BUTLER TWP — For the first time in eight years, Butler County Community College experienced a winning basketball season a year ago.

And the best could be yet to come.

The Pioneers return three starters and seven players from that 17-11 team, including leading scorer Matt Lobaugh and point guard Joel Rehm.

"This is the most talented team I've had in my five years here," BC3 coach Tony Grenek said as the Pioneers open their season at 7 p.m. today against the Geneva College junior varsity at the BC3 Field House.

But some of that talent is raw and some of it won't be eligible until the second semester, which are typical problems for a junior college program.

"In all likelihood, we're going to struggle at first," Grenek said. "But by the time February rolls around, we should be a pretty good basketball team."

Lobaugh, a 6-foot-2 guard-forward from Youngstown, Ohio, averaged 22 points and 7.5 rebounds per game last year. Point guard Rehm, a Butler grad, averaged 8.5 points, 6.5 assists and two steals per game.

Jeremy Peterson, a 6-foot guard from Franklin, averaged 11 points per game last season and led the Pioneers with 77 3-point goals.

Keith Winne (6-4) of Youngstown and 6-6 center Bob Freshwater of Butler will join the experienced trio in tonight's starting lineup.

Winne didn't play organized basketball in high school and Freshwater was a guard and forward two years ago at Butler.

"Bobby can help us on the boards and this is his opportunity to prove himself," Grenek said. "We have a few guys out right now and he knows this is his chance to show us what he can do."

Freshwater was primarily a 3-point shooting threat with the Golden Tornado.

"I didn't have the kind of senior year I wanted, but I miss playing," Freshwater said. "This is a good team and I want to contribute any way I can.

"I'm not the strongest guy in the world, but I know how to rebound. Hopefully, I can beat the guy guarding me off the dribble. If I get any open (3-point) looks, Coach says I can take it."

Wil Miller, a Butler graduate who didn't play high school ball, is BC3's sixth man in the early season. He is a guard and another 3-point shooting threat. Travis Day, a shooting guard from Butler, also returns.

Among the sidelined Pioneers is Kris Harmon, a 5-11 guard from Cleveland who averaged 7.0 ppg. last year and is one of the team's best defenders. He has high blood pressure.

"He's not medically cleared to play yet," Grenek said. "He just began taking medication this week and we should get him back soon."

Ineligible for the first semester are Moniteau graduate and returning forward Tyler Hempfling, guard Josh Huff of Titusville and 6-7, 275-pound center Richard Fletcher of Canton, Ohio.

Fletcher, a former scholarship player at Mercyhurst, led the state of Ohio in rebounding his senior year in high school.

"We're keeping our fingers crossed on him," Grenek said. "With Richard in our lineup, we're a conference title contender. We can play with Beaver. He's that good."

Rehm agrees.

"He reminds me a lot of (former Butler High teammate) Tyrell Sales," Rehm said. "I doubt he'll score like Tyrell, but he's the same type of force as a rebounder and he'll have the same type of impact on the court."

Other newcomers to the Pioneer roster are 5-11 guard Eddie Beasley and 6-4 forward Vincent Stringer from Akron, Ohio, point guard Mike Huth from Freeport and guard Ron Piche from New Wilmington.

Like Winne, Beasley and Stringer never played high school basketball.

"These are athletic kids with a street ball mentality," Grenek said. "Once they adapt to our system, they'll be fine.

"I'm the first to admit, we look sloppy out there right now. We may get our heads kicked in a couple of times early, but we'll get there."

Butler County Community College 2005-06 Men's Basketball Schedule

Nov. 2-

GENEVA (JV), 7 p.m.;

Nov. 4-

FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY, 7:30 p.m.;

Nov. 9-

at Geneva (JV), 7 p.m.;

Nov. 16-

JEFFERSON, 7 p.m.;

Nov. 19-

KENT STATE-TUSCARAWAS, 1 p.m.;

Nov. 21-

at Grove City (JV), 7 p.m.;

Nov. 29-

at Mount Union (JV), 7 p.m.

Dec. 2-

WESTMINSTER (JV), 8 p.m.;

Dec. 5-

at Seton Hill (JV), 7 p.m.;

Dec. 8-

at Thiel (JV) 5:30 p.m.;

Dec. 10-

at Pitt-Titusville, 2 p.m.;

Dec. 12-

GROVE CITY (JV), 7 p.m.;

Dec. 15-

THIEL (JV), 8 p.m.;

Dec. 17-

at CCAC-Allegheny, 2 p.m.

Jan. 7-

at Jefferson, 2 p.m.;

Jan. 9-

at Westminster (JV) 8 p.m.;

Jan. 11-

CCBC, 7 p.m.;

Jan. 14-

at Potomac State, 2 p.m.;

Jan. 18-

PITT-TITUSVILLE, 7 p.m.;

Jan. 21-

CCAC SOUTH, 2 p.m.;

Jan. 23-

SETON HILL, 7 p.m.;

Jan. 25-

POTOMAC STATE, 7 p.m.;

Jan. 28-

CCAC-ALLEGHENY, 2 p.m.

Feb. 1-

at CCAC-South, 7 p.m.;

Feb. 4-

at Community College of Beaver County, 2 p.m.;

Feb. 17-

WEST VIRGINIA NORTHERN, 7 p.m.;

Feb. 24-

at Kent State-Tuscarawas, 6 p.m.;

Feb. 25-

at Franciscan University, 1 p.m.