SAXONBURG - Expectations are a little different for Knoch's girls basketball program these days.

The Lady Knights ended an 18-year drought by reaching the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs last season before losing to Blackhawk in the second round.

Three starting guards and a power forward who came off the bench return from that team, as does second-year head coach Curt Vasas.

"You want the expectations to be high," Vasas said. "You want to be known as one of the top two teams in the section. But with that comes the target on your back.

"It's all in how you deal with it. Last year gave us a lot of confidence. This year, it's about building on that. These girls want to be successful and that plays a big part."

Malorye Waite and Amber Long, Knoch's starting forwards last year, have graduated. Jen Robinson, a 5-foot-11 senior forward who averaged eight points and eight rebounds per game off the bench last year, returns.

Robinson will be starting this year, along with senior 5-8 forward Maria Frey.

"Jen could have easily been a starter last year, but I liked the way she impacted a game off the bench," Vasas said. "She can be very intimidating in the post.

"Maria can handle the ball and she'll give us added rebounding help. Overall, we're not very deep at the post position."

The Knights are solid at guard, however, where three senior starters - point guard Nicole Reiser, Lauren Koegler and Liz Burgard - return.Reiser led Knoch with 12.8 points, 4.5 assists and four steals per game. The Knights averaged 50 points per game last year while allowing less than 40."We score a lot of points off our defense," Reiser said. "Our transition game is very strong."Reiser is a very strong player herself."She controls the flow of our offense and she knows the offense as well as I do," Vasas said. "I expect Nicole to make the play calls and the right decisions."Point guard probably isn't her natural position, but she executes it so well that we have to play her there."Burgard and Koegler also handle the ball well and provide 3-point shooting ability.Knoch has only two juniors on its roster: guard Kristin Robb and forward Megan Schira. The latter's family is moving to the area from Michigan."All I know is that she plays basketball," Vasas said. "I know nothing else about her. Hopefully, she can help us."There are 10 sophomores on the Knights' roster."How deep we can go off the bench depends on how many sophomores step up their level of play," Vasas said.Reiser said the team's versatility will be a plus."Our expectations are higher than last year," she said. "I think we can play better. Our half-court game is good and we like to run the floor."My goals are to have more points, assists and steals than last year - and to go farther in the playoffs."Torey Auld, a Seneca Valley graduate who was Pitt-Greensburg's all-time assists and steals leader, replaces Doug Rodgers as Knoch's varsity assistant coach this year. Rodgers accepted the head coaching position at Deer Lakes.North Catholic joins Knoch's section this year and the top four teams make the playoffs."With us, Hampton and Mars, I thought we had the strongest section in Triple-A before," Vasas said. "Now I'm sure of it. We can't afford to take any nights off."

2004-05 Girls ScheduleDec. 3-at Avonworth, 6 p.m.; Dec. 6-PETERS TOWNSHIP, 6 p.m.; Dec. 10-11-at Karns City Tournament; Dec. 13-at Kittanning, 6 p.m.; Dec. 16-NORTH CATHOLIC, 6 p.m.; Dec. 20-at Hampton, 6 p.m.; Dec. 22-at Burrell, 6 p.m.; Dec. 28-29-at Butler Christmas TournamentJan. 3-HIGHLANDS, 6 p.m.; Jan. 6-at Valley, 6 p.m.; Jan. 10-MARS, 6 p.m.; Jan. 12-ST. JOSEPH, 6 p.m.; Jan. 13-KITTANNING, 6 p.m.; Jan. 17-at North Catholic, 6 p.m.; Jan. 20-HAMPTON, 6 p.m.; Jan. 22-at Pine-Richland, 6 p.m.; Jan. 24-BURRELL, 6 p.m.; Jan. 27-at Highlands, 6 p.m.; Jan. 31-VALLEY, 6 p.m.Feb. 3-at Mars, 6 p.m.; Feb. 7-at Bishop Canevin