In its final season competing in the Suburban Lakes League, both Gibsonburg basketball teams believe they can at least compete for, if not win, a conference championship this season.

Next year, Gibsonburg will join local teams Cardinal Stritch and Northwood in the Toledo Area Athletic Conference.

The boys cage team, which returns five lettermen and three full-time starters, are shooting for their first SLL title since 2006. That team also advanced to the Division III regional.

“This is year nine for me and the league is as wide open as it’s ever been,” Liskai said. “A lot of teams are even and there are a handful of returners. It’s going to be exciting for us. Being the last year in the league, we’re looking forward to it.”

Gibsonburg must replace the SLL’s second-leading scorer, wing Lee Renner (17 ppg.), a two-year starter who is now playing at Heidelberg. Renner is the school’s career leader in 3-point field goals. Zac Smith, a post who averaged six points a game, also graduated.

“We have some experience back,” he said, “but a lot of them are still only juniors. We have to get out of the gate early. We have to get a little better on the boards and stay consistent defensively, even when we don’t shoot well.”

There’s only one direction for the Gibsonburg girls to go in the SLL, and Coach Mark Sworden is looking for his five returning letter winners to take this year’s team from the basement to near the top of the league.

Sworden said that in order to compete, the Bears must make defense a top priority.

“We’re going to have to get in some matchups and mix the defense and get some transition baskets,” he said. “We have to try to make plays on defense and turn them into easy points.”

Two of Gibsonburg’s top players, 5-10 forward Samantha Stainbrook and guard Jessica Whetsel, have graduated. Stainbrook was a first-team All-SLL player who led the team in scoring (14.9 ppg.). Whetsel (7.5 ppg.) was an honorable mention all-league selection.

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