Leaping Marlin! Tanner Merrill, a member of the Port Aransas High School Marlins basketball team flies through the air en route to a lay-up during a practice on Wednesday, Nov. 10. STAFF PHOTO BY DAN PARKER Look for something different from the Port Aransas Marlins on the court this year.

No, not fewer wins. Last year set the foundation for this year’s team.

But this year, coach Joe Kocurek said the team needs to work on speed. He said fans should look for a switch to pulling forwards back this year. And Kocurek said defense will play a much bigger role in the 2010-2011 Marlins game than it did last year.

“Those who don’t want to play defense will not see a lot of playing time,” he said in an interview looking forward to the season. “You have to stop (opposing teams).”

That extends all the way down to the other end of the court, Kocurek said.

“Expect more aggression in halfcourt defense this year,” he predicted. “We’re going to change (opponents’) direction.”

The coach Port Aransas High School Marlins basketball coach Joe Kocurek keeps watch over a recent team practice. STAFF PHOTO BY DAN PARKER Going into the 2010 season, Kocurek is looking at six returnees from last year and will have two juniors, Storm Bales and Thomas Winton, new to the team. Winton, Kocurek said, is “a really good athlete with lots of speed.” Count on seeing some of that on the court this year.

Veterans include seniors Tanner Merrill, Mac Owens and Dillon Martin, junior Andrew Groseclose and sophomores Chase Chambers and Tyler Pate.

Pate is the team’s solid ball handler, Kocurek said. “He spent hours on ball handling drills this year,” the coach said.

Sophomore Caleb Rogers “has really stepped up” in practice, and sophomore Andrew Hardegree, listed as a junior varsity player, “is our best rebounder and may move up to varsity later in the season.”

For now, Kocurek wants to keep JV and varsity players as separate as possible because that gives him and assistant coach Kris Jones more chances to work with players individually.

It’s something they’re taking day by day, at least until the season starts Tuesday, Nov. 16, with a game here against the 3A Ingleside Mustangs. The junior varsity will take the court at 5 p.m.; the varsity game starts at 6:30 p.m.

“Every day helps,” Kocurek said, especially as the team concentrates on fundamentals. “Last year, we couldn’t pass the ball,” he said. “This year, we’re working on it.”

But that may give a false picture of the team. It’s not that they lack talent or confidence. “Just get some consistency to them, and I think they’ll be fine,” Kocurek said.