By Ross Wilson

After suffering a broken foot and missing the latter part of the 1999-2000 season, Zach Martin is back in form. The Renegades are much better than the team that finished 17-8 and in third place in their division last year. Martin's health and areas of improvement are a major reason.

"I'm feeling good right now," said Martin. "I've definitely improved my shooting range and consistency. Coach (Joe) Kessler has helped by having a lot of confidence in me. He's always encourages me when my shots aren't falling. He just knows what to say and do."

Martin is averaging 18 points per game for the Renegades and feels that the supporting cast that Shawnee has will pave the way to a successful season.

"Bill Kurtz is a very good point guard for us. He sees the floor very well. We also have Henrik Nielsen who is an exchange student from Denmark. He's a big kid and a pretty strong rebounder. Our center Mike Wlodarczyk is tough, Tom O'Connor adds experience, John Chiusano is stepping in, Pat Robey is another strong rebounder… so we have some depth."

Martin and the Renegades will definitely make some noise in the Group 4 playoffs this season. If the pieces of this puzzle come together, Shawnee could see a return to glory in the post-season tournament.

"We're very good this year. It's up to us how far we want to go," said Martin. "The sky is the limit"