PORT NECHES — Port Neches-Groves is ready to rebound from last year's 9-21 basketball season.

  This season, the Indians will be led by a group of seniors who finished second in district at the junior varsity ranks a year ago as juniors.

  PN-G head coach Pat Abel hopes that success carries over at the varsity level, but Abel remains realistic about the Tribe's chances in a very tough District 22-4A that should be topped off by Ozen, Central and Dayton.

  The Indians' hopes (3-11 last year in district) are built around 6-9 senior Ryan Miller who will anchor the post for the Tribe and give some size to a team which is usually pretty small.

  "We don't get guys with that kind of size very often, so he will give us a different look this season," Abel said. "He is capable of shooting outside jumpers, and we're hoping he can draw some extra attention down low so we can open up some shots for our three-point shooters."

  Miller will be joined by seniors Vincent Sampson, Mitch Todd, Danny Richards, Matt Carl, Kenneth Tezeno, Travis Thompson, Jordan Robbins, Ben Lancaster, Matt

Johnson, Chase Block and junior Travis Weathersbee. Only Thompson, Tezeno and Johnson return with varsity experience. This will be Thompson's third year on varsity. Thompson was a second-team All-District last year.

  Thompson averaged 14 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals per game last season. Tezeno averaged seven points, three rebounds, three assists and one steal per game last season. Johnson averaged three points, two rebounds and one steal per game last season.

  Abel said he is hoping someone from his sophomore group will emerge this year.

  "We have a strong group of sophomores. They are a very athletic bunch," Abel said. "We're always hoping for a diamond in the rough or for a younger guy to step up and provide a spark. But we're just going to have to wait and see."

  The Indians are going to try everything under the sun this year to be a competitve team.

  "We're not going to be one-dimensional," Abel said. "We're going to speed things up when we need to but we will also play more ball control this year. On defense, we're going to man-up, press and zone... whatever the situation calls for."

  The Indians will open their regular season at Bridge City on Nov. 13. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. The Tribe will host a tournament Nov. 15-17 and will participate in two other tournaments this season. PN-G will be in the Nederland Tournament Nov. 29 through Dec. 1 and the Orangefield Tournament Dec. 6-8. Outside tournament play, PN-G's first home game will be against West Orange-Stark. The Tribe opens district play at Nederland. All district games are set to start at 7:30 p.m.