After struggling through a 3-17 nightmare during the 2009-10 South Puget Sound League 3A campaign last year, the outlook is far more encouraging this season for second-year coach Brett McDaniel and his Sumner High crew.

The Spartans embark upon their initial basketball voyage into the newly channeled waters of the SPSL 2A.

On paper the Spartans look fairly formidable as the average height on the 10-man varsity roster hovers at around 6-feet, 2-inches.

McDaniel is guardedly optimistic and insists that the SPSL 2A is going to be comprised of Franklin Pierce…with everybody else fighting for second place.

“Until these players show me how good they can be when the pressure is on or when it counts, I am reserving judgment,” McDaniel said. “But that doesn’t mean the potential for success isn’t there. If these kids can fulfill their promise and gel as a unit we could have a pretty decent squad.”

This year’s version of SHS basketball should revolve around 6-5 junior post Zeb Glissmeyer who, after a solid offseason of summer league ball, is ready to inherit the role as the team’s “go-to guy” in the low post, McDaniel said.

Additionally, after surviving what McDaniel referred to as their “sophomore slump,” twins Dan and Dave DeVries are about as imposing a set of junior forwards as one could hope to come across in a 2A program. At an athletic 6-3, both brothers complement an experienced twosome of junior backcourt aces.

Holding down the point guard duties will be Tyler Salisbury. His sharpshooting sidekick will be 6-4 junior guard Joey Kendal who possesses what McDaniel admitted is an enormous upside.

The team is sparked by a devoted sixth man coming off the bench in fiery senior captain Brian Judkins.

“Brian is the hardest working player I have ever coached,” McDaniel said. “You will never see him featured prominently in the box scores and or even notice him entering the game, but his motor never stops or even slows down.

“Judkins would run through a wall if you asked him to, he is flexible enough to sub for a guard or forward, and he does stuff on a basketball floor that a lot of players don’t exactly relish, like setting picks and drawing a charging call from an opponent,” McDaniel said.

The aspiring SHS cagers commenced the season by hosting a jamboree last weekend and will roll up Elhi Hill to visit Enumclaw High at 7 p.m. Tuesday.