Seahawk Boys Look to Improve

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur's men's varsity basketball team has no where to go but up as they prepare for the 2007-2008 campaign, after a dismal last year that saw the Seahawks go 1-21 over course of a long season, but the Seahawks appear to have a balanced roster of veteran seniors and hungry underclassmen ready to improve on that mark.

Decatur went winless in the regular season last year with a 0-20 record but things looked much brighter at the end of the season than it did for long stretches in the beginning and end. First-year head coach Travis Lloyd made some roster adjustments and changed the attitude of his players toward the end of the season and his young players responded.

After a long series of lopsided losses early in the season last year, the Seahawks steadily improved in the latter half of the year. Despite the fact they could not crack the win column, the Seahawks played several close games down the stretch including a couple of overtime losses to Parkside and Colonel Richardson.

Decatur won its only game of the season in the first round of the state playoffs last year, beating Queen Anne's, 78-61, before falling in the second round, but there is reason for optimism as the Seahawks prepare for their 2007-2008 campaign. Gone are senior standouts Willie Barnes, Mike Burns and Billy Wilson, but Decatur has plenty of experienced upperclassmen and a talented group of sophomores ready to make their mark.

The Seahawks have six seniors on the roster this year including Blair Woodard, Brandon Ball, Jeff Aperance, Logan Sappington, Matt Donahue and Timmy Parks. Four juniors are on the roster including Darry Ames, Hunter Johnson, Jimmy Lawson and Tim Donnelly. Rounding out the roster are sophomores Andrew Brickey, Chase Furst and Dyonne Purnell along with freshman Tre' Foreman.

The Seahawks open the regular season on the road next Friday against Washington before returning for the home opener next Tuesday against Mardela. Decatur will play a schedule loaded with Bayside Conference teams with a few non-conference games sprinkled in.

Like all other Decatur sports teams this year, the mens' varsity basketball team will move up to the state's Class 3A division when it comes to the post-season, making it more difficult to advance in the regionals, but it appears Lloyd has the program headed back in the right direction.