Defending champs face change

** Editor’s note: This is part of a series of stories previewing the 2007-08 4A prep basketball season. See future editions of the Frontiersman for profiles of the Valley prep basketball squads.

WASILLA — One year after winning it’s first state basketball title, much has changed for the Wasilla boys basketball team.

Gone is the state’s 4A Player of the Year, point guard Jesse Bean, who is now playing at Peninsula (Wash.) College.

Gone is Jason Marvel, the head coach who led the Warriors to a title in just his sixth year on the job then left a month after the season to spend more time with his family.

The Warriors also lost two of their best post players when center Logan Williams graduated and forward Matt Stearman transferred to Colony. Also gone to graduation is Jeremiah Collins, the gritty guard whose defensive play was a difference-maker for the Warriors during their championship run.

Despite the key losses, new head coach Ryan Engebretsen is excited about the challenge of crafting a new identity for a group of players that’s far from lacking in potential.

“I think we have a lot of pieces,” Engebretsen said during the Valley Jamboree last weekend. “When we decide to lock people up defensively and work together, I think we could do really well.”

The Warriors do have holes to fill, but Wasilla didn’t lose everyone.

Senior swing man Dexter Pearce and forward Shane Green are the only two returning starters from last season, but they’re an important two. As last season progressed, Pearce took up more and more of the scoring load with his impressive ability to slash into the lane or hit midrange jump shots.

In Tuesday’s season opener, Pearce showed the potential to light it up again this season, torching Houston for 26 points as the Warriors cruised to a 58-38 win over the Hawks.

Green, meanwhile, was named the Most Valuable Player of last year’s championship game for his relentless play in the post against much taller opponents.

Also back is forward Tyler Johannes, a reliable scorer who was a crucial member of last year’s rotation.

Pearce, Green and Johannes will be the team’s captains this season, and they’ll be expected to provide veteran leadership. But Engebretsen said that in order for the Warriors to succeed, it’s going to take more than just a couple players.

“We’re going to have to really focus. The five guys on the floor, the guys coming of the bench, just everyone focusing on playing together and making sure everybody’s getting it done,” he said.

Several key newcomers will likely be counted on heavily within the Wasilla rotation this season. Sophomore center John Knowles could begin his emergence as a force to be reckoned with. Listed at just 6-feet-2-inches on last year’s C-team roster, Knowles is now a good 6-6 and making the jump to varsity this year.

“We really like what we see in him and like what he’s going to bring to the table for the next few years,” Engebretsen said. “It’s a real luxury to have him as a sophomore.”

Though still raw offensively, Knowles already has one of the biggest bodies in the conference, and has no trouble getting to the rim.

Another addition this season is Adrese Lavern, who transferred from West Anchorage this season and played quarterback for the Wasilla football team. At last week’s jamboree, Lavern showed good touch from the outside and the ability to handle the ball at times. Lavern is capable of handling the ball, as is Tim Gray, a junior who ran the point for the team’s junior varsity last season and also saw limited minutes on the varsity.

Point guard will be a crucial position for the Warriors. Bean had the position on lock down from his freshman year at Wasilla, meaning Engebretsen’s biggest challenge could be finding the right player to fill Bean’s shoes.

“You’re talking about a position he played for 31 minutes a game,” Engebretsen said.

The coach said he’s got some ideas about who’ll be handling the point this season, but still hasn’t made up his mind and likely won’t until several games into the season.

“We’ve got two or three guys that can handle it,” he said. “We have our idea, but there’s nothing set in stone yet.”

Despite the challenge of putting together a very new team in his first season, Engebretsen — who served as an assistant to Jeff Bowker at Colony for eight seasons before taking the Wasilla job — said he’s excited about the upcoming season.

“I’m really enjoying it,” he said. “It’s been a great fit.”

Wasilla’s next game is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight at Dimond High in Anchorage.

Contact Matt Tunseth at 352-2265 or matt.tunseth@f

Frontiersman.com