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December 16, 2005Stags favored in NorthwestManton, Frankfort should be factorsEditor's Note: This is the third in a series of previews on conference basketball races. Today: The Northwest. TRAVERSE CITY - Northwest Conference basketball coaches envision a repeat in 2005-2006.Kingsley won the title a year ago and the Stags are the favorites to capture the crown again. KINGSLEY returns several veterans off a team that went 20-3 in 2004-2055. The names should sound familiar. They played key roles on the school's Division 6 state championship football team. Caleb Nickerson, the quarterback on the football team, was an all-region basketball pick last season, averaging 18.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. The 6-2 senior is off to a quick start this season, averaging 17.3 points for the 3-0 Stags. He also had eight assists and seven steals in Tuesday's win over Benzie. Joe Zenner, a 6-3, 215-pound end in football, has been tough down low, averaging better than 23 points a game. He pulled down 16 rebounds Tuesday. Drew Wyse, an All-State linebacker, is making the conversion from the football field to the basketball court. He scored 26 points Tuesday. Ken Sedlacek and Nick Putala round out the starting lineup for the Stags, who are averaging 80 points a game. Needless to say, coach Pete Nickerson likes the make-up of his team. "I feel comfortable with the seniors on this squad," he said. "They've been playing together since third grade." Because of the lengthy football season, the Stags had just three practices before their season opener. Nickerson said his team started to come together Tuesday against Benzie. "That was a real test," he said. "Benzie's a good team. "We still have a ways to go, but I think we have the potential to do some good things." Coach Nickerson is counting on some juniors to provide depth. They include 6-3 Brian Bott, 6-5 Dan Worm and 5-10 Rob Zenner. The team that could challenge Kingsley for the crown is MANTON. The Rangers possess a lethal one-two punch in Blake Allen and Jameson Phillips. Allen, a four-year starter, was bothered by an ankle injury a year ago. But he's coming off a strong year in football and opened the basketball campaign Tuesday with a 28-point, seven-assist effort. "He played a very unselfish game," coach Rene Lafreniere said. "He got a lot players involved." The 6-foot Allen averaged 17 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists last season. Phillips, a 6-5 junior, is a leaper and can finish around the basket. He had 13 points in the opener. So did 6-1, 230-pound Steven Phillips. Scottie Bender, an all-region pick in football, runs the point. "We have a nice club," Lafreniere admitted. "We're expecting a good year." This will be Lafreniere's last season on the bench. He's retiring from the teaching ranks once the school year ends. FRANKFORT could be a darkhorse, especially in the Class D tournament come March. Coach Dave Jackson has an athletic team. The starting lineup includes four seniors who played prominent roles in the school's success on the football field - Brandon Pritchard, Josh Bodell, Garrett Luxford and Kevin Nerg. The fifth starter certainly has the pedigree - freshman Max Banktson, whose older sister Brenna led the Panthers to a girls state basketball championship. The 6-2 Banktson had a double-double in his first varsity game. Jackson likes the balance on this team. In Tuesday's win over Leland, Pritchard scored 28 points, Luxford 13 and Bodell 12. "This is the type of team where we'll have different players step up at different times," he said. If Jackson has a concern, it's lack of depth. "We're not deep," he said. "Our top five's a nice group, but we need two or three players off the bench to step up. If that happens, we'll be OK." SUTTONS BAY ran into a buzzsaw Tuesday at Traverse City St. Francis, but coach Todd Hursey expects his young Norsemen to improve as the season progresses. Suttons Bay's top threat is 6-2 junior center Ray Freund, who is averaging just under 15 a game. Hursey has just three seniors on the varsity. Two who play significant roles are point guard Edgar Guillen and 6-3 Dan McKisson. "Kingsley and Manton should be one-two, but we're one of those teams that on a given night could knock one of those teams off," Hursey said. "But those two teams (Kingsley and Manton) have the horses. They're going to be tough to beat." GLEN LAKE has struggled early with a 1-3 mark. The Lakers are led by 6-2 senior Dennis Smith, who's scored in double figures in three of four games. He had a season-high 23 in a win over Northport. Sophomore Ryan Dyksterhouse is also developing into a threat. He averaged 14 points a game in the Coca-Cola Classic. MESICK, 0-2 heading into tonight's conference opener with Manton, is led by Nick Green.
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