When the Harvard men's basketball program lost its numbers one and three all-time leading scorers to graduation two years ago, first-year Coach Pete Roby knew he had some major rebuilding in front of him.

By the end of last season--the cagers' worst since their 1951-'52 campaign--four freshmen and a sophomore were starting for the Crimson, which wound up with a dismal 6-20 mark (2-12 in the Ivies).

After finishing in the Ancient Eight cellar for the first time in a decade, Harvard loses just one significant player (guard Pat Smith) from last year's unit but does not figure to improve dramatically.

The cagers have already stumbled out of the gate to an 0-3 start, including a five-point loss to Lafayette--one of the Crimson's rare victims a year ago.

Roby, who directed the Crimson recruiting program while serving for three years under former cager mentor Frank McLaughlin, says his young squad is not mentally tough enough yet, pointing out that Harvard's failure to execute the fundamentals has already cost the cagers two losses in the early going.

But Roby also understands that the rebuilding process takes time.

"We're excited about the program and the kids," Roby says. "We think we're doing it the right way, and it's just a matter of time. We have good enough players now to have the means to win the Ivy League."

But winning the Ivy League in 1986-'87 is far from Roby's mind--especially considering that his squad has been picked by most to finish last in the Ancient Eight for the second straight year (something that hasn't happened to Harvard since the '50s).

"Our feeling right now is that we want to be competitive," he says. "We'd like to think we're good enough to go .500, but there are 26 other teams on the schedule that may have something to say about that."

At season's start, the Crimson will try to answer opponents' calls with a starting line-up of two seniors, a junior, and a pair of sophomores.

Co-Captain Keith Webster, whose average of 11.6 points per game paced Harvard last season, provides the hoopsters with leadership in the backcourt.

After copping All-Ivy honorable mention last season, the 5-ft., 11-in. guard pumped in 41 points in the squad's first two contests this year, and the Crimson will count on his defensive intensity as it looks to wear down opponents with a sustained press.

"Keith really understands what we need to get from him to be successful," Roby says of his three-year starter.

Alongside Webster in the backcourt is sophomore Kevin Collins. The 6-ft., 4-in. Westboro native spent most of his freshman year toiling for the Crimson junior varsity, where he was the squad's leading scorer and rebounder.

Collins came up to the varsity level for the cagers' final eight games of the '85-'86 season and appeared in four of them, scoring five points in 22 minutes.

Returning to the Crimson front-court after a one-year absence is 6-ft., 5-in. Co-Captain Arne Duncan. The Chicago native--whose sister Sarah plays for the women hoopsters--has a career field goal percentage of .531 and a career free throw mark of .818.

"Arne still has to get back into the college basketball frame of mind," Roby says. "He is an excellent passer and will have a good year. He just has to get rid of some of the rust from not playing."

But while the Crimson gains one front-court stalwart, it loses another--at least for a while. Sophomore forward-guard Neil Phillips raised eyebrows in his freshman campaign by leading the Crimson in rebounding and minutes played and finishing second in scoring en route to garnering All-Ivy honorable mention recognition.

But Phillips doubled as wide receiver for Joe Restic's 3-7 football team this fall, and did not begin basketball practice until this past week--more than two full months after the rest of the hoopsters first took to the practice floor.

"I told Neil that he had to do what he thought was best for him," Roby says. "I'm not going to keep him from achieving what he wants to achieve."

"I told him that I would be the guy rooting for him the most [in football], but I've got 14 other people here to worry about, and I have to do what's best for the whole team," the second-year coach continued, indicating that Phillips probably will not start for some time.

Phillips--who jammed a pinky catching passes in football a few weeks back--was definitely the Crimson's brightest hope a year ago and was arguably the squad's top player overall. It will take the Germantown, Md., native a while to get his timing back and to get accustomed to his basketball teammates.

Meanwhile, junior 6-ft., 4-in. forward Kyle Dodson--who was inconsistent throughout most of the '85-'86 campaign--joins Duncan at the forward position. Dodson, who scored 19 points in the Crimson's season opener last week at Lehigh and another 14 points at Lafayette, has been a pleasant surprise as the cagers' steadiest performer in the young season.

Filling the pivot spot is 6-ft., 6-in. sophomore David Lang, who improved with each game last season and wound up averaging 3.4 points and 2.5 rebounds per contest.

Lang--a Darien, Conn., native--was not recruited strongly, but has stepped in and grabbed the starting assignment away from junior Bill Mohler.

Mohler recorded a team-high 29 blocked shots while averaging 5.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game last season, but never really developed to his full potential.

"Bill is continuing to come along," Roby says,hinting that Mohler may start a few games down theroad. "He's thinner, quicker, and stronger, andhe's close to taking off--to becoming a very goodcollege player."

Also figuring to play prominent roles off thebench are sophomore guard Mike Gielen (5.8 ppg,2.3 rpg, 42 assists last year) and sophomoreforward Fred Schernecker (6.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg).

With or without Phillips, the cagers will lookto achieve a greater balance and more consistencyin 1986-'87.

Roby says he intends to push the ball up thefloor and apply sustained pressure on defense inan attempt to maximize what he sees as the cagers'greatest relative strength: depth.

Versatile

"We're more versatile than a year ago, and wehave a little more quickness and more athleticability," Roby says, "so we can afford to make ita game of attrition."

Despite the Crimson's inability to win, Robyrefuses to make any excuses for the performance ofhis club. "Excuses are for those who use them," hetells his ballplayers.

For Roby and his still-young Crimson squad, therebuilding road is a long one, part of the journeycompleted, part of it still remaining