Guards, guards and more guards.
The Calvary Lutheran Lions are full of them entering the season, but that doesn't mean they're going to be a finesse group.
"One of the things we're working on trying to focus on a little bit this year is getting a little bit more physical," Beau Monson, who's entering his first season as head coach of the Calvary Lutheran boys basketball team, said. " They've done a great job of doing that so far."
Monson will get a first look at his team tonight when the Lions play at New Bloomfield.
Monson hopped on the coaching staff at Calvary during the 2018-19 season and has taken over for Mark Buffington, who retired earlier this year.
"I knew that back whenever I played here it was kind of always the plan that I'd love to come back and kind of help out coaching some," Monson, a 2015 Calvary graduate, said. "Coach Buffington had always talked about it. He had always kind of try and nudge me a little bit and have me come back."
Running the point for Calvary will be senior Will Struttmann, while sophomores Kwesi Hall and Kyle Hagemeyer, and junior Jonathan Lieb will make up the other guard spots in the starting lineup.
"He's shown tremendous improvement from last year and I think he's a little gym rat," Monson said of Hall. "I don't know if I can get him out of the gym even if I asked him to leave."
Morgan Allen, a senior, is slotted to play the post for the Lions.
"I'd almost say that we have a 1 through 4 and then stretch 4 type," Monson said. "He's your physical kind of bulldog for us and loves to take it to the hoop. He can add so many different elements to the team."
When Calvary plays Stover next Tuesday in the Eugene Tournament, senior Jack Schmoeger is expected to be a possible starter.
"Good shooter, good ball handler, knows how to weave in and out of some things," Monson said. "A little pest on defense is what I'd always called him."
Calvary will have a plethora of options coming off the bench, with juniors Caleb Bernskoetter and Charlie Scheperle, and seniors Ben Beck, Cole Going and Grant Going.
Bernskoetter will provide the needed post play for the Lions.
"This team is not one that we're necessarily going to rely on a single player to to carry us the entire year," Monson said. "They do such a great job of playing together."
Calvary's first scheduled home game is Dec. 8 against Columbia Independent.
The Lions won't host their annual tournament because of COVID-19, but are scheduled to host Lutheran: Kansas City on Jan. 9 to at least get one game in that weekend.
Calvary will also participate in the South Callaway Tournament in mid-January.
Monson said he wants the team to be able to run up and down the floor, but also wants to have the ability to adjust to different styles.
"This year we're going to have to really adjust on the fly to different teams," he said. " Kind of our initial thought process going into the seasons is with our roster that we have available to us is kind of one that is more up-tempo."