Brown is looking at his least-skilled team in years. He'll find out what it's composed of at today's 6 p.m. home game against San Joaquin Delta.

The top returnees for Fitzhugh are guards Jon Baird and Hayden Heiber, both of whom started and averaged in double figures last season. They led a deep perimeter corps that includes Dean Wilson, a 6-foot-1 guard who started two years ago but redshirted last year due to academics. Despite a year on the sidelines, Wilson is moving over to the point guard position.

"We're going to have to uptempo it a little bit," Fitzhugh said. "We have played a passive man-to-man, but we'll look to be more aggressive, put more pressure and force more turnovers."

The off-season wasn't kind to the Knights. First, 6-9 starting forward Sean Jergo isn't academically eligible. Then, 6-9 Jeremiah Batdorf, a transfer from UC-Davis, chose not to play hoops. Finally, 6-7 Brian Long, last year's starting center, took a redshirt year to undergo back surgery.

That leaves returning sophomore forwards Gary Workman (6-5) and Tristan Hopson (6-4) to man the inside with help from 6-7 incoming freshman Tyson Hetzer of Anderson. Hetzer averaged 13 points and 10.5 rebounds as he and 6-foot guard Trevor Ray helped Anderson to a Northern Athletic League title and the Division IV section runner-up.

Ray averaged over 21 points per game with the Cubs, including a 32-point performance in a 73-66 loss to Marin Catholic in the first round of the Northern California playoffs. He will add depth to the backcourt as will the Shasta High tandem of point guard Brad Tweedy (6-0) and shooter Chad Putnam (5-11).

Three small forwards also are worth keeping an eye on in 6-4 Ryan Groom of Pleasant Valley, 6-4 Darren Brouse of Del Norte in Crescent City and 6-3 Zach Keplinger from Kodiak, Alaska. Groom and Brous are both athletic and Fitzhugh feels they play taller than they are.

"I feel very good about our depth this year," Fitzhugh said. "We'll probably play 10-12 guys on the team. For us to have success, our freshmen are definitely going to have an impact."

Fitzhugh figures to go with experience with his five sophomores Baird, Heiber, Wilson, Workman and Hopson to start at the beginning of the year. Playoffs and a Golden Valley Conference title are always goals at Shasta, though the favorites for the GVC crown this year are Siskiyous and Feather River.

Brown has had a lot success in the past nine years, averaging 22.8 wins per season for a .732 winning percentage. And, his teams have lost no more than 11 games in any season.

Starting wing Caelen Gray (5-9) is back as are 5-10 forward Kara Shreeve and 6-foot center Shauna Weigand. Shreeve is a rebounding machine who started some games at power forward last year, while Weigand was a capable backup who now inherits the starting job.

The rest of nine players on the roster are all new to the program, though 6-1 Katie Wilson played two years of volleyball at Shasta College and adds height to the team. Delaney Gover, a 5-9 guard, is out of West Valley but spent a year at Anderson University in Indiana.

Height won't be lacking on this year's squad. In addition to Wilson, Shreeve and Weigand, there are 5-11 Vanessa Merryman of Shasta High and 6-3 Laura Preston out of Mount Shasta.

Ashley Ralston, a 5-4 guard, averaged 17.4 points and four assists as a senior in helping Biggs to the section D-V title game. She is faster and makes more plays, but isn't as steady as 5-6 Ashley Crnich of Eureka. One of the two should start at the point.

The other starting perimeter spot likely will go to 5-9 Ashley Rinne from Shasta. Gover, Enterprise's Robyn Angley (5-6) and Mount Shasta's Katie Ranquist (5-6) are other options on the perimeter.

Brown said Feather River could be a surprise team to challenge league powers Butte and Lassen. It is a role Shasta has been in. Time will tell if the Knights can maintain that pecking order.

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