Last season, the biggest race in Division II was not for number one but for number four.

 Sure, the top seed would be nice; who wouldn’t want that?

 But the top five teams (Pembroke, Laconia, Manchester West, Pelham, and Souhegan) had been clearly defined by January, and when we came to the quarterfinals, one of them would have to play away from home.

 As it turned out, Pelham was the ‘unlucky’ 5-seed.

 A pair of late-season losses to Laconia and Manchester West cost the Pythons a home game in the snake pit and, as it turned out, sent them back to Manchester for a rematch with the Blue Knights.

 We all know how the story unfolded; Pelham avenged their loss to West and did the same in a demolition of Laconia four days later.

 The Pythons won the Division II title on a Sunday morning at UNH over Pembroke Academy and look to repeat in basketball, just as they did on the football field last month.

 And don't expect the Pythons to have to go on the road in the quarterfinals again..

 Today, in our sixth of eight pre-season basketball previews, we take a deep dive look at Division II after speaking with nineteen of the twenty head coaches in the division.

 Our preview is brought to you by our great friends and longtime partners at Nashua Community College!

 

Pre-Season Top 10 Rankings

1. Pelham

2. Manchester West

3. Pembroke Academy

4. Laconia

5. Hanover

6. Bow

7. Kingswood

8. Sanborn

9. Coe Brown

10. Con Val

 Lurking outside the Top 10:  Merrimack Valley, Lebanon, Souhegan, Oyster River, Kennett, and Milford.

 We’ll never know what went on inside the Pelham Pythons huddle after the third quarter of their quarterfinal game at Manchester West (a game we covered).

 To that point, Pelham was a team that was trailing on the road and had lost their last two regular season games, costing them home court in the round of eight.

 Then all-state guard Zach James got cookin’, and all-state point guard Dom Herrling joined him.

 The Pythons outscored West by 24 points on their home floor as the packed crowd quieted, and the Blue Knight players stared at the scoreboard like it was lying to them.

 In the next round, Pelham blew out a Laconia team that had beaten them only three weeks earlier as James went off for 34 in a 69-31 victory over the top-seeded Sachems.

 Joe Morin’s team was crowned champions five days later at UNH after a hard-fought 57-54 victory over a very good Pembroke Academy team.

 It was a nine-day run that took the Pythons from a team of potential to the dominant team in the division.

 The all-state duo of Dom Herrling and Zach James return to the starting line-up along with guard Peter Hemmerdinger, and if their performance in our jamboree ten days ago is any indication (Pelham battled Division I champion Bedford for 32 minutes), the Pythons are the team to beat heading towards 2024.

 “ Last year is over, and nobody knows if the effort it took to win the title last year will be good enough again,” said second-year head coach Joe Morin. “ So we need to be better this season.”

 Zach James, who will play his college ball at St. Joseph’s (Maine) next season, might be the best shooter in the state and looks poised for a huge senior season. “ Zach has gotten to this point through a lot of effort and hard work,” said Morin.

 “ He