Lethbridge - After qualifying for the playoffs and putting together their best conference record in 12 seasons, the ‘Horns were expecting to continue their ascent in Canada West but if they are to build off last season they will need to do so without a pair of key contributors from last season.
 
The ‘Horns kick-off the 2012-13 season this weekend hosting the Winnipeg Wesmen, tip-off is scheduled to follow the women’s game at 8:00pm.
 
While eight players return from last season’s team that went 11-9 in conference action and suffered a heart breaking last second loss in game three of their quarter-final series versus the Fraser Valley Cascades, there are two huge holes to fill with the departure of Dom Coward and Daryl Cooper.
 
Coward, a second team all-star nearly averaged a double-double last season with 15 points per game and 9.8 rebounds. Cooper, who left the team almost immediately after the season ended, led the ‘Horns in scoring with just over 16 points a night and was fourth in the conference in assists with 90.
 
The Horns will have to adjust to numerous players accepting new roles for them to build off the team’s success from last season. The loss of two players in training camp at the small forward position has required fifth-year players Derek Waldner and Julian Spear Chief-Morris to learn new positional play and they will be counted on heavily in their final season with the program.
 
Morgan Duce, who is the leading scorer among the returnees, Logan Reiter, Nikola Kovac, and Alex Fletcher will have expanded roles in the program. Duce averaged more than 10 points a game and will be counted on to be more than just a deep threat this season.
 
The ‘Horns will also be counting on Kovac’s to be more of a consistent producer in the paint and pick up the slack left behind with departure of Coward. 
 
Junior college transfer Chaz Johnson will also need to contribute strong leadership and smart play at the point guard position to help counteract the loss of Cooper. Johnson transferred from Spokane Community College and did not play last season but the previous season, the 6’0” Spokane native averaged 14.4 points and 4.5 assists per game and was named a second team All East region NWAACC All-Star.
 
For the Wesmen, third-year head coach Mike Raimbault is looking to improve on last season’s 4-16 record.
                                                                                           
Travis Krahn, Benny Iko, Dominique Brown, Andrew Cunningham and Mark McNee all return from last year’s roster. The team will also get an added boost from the return of guard Nolan Gooding, who sat out last season due to a serious knee injury that required surgery. McNee, Brown and Cunningham finished the 2011-2012 as the top three scorers, with McNee leading the team averaging 13.2 points per game. 
 
Coach Raimbault was successful in recruiting six players, with five having previous playing experience at Junior Colleges/Universities. Jordan Clennon last played at Missouri State University-West. Sam Hattin joins the team from Erie College. Seaton George, a 6-6 forward previously played at Algonquin College. Hometown product Jordan Kelly will look to provide depth off the bench. Steven Wesley, from Spokane, Washington had experience at Hardin Simmons University. Rounding out the list of recruits is Kelvin product Kristjan Lamont, who will be looking to make an impression in his first season of university level basketball.
 
Both games will also be webcast at www.canadawest.tv, home for all Canada West webcasts