Six games into the 2011-12 season, the young Altavista Colonels have started off with a record of 1-5.
Altavista dropped its opener 57-56 to Randolph-Henry, before falling to Rustburg twice at 55-39 and 49-38.
The Colonels picked up their first win of the season with a 43-26 victory over Randolph-Henry. The team fell short to Brookville 66-59 on Dec. 17.
In the Dogwood District, Altavista is currently 0-1. The Colonels traveled to Naruna for the district opener with William Campbell. The Generals came out on top 51-45.
The team's slow start is due to a very young team with limited experience.
"We feel like we have good depth and athleticism. It will be a matter of getting varsity game time experience and looking for improvement as we get into district play and tournament time," said Coach Mike Cartolaro, who is in his 24th season of coaching.
Cartolaro begins his 18th year at Altavista without key players A.J. Catolaro, Jerrell Jordan, Hunter Shelhorse, Mike Robinson, Robert Yuille and Tyler Wilson, who all graduated.
While at Altavista, Cartolaro has a 323-108 record. He has 422 wins overall to go with 177 losses.
The Colonels went 18-5 last season and finished second in the Dogwood District regular season standings. Altavista upset Dan River on the road to claim the district tournament title.
The Colonels were eliminated in the Region B semifinals against Luray.
Cartolaro profiles this year's team as follows:
Richard Hubbard is a 5-foot-7-inch sophomore guard. He is a fundamental player with a solid touch from 3-point range. He has good ball handling skills.
Juan Thornhill is a 6-foot freshman point guard with size and excellent court vision. He handles the ball well with a soft touch from 15 feet and in.
Nikko Tucker is a 6-foot-4-inch sophomore post player with good size and length. He is good around the rim and will get better with game experience.
Demetrius Johnson is a 6-foot-2-inch freshman wing/post player with a knack for being able to score in the lane. He will be counted on for rebounding and scoring around the rim.
Delvin Woodruff is a 5-foot-10-inch senior wing/post player with the most experience on the team. He will be counted on for his leadership and versatility on both offense and defense.
Jarrod Hunt is a 5-foot-10-inch senior wing player. He has excellent speed and quickness. He is a solid defender and can score around the rim.
Dylan Allen is a 6-foot-1-inch sophomore wing player. He is a good athlete, who can defend on the perimeter. He will benefit from varsity game experience.
Josh Walker is a 6-foot-4-inch junior post/perimeter player. He is a good athlete and can play inside and outside. He is the team's tallest player and will be counted on for rebounding.
Brendan Patrick is a 5-foot-11-inch junior wing player. He is a good athlete with a soft touch from the outside and will provide depth.
Eric Poindexter is a 5-foot-8-inch junior point guard. He has the most experience at the point guard position and has good ball handling skills. He can get in the lane and create points.
Jacob McClure is a 5-foot-10-inch junior wing player. He is a good long-range shooter. He will provide depth.
Darius Johnson is a 6-foot-3-inch freshman post player. He has good size that will provide scoring in the paint and much-needed rebounding.
Rick Adams is a 6-foot senior wing player, who is an excellent athlete in his first year in the basketball program. He has a soft touch from outside and will need to gain game experience.
At the start of the New Year, Altavista will travel to Chatham for a Jan. 3 game. Other away games this season include Nelson (Jan. 6), Dan River (Jan. 13), Brookville (Jan. 18), Gretna (Jan. 20) and Appomattox (Feb. 3).
Home games consist of Appomattox (Jan. 10), William Campbell (Jan. 24), Chatham (Jan. 27), Nelson (Jan. 31) and Dan River (Feb. 7).
The Colonels opened up their own tournament Tuesday night against Buckingham. The Colonels play host to Lancaster Wednesday night.