutes," says Burnside. "But our guys are enthusiastic, they're eager to play, and they actually want to learn and improve." And everyone knows that in high school sports, a little good attitude can go a long way.

Girls: Last year, the Granite High girls team suffered through a dismal season that they would just as soon forget. The squad, which was up to its neck in distractions and internal dissention, stumbled to a 3-17 record and a last-place finish in region.

"Last year was not our best season," says head coach David Ewing. "We weren't playing together, and we had some serious problems with team unity. The one good thing about losing 17 games is that it leaves plenty of room for improvement."