Liberty basketball hoping for a banner year

By Jared Harmon

Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008 | 5:12 p.m.

In the 6-year-old Liberty gymnasium, on the wall behind the basketball hoop on the main court, hangs the school's lone championship banner.

The boys basketball team went 12-2 last year to claim the school's first Southeast Division championship in any sport. Despite losing leading scorer and rebounder Justin King to graduation, the Patriots' nine returners appear to be in a good spot to give that championship banner some company.

The Patriots jumped out to a 3-0 start this season including a 72-63 win over Arbor View on Dec. 2 and a 74-54 win over Desert Oasis on Dec. 4.

The biggest indication of their strength might be their Dec. 11 overtime win at Canyon Springs — a team many predict will be a major player in the Sunrise Region. With three seconds left in overtime, senior guard Kenneth Peters, who had a game-high 20 points, fed junior post Ashante Ross who hit the game-winner to put the Patriots up 59-57.

Liberty coach Pat Welby said the balance and chemistry of this year's team has displayed already should put them in a good position.

"These guys get a long real well because the core group has been together for three years now — and it shows," Welby said. "I think that chemistry is something our teams have lacked in the past. I don't know that we're any deeper than last year but we have a lot of versatility."

The Patriots are led by 6-foot, 8-inch center senior Milos Knezevic who posted 14 points and eight rebounds per game last season and signed to play at Bradley. Knezevic said losing in the Sunrise Regional semifinals last season — a 66-62 defeat to Eldorado — taught the Patriots a valuable lesson and prepared them for the new season.

"The playoffs are tough. They're a whole different animal," Knezevic said. "You can't make any mistakes and I think we let the atmosphere get to us. I know I did. We learned what to expect and how to play in a big game atmosphere. We're ready to work our way back there."

Knezevic said despite the fact that it was Foothill that went on to win the region, he feels Liberty is considered the team to beat in the Southeast.

"We have the bull's-eye on our chests this year," he said. "We're out to repeat as champions and we have a team that can do it. Our team is all upperclassmen. We don't have any knuckleheads. We're all focused on improving and winning."

In addition to Knezevic and the Peters brothers, Kenneth and Cameron, Welby will be looking to Ross, a 6-foot, 3-inch center, and senior point guard Joe Foti to help push the team forward.

"I think we've improved over last year's team because we're more unselfish," Foti said. "We move the ball around. We don't care about stats we just want a state championship. I think we have a state championship caliber team, we just have to keep working at it."

Ultimately, the Patriots just want to see another banner in the gym.

"That banner means a lot to us," Knezevic said. "It shows all the hard work we put in and the dedication we have to the team and the school. Every time I come in here I'm glad to see it."

Jared Harmon can be reached at 990-8922 or [email protected].