Granger basketball teams set sights on postseason

The Lancers enter the 2007-08 campaign hoping to overcome inexperience, new coaches and difficult scheduling. Both the boys and girls teams are aiming for the postseason, while maintaining that their respective clubs' growth will probably happen in increments, not leaps.

The boys team returns plenty of talent for a first-year coach, while the girls team faces the opposite scenario — a broken-in coach welcoming a group of unproven youngsters.

BOYS: First-year coach Kurt Schneider is relying on a solid core of returning talent to guide the Lancers through a coaching transition and what Schneider expects to be a "difficult preseason schedule." That assessment turned out to be spot on, as Granger dropped its first two games of the 2007-08 campaign, including a 59-36 drubbing at the hands of West Jordan.

The Lancers rebounded with a double-digit win at Clearfield, which Schneider hopes will help his team generate some momentum.

"Hopefully we can get through (preseason) with some confidence," he said. Beyond that, Schneider's goal is to "bring it together and continue where (the team) left off in the state playoffs (last season)."

Schneider enters his first season at the helm with a fairly high benchmark by which to measure his team. Last season, Granger placed fifth in region but was the only club from the league to advance past the first round of the playoffs. The Lancers lost in overtime to Provo, the eventual state champ, in the second round.

To improve on last season's eighth-place finish at state, Schneider will lean heavily on junior guard Ray Tapusoa, who the rookie coach believes is "one of the state's best.

"Ray's a special player," Schneider said. "I've never coached a kid with as many skills as he has."

While Schneider praised Tapusoa's ability as unrivaled, he was quick to point out that he isn't coaching a one-man team. Schneider's motion offense hinges on five players contributing, and he believes he has a full complement of players ready to contribute.

Senior guards Thayne Fue and Isaiah Tapusoa are both capable shooters. Schneider said Fue is a "great multipurpose player," while Isaiah Tapusoa is a "hard-nosed kid."

Schneider's front court will be anchored by Carson Hatch, a 6-foot-5 senior with a good shooting touch who also runs the floor well. Pyce Finai, a 6-foot-2 senior, adds an athletic body to mix it up in the paint. TJ Tapusoa, a 6-foot-3 forward, has earned significant time due to his hustle and knack for rebounding and defending.