The 2004-05 season could best be summed up as a learning experience for the St. Aloysius Flashes.

They had a new coach, a host of young players, and a brutal schedule that included only seven home games – most of them after New Year’s.

Predictably, the Flashes struggled to a 7-22 record.

By the end of the season, however, it seemed as if they were taking their lessons to heart. Five of their wins came after New Year’s, and they won two games in the division tournament to advance to the South State satellite game.

The Flashes’ run ended there, but hopes were just beginning to rise. With four starters and a host of bench players returning, only one senior on the roster, and a far more favorable schedule, there’s a feeling that last year’s struggles were simply a necessary test before moving on to bigger and better things.

&#8220At the beginning of last year, it was just inexperience. Last year was good for them in that they got a lot of game experience. That’s a big key,” St. Al coach Drew McBrayer said. &#8220I think they’ve got a little better outlook on the season than they did last year.”

St. Al’s top returner is forward Chase Smith, a 6-foot-3 junior. The All-County selection averaged 17 points and 10.7 rebounds last season, and could be just beginning to blossom in the post.

&#8220Chase has grown a couple of inches. His skills have gotten better. I believe he can have the kind of year he had last year,” McBrayer said.

Smith, along with junior guard Chris Johnson, will be called on to carry the load for St. Al in the early part of the season. Seven of the team’s 15 players – including projected starters John Robert Burnett and Marsh Willis – are also on the football team, which wraps up its season the night before the basketball team opens up at Richland on Nov. 12.

&#8220They’ll be with us. How much they can actually help in that situation, I don’t know,” McBrayer said of his two-sport athletes. &#8220It’s hard to walk off a football field and turn around and start playing basketball.”

While Smith and Johnson will see a lot of minutes early in the season, one of the Flashes’ big improvements this year is their bench. The 15 varsity players will allow McBrayer to substitute more and give his frontline guys a break.

And even though eight of the 15 are freshmen, the breathers will be welcome, Smith said.

&#8220Last year I played the whole game a couple of times. Now we have some people to sub in,” Smith said.

McBrayer said that having a year together for he and the players to gel will also help. He said it started to show toward the end of last season, and expected it to continue into this one.

&#8220We have depth now. We have some freshmen that are coming up that can really help us off the bench,” McBrayer said. &#8220I think that was part of the reason we got better and went on that little run toward the end of the year last year.”