KEY WEST

If someone happened to wander into a practice at Key West High's Bobby Menendez Gymnasium over the past few weeks, it would be understandable if that person assumed the school was working out a new indoor track team.

In fact, Conchs boys basketball coach Paul Davis would probably welcome the comparison.

Key West, which will open its regular season Tuesday on the road at District 16-4A foe Mater Academy, has spent the past three weeks of practice working on instituting a new up-tempo offensive attack. With a roster that lacks a big post player underneath, the players have spent much of the time leading up to next week's opener developing their stamina and getting in shape to run.

"This year, I feel a whole lot more comfortable about our transition offense than I ever have before," said Davis, who is entering his fifth season as the team's head coach. "I think this year is finally the year we'll be able to see that run-and-gun offense."

The Conchs, who finished 12-12 last season and were eliminated in the first round of the district tournament, will have a familiar cast of returning players. Leading the way is junior point guard Keith Valdez, who was last season's county player of the year, along with senior guards Peralt Annulysse and Nick Scammacca, junior Jycorae Mason and sophomore Clive Georges.

"We've got a squad that knows each other pretty well," Scammacca said. "If we can get the chemistry going, it should be a pretty good year."

One of the team's top goals will be to advance past the first round of the district tournament, a feat it hasn't accomplished since 2004.

"We want to at least get past that and have a winning season," Davis said. "That, and to come out here and put on an impressive show for our fans."

Some new but still familiar faces on this year's team are seniors Julian Andrews and Irekaz Womack, who have been around the program but were ineligible last season. The Conchs will also get some inside presence from new addition Robert Hughey, a senior transfer from Mississippi, and Jaquan Lopez, a 6-foot-3 freshman whom Davis expects to contribute right away.

"He's got size on him and he's real aggressive on the boards," Davis said of Lopez. "He's still a little green, but he can get up and down the court and he should help us out down low and with his defense."

Lopez will be the team's tallest player in a guard-based attack.

"That's why we want to be able to out-run our opponent," Davis said. "We feel like if we can out-run their big men with our four and our five, eventually we'll get them tired and we can really execute our game."

The transition to the new up-tempo attack hasn't been that difficult, according to at least some of the players.

"I like to go fast and not slow down, so I'm used to it," Annulysse said. "I think everybody's used to it now and we're having fun with it."

Assistant coach Bruce Teachey has been running the team's practices and helping install the new offense while Davis was still coaching on the school's football staff.

Valdez, who averaged a team-high 16 points per game last season and set a state record with 44 consecutive successful free throws, said the team is in the best shape he has seen it in his three years on varsity.

"The whole key to the game is staying in shape," Valdez said. "We're a lot quicker this year than in previous years. I feel like Coach Davis and Coach Teach have kept us in real good shape, and I think we'll win a lot of games because of it."

Valdez, who has taken on more of a leadership role this year, spent a week this summer participating in a hoops camp at Ohio State University. While in Columbus, he met with Buckeyes coach Thad Matta and got a chance to learn from several former NCAA players and coaches.

"It was basically an IQ-type thing, to see what you know and what you don't know and what to expect in college," Valdez said. "It helped me a lot to go to a big university like that and talk to the head coach and just to play in their facility. It really helped with the little mental things."

The Conchs will jump straight into the fire this season, as they won't get any preseason games to gauge their progress. Tuesday's game at Mater will begin a four-game road stretch, with three of those contests in district play. Their home-opener won't be until Dec. 16, against Marathon. In order to get some kind of test before beginning the season, Davis said the team will try to put together a scrimmage for Friday against some local Navy players.

"It's not the same as a high school game," Davis said, "but it'll be a lot more physical and just something different than what we're used to going up against."

Despite its lack of a clear-cut post presence, the team is confident the new run-and-gun offense will bring some excitement -- and hopefully some wins -- to Key West this winter.

"We might be small in size," Davis said, "but as far as hunger and fight, I think we'll do pretty good."

wjacobson@keysnews.com