BELVIDERE — The Bucs wish first-year coach Darcee Baney could go back in time.

“The girls always ask me, ‘Why don’t you put on a uniform?’ ” said Baney, a former Harlem star who was a first-team Division II All-American forward at Lewis University in 2007.

Baney, Belvidere’s sixth coach in eight years, uses her experience to teach the Bucs.

“I get in there and play with them and show them. They get how to do it and then they can actually see it,” Baney said. “I can push them around a little and teach them to get stronger inside.”

Getting stronger will be a key for the Bucs, who have had only one losing season in conference play in the past 17 years. The Bucs return two starters in 5-foot-9 seniors Korissa Steger and Lauren Hyser, but also return three seniors who missed last year with injuries. Kayla Harris and Alyssa Reeverts both tore ACLs in their knees, while Alexa Yerk had a rare leg disease and was on bed rest for six months.

“All three of these girls are very athletic, and as far as the game, all three of them have done well,” Baney said. “They did a lot of shooting when they were injured. But it’s been hard for them to get back in shape.”

If the Bucs stay healthy, they could finish as high as third in a conference that’s wide open behind annual powers Freeport and Boylan. Steger and Hyser were Belvidere’s two leading scorers last year. “I’m pretty excited about those two,” Baney said.

Except Steger has been in-and-out of practice. “She broke her back when she was young, and you never know when it’s going to be good or bad,” Baney said.

Also, Sylvia Slaughter, a 5-5 point guard who transferred from Detroit, has missed time.

“We’ve had so many people in-and-out it’s been crazy,” Baney said. “I know Sylvia is talented, but I haven’t been able to see her full out in action.”

Add freshman guards Courtney Ziegler and Autumn Korotasz and the Bucs have a lot of reasons for cautious optimism.

“Because of our new girls and the girls who didn’t play last year, we’re going to surprise people,” Baney said.

Assistant Sports Editor Matt Trowbridge can be reached at 815-987-1383 or mtrowbridge@rrstar.com.

Bucs at a glance
Coach: Darcee Baney (First year).
Last season: 11-18 (8-8, tied for 6th NIC-10, lost in regional finals).
Returning starters: Korissa Steger (5-9, Sr.), Lauren Hyser (5-9, Sr.).
Other key players: Kayla Harris (5-7, Sr.), Alyssa Reeverts (5-7, Sr.), Alexa Yerk (Sr.), Sylvia Slaughter (5-3, Jr.).
Strengths: Quickness, ability to run on the fastbreak, senior leadership.
Weaknesses: Inexperience.
Outlook: The Bucs return their top two scorers in Steger and Hyser, plus three players who missed all last season with injuries (Harris, Reeverts and Yerk) and a promising transfer in Slaughter, who started as a sophomore for her high school in Detroit. Belvidere should finish between third and sixth.