It doesn't seem that long ago. It was the first Saturday in March and West defeated Provo to win the Class 4A boys' basketball state championship.

Now the Panthers are getting ready to start a new season and the thought of defending the 4A state championship is completely out of mind. That is, in part, because only two contributors from last year's team are back. It is also because the team is going to have to learn to play without much size. But mostly it's because the program moved to Class 5A and can't play for the 4A championship this season.

Tyrell Corbin has been playing varsity ball since he was a freshman. Now he is a junior and coach Bob Lyman is happy to have Corbin running his team. He was the second-leading scorer from the team last year, averaging nearly 12 points per game. But his scoring will only be a part of his contributions this season if the Panthers are to be successful.

"I have to be a leader," Corbin said. "I have to be the coach on the court."

He'll be helping to bring along a lot of green talent. Joining Corbin as a seasoned veteran is Jordan Tanner. Outside of that, the West lineup features players who spent most of last season riding the pine. Lyman doesn't even know yet, as official practice started last week, who is going to get the minutes. But, even though he knows there is plenty of work ahead of the team to become even a shade of what it was last year, Lyman isn't panicking

"We haven't really stressed any goals except to get better because we're so young," Lyman said. "We've got a lot of time with this team."

The strength of the team is in the juniors, Lyman said. And that could be reassuring in itself. Two years ago, Lyman had a similar situation. A junior-laden team took its lumps and struggled to a fifth-place finish in the region and a first-round state tournament exit. But that same group gelled as seniors and won a state crown.

The glass is half full for Lyman and the Panthers. Lyman has a plan to bring this team along. First, they have to improve their rebounding. Then, they have to learn patience on offense and be selective with their shots. After that, they have to make up for a lack of size by utilizing their quickness.

"We have to be a lot more aggressive on defense," Corbin said. "If we put pressure on the guards, it will make it hard for them to get it into the bigs."

That's why Lyman plans on trapping and pressing quite a bit this season. He's impressed with the team's athleticism and plans to use that to stifle the opposition. Adding to that athleticism is senior Tana Afeaki, normally know for his prowess as a running back on the football team. Afeaki played as a sophomore but took last season off.

But outside of Corbin and Tanner, whoever steps on the court will be getting broken in to a tougher slate of competition than a seasoned team was last year.

"You got to be patient," Lyman said. "Provide the kids with the opportunity and motivate them and the rest is up to them."