TRI-COUNTY LEAGUE Boys basketball preview

COLUMBIANA
2000-01 record: 15-5 (TCL champions).
Coach: Jeff Hammond (87-63).
Returning letterwinners: Senior forward-center Gerard Grimm (6-4), three-year letterwinner; junior guard Nate Shaw (6-1). two-year letterwinner; senior center Jerry Remish (6-1).
Newcomers: Brothers Tyler Couchenour (junior, 6-0) and Austin Couchenour (sophomore, 6-2) moved to Columbiana from Michigan. Others Hammond will play are junior Kurt Williams (6-3), sophomore Ryan Schmidt (5-8) and sophomore Ryan Carletti (5-10).
Schedule: (JV games 6 p.m.) Friday, vs. Canfield; Dec. 11, at Girard; Dec. 14, at Hubbard; Dec. 18, vs. LaBrae; Dec. 21, at Niles; Dec. 28, vs. Howland; Jan. 4, at Liberty; Jan. 8, vs. Newton Falls; Jan. 11, at Badger; Jan. 15, at Brookfield; Jan. 18, vs. Champion; Jan. 22, vs. Girard; Jan. 25, vs. Hubbard; Jan. 29, at LaBrae; Feb. 2, at Maplewood; Feb. 8, vs. Liberty; Feb. 12, at Newton Falls; Feb. 15, vs. Badger; Feb. 19, vs. Brookfield; Feb. 22, at Champion.
CRESTVIEW
2000-01 record: 9-11.
Coach: Rick Gates (118-79).
Returning letterwinners: Junior Troy Duw (6-3); Junior Andrew Neiheisel (5-10).
Newcomer: Senior Joe Leskosky (6-2).
Schedule: (JV games 6 p.m.) Tonight, at Lowellville; Dec. 11, vs. Leetonia; Dec. 14, at Columbiana; Dec. 18, at Springfield; Dec. 22, at Toronto; Dec. 28, vs. South Range; Jan. 2, vs. Mathews; Jan. 4, at Lisbon; Jan. 8, vs. Southern; Jan. 11, vs. East Palestine; Jan. 15, vs. Sebring; Jan. 18, at United; Jan. 25, at Leetonia; Jan. 29, vs. Columbiana; Feb. 1, vs. Lisbon; Feb. 5, at Southern; Feb. 8, at East Palestine; Feb. 12, at Sebring; Feb. 15, vs. United.
EAST PALESTINE
2000-01 record: 14-7.
Coach: Jeff Berger.
Returning letterwinners: Senior wing Anthony Thompson (5-10), junior forward Chad Jones (6-1).
Schedule: Tonight, vs. Springfield; Dec. 11, vs. Sebring; Dec. 14, at Leetonia; Dec. 18, at Wellsville; Dec. 21, at McDonald; Dec. 28, at Beaver Local; Jan. 4, vs. Southern; Jan. 8, vs. Lisbon; Jan. 11, at Crestview; Jan. 15, vs. United; Jan. 18, at Columbiana; Jan. 22, vs. Wellsville; Jan. 25, at Sebring; Jan. 29, vs. Leetonia; Feb. 1, at Southern; Feb. 5, at Lisbon; Feb. 8, vs. Crestview; Feb. 12, at United; Feb. 15, vs. Columbiana; Feb. 19, vs. South Range.
LEETONIA
2000-01 record: 0-21.
Coach: Guy Costello (3-39).
Returning letterwinners: Junior guard Drew Mason (5-8), junior forward Ryan Dowling, (6-2), junior forward Fred Gray (6-3), junior guard Dan Simpson (6-0), senior forward Jeremy Hoaglin (6-1).
Newcomers: Senior guard Nick Mango (5-10), Senior guard Javan Price (5-10), Senior forward Greg Vaughn (6-0).
Schedule: (JV games 6 p.m.) Friday, at South Range; Saturday, at Campbell; Dec. 11, vs. Crestview; Dec. 18, at Western Reserve; Dec. 21, vs. Jackson-Milton; Dec. 28, vs. Lowellville; Jan. 4, at United; Jan. 8, vs. Columbiana; Jan. 11, vs. Southern; Jan. 15, at Lisbon; Jan. 18, vs. Sebring; Jan. 25, vs. Crestview; Jan. 29, at East Palestine; Feb. 1, vs. United; Feb. 5, at Columbiana; Feb. 8, at Southern; Feb. 12, vs. Lisbon; Feb. 15, at Sebring; Feb. 22, vs. Campbell.
LISBON
2000-01 record: 13-10.
Coach: Joe Siefke (110-42).
