TAC BOYS BASKETBALL PREVIEW Steller class gives Liberty bright future

Seniors Joe Lopez, Bradley Fletcher and Joel Marshall are experienced Leopards.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
LIBERTY -- As Burt Stellers begins his fourth season as head boys basketball coach at Liberty High School, he realizes that for the first time since he's been there, he'll have an experienced team to work with.
The Leopards come into the 2003-04 campaign with three returning starters.
The trio is led by senior guard Joe Lopez, who will be entering his fourth straight season as Stellers' starting point guard.
The other two returnees are senior forward Bradley Fletcher and senior Joel Marshall. Both have started the past two seasons.
"It's really fun to come into the season with some experience," said Stellers. "It's the first time since I've been here that we have that situation."
Key ingredients
Stellers lauded his returnees.
"Joe has been with me since he was a freshman and he's our leader out on the floor," Stellers said of Lopez.
"Joel and Bradley are just coach's dreams to work with; in fact this entire group has just been a wonderful group to coach," he added.
Fletcher is coming off an outstanding football season and he's already committed to play football next year at the University of Iowa of the Big Ten.
But his football commitment has taken nothing away from his basketball efforts.
"If anything, he worked harder than ever," said Stellers. "He had a great summer, a great off-season and he's totally committed to our program. All that coming off a tremendous football year for him."
The three senior veterans are the team's captains this season as the Leopards try to improve on last year's 16-8 record.
Liberty was 10-6 in the Trumbull Athletic Conference and finished third behind Lakeview and Newton Falls, who battled right to the wire last year to decide the championship.
Filling vacancies
Stellers is looking at three of four players to fill the final two starting lineup positions.
Senior Aaron Logan, a letterwinner a year ago, will probably be the fourth starter. Several players are contending for the other starting position, including senior Deshawn Crenshaw and junior Brandon Cornwell.
Besides the experience returning, Stellers expects solid guard play to be another team strength.
"What we don't have is that 6-5 or 6-6 big man who can bang around on the boards," Stellers said. "Our lack of height could be a problem this year."
mollica@vindy.com