A year after winning the 5A-I girls basketball title, Dobson coach Tyler Dumas has nearly gone back to square one. He has ventured to the chalkboad and erased the 2010 lesson. Chiseled out the path for 2011 and perhaps beyond.

The transformation from state champ to building back to that level is gradual. Tha is why Dumas likes the challenge of coaching.

"It's a process," Dumas said. "I'm enjoying it. It's like five years ago when we had the makings of what won for us last year. I know where we were last year, and where we are now."

The 2009-2010 campaign saw Dobson carve out a 29-7 record with seniors Kameron Knutson, Andrea Jones, Johnelle Hannah and Sanja Krystic giving Mustang fans a season to remember down to the final game-winning shot in the final second.

When the fervor from winning the title died down, Dumas took a gander as to  how this new year would begin. An inventory showed two returning varsity players with experience -- sophomore Katherine Hamilton (starter) and reserve guard Delia Vasquez.

"We're a lot faster, but we're smaller," Dumas said. "I think people expected with Katherine back that she would take off. But she is in a new role, too. She's getting used to new teammates just like last year. Delia has really come on. She plays hard all the time. She goes after every loose ball and has a motor that doesn't stop."

As a bonus, Vasquez is averaging almost 14 points a game, quite a rise compared to her 3.6 last season. Hamilton leads the team in nearly every statistical category except scoring. They share their coach's enthusiasm for a new collection of teammates.

"It's been pretty good so far," Vasquez said. "There is good talent coming up and we're more athletic. We did lose some height (6-4 Knutson)."

Hamilton, who previewed the team's new look with her athleticism last year, sees Dumas as more vocal this year. She thinks it's a good thing."

"He. gets on us more in games," Hamilton said. "He's yelling more. But the yelling helps the younger kids. It gets them motivated."

Hamilton and Vasquez are joined in the starting lineup by freshmen Miyah Leith and Tori Lloyd and junior Aleisha Vanballegooi none of whom played varsity until this season. Even with all the inexperience the Mustangs are 11-6 heading into Friday's second region game against Basha. Had they been more seasoned,  more savvy at crunch time, Dumas believes the team could be 15-2.

A pleasing element came with Tuesday's win over Chaparral, which reversed an earlier loss to the Firebirds.

"We've had big leads several times and lost them very quickly, but we're learning how to win and what it takes to win," Dumas said. "It does come slowly. We can play with most teams, we can win big and we can lose by 20 or 25. That's where doing the little things they wonder why I harp at them over are important that they pick up."

Hamilton and Vasquez are not the most vocal of players, but as the only varsity returnees are doing their best to help Dumas and his staff bring the newcomers along.

"Sometimes the freshmen don't want to guard Delia," Hamilton said. "But we make them guard her because it's only going to make them better."

Dumas appreciates the assist and is enjoying the new tempo his new team employs. It's what may get the Mustangs back near the top sooner than later.

"I know I have to be patient and still there are times I find myself saying the same things over and ove which can be frustrating," Dumas said. "The overall process is where the patience comes in. There are growing pains. I have to accept them. Up to now I'm pretty happy with what they've done."