Returning letterwinners: Senior center Ben Dickey (6-6), senior guard Matt Adams (6-0), senior forward Bob Thompson (6-3), senior forward Andy Sell (6-3), senior guard Adam Arter (6-1), sophomore guard Lucian Smith (5-11), junior forward Matt Feaster (5-11).
Newcomers: Sophomore guard Jay Yorty (6-0), junior forward Nick Schnader (6-2).
Schedule: (JV games 6 p.m.) Tonight, vs. East Liverpool Christian; Dec. 7, vs. Lowellville; Dec. 11, vs. Columbiana; Dec. 14, at United; Dec. 18, vs. Beaver Local; Dec. 28, at Western Reserve; Jan. 4, vs. Crestview; Jan. 8, at East Palestine; Jan. 11, at Sebring; Jan. 15, vs. Leetonia; Jan. 18, at Southern; Jan. 25, at Columbiana; Jan. 29, vs. United; Feb. 1, at Crestview; Feb. 5, vs. East Palestine; Feb. 8, vs. Sebring; Feb. 9 vs. Wellsville; Feb. 12, at Leetonia; Feb. 15, vs. Southern; Feb. 17, vs. Slippery Rock (at YSU), 1:30 p.m.
SEBRING
2000-01 record: 15-7.
Coach: Brian Clark (23-20 at Sebring, 32-54 overall).
Returning letterwinners: Junior guard Greg VanKirk (6-0), junior forward Josh Dean (6-1), junior guard Ed Householder (6-1), senior guard Joe Springer (5-10).
Newcomers: Sophomore forward Dave Scarpitti (6-0), sophomore forward Andrew Wilson (6-2), junior guard Adam Jurica (5-11).
Schedule: (JV games 6 p.m.) Tonight, vs. Western Reserve; Dec. 8, vs. Canton Heritage; Dec. 11, at East Palestine; Dec. 14, at Southern; Dec. 21, at Streetsboro; Dec. 29, vs. Ledgemont; Jan. 4, vs. Columbiana; Jan. 8, vs. United; Jan. 11, vs. Lisbon; Jan. 15, at Crestview; Jan. 18, at Leetonia; Jan. 25, vs. East Palestine; Jan. 29, vs. Southern; Feb. 1, at Columbiana; Feb. 2, vs. Lordstown (at YSU); Feb. 5, at United; Feb. 8, at Lisbon; Feb. 12, vs. Crestview; Feb. 15, vs. Leetonia; Feb. 19, vs. East Liverpool Christian.
SOUTHERN
2000-01 record: 7-13.
Coach: George Whittaker.
Returning letterwinners: Senior forward Paul Forbes (6-4, 190), senior center Jon Craven (6-4, 225), senior guard Jay Staley (5-11, 150).
Newcomers: Senior guard Justin Shilot (6-1, 155), junior forward Adam Looman (6-4, 175), junior guard Brandon Hamilton (5-11, 140), junior guard Robert Dulancy (5-9, 180).
Schedule: (JV games 6 p.m.) Tonight, vs. Youngstown Christian; Dec. 11, vs. United; Dec. 14, vs. Sebring; Dec. 21, at Wellsville; Dec. 28, at East Liverpool Christian; Jan. 4, at East Palestine; Jan. 8, at Crestview; Jan. 11, at Leetonia; Jan. 15, vs. Columbiana; Jan. 18, vs. Lisbon; Jan. 19, vs. Malvern; Jan. 25, at United; Jan. 26, vs. East Liverpool Christian; Jan. 29, at Sebring; Feb. 1, vs. East Palestine; Feb. 5, vs. Crestview; Feb. 8, vs. Leetonia; Feb. 12, at Columbiana; Feb. 15, at Lisbon.
UNITED
2000-01 record: 12-10.
Coach: Herman Miller (12-10).
Returning letterwinners: Senior forward Devan Peters (6-3), senior guard Nick Schneider (5-11).
Newcomers: Junior guard Grant Cope (5-11), junior forward Jordan Phillips (6-1), junior forward Jason Sidwell (6-0).
Schedule: (JV games 6 p.m.) Friday, at Malvern; Dec. 11, at Southern; Dec. 14, vs. Lisbon; Dec. 15, at East Canton; Dec. 21, vs. Western Reserve; Dec. 29, at Sandy Valley; Jan. 4, vs. Leetonia; Jan. 8, at Sebring; Jan. 11, at Columbiana; Jan. 15, at East Palestine; Jan. 18, vs. Crestview; Jan. 25, vs. Southern; Jan. 29, at Lisbon; Feb. 1, at Leetonia; Feb. 5, vs. Sebring; Feb. 8, vs. Columbiana; Feb. 12, vs. East Palestine; Feb. 15, at Crestview; Feb. 22, at South Range.
-- Vindicator staff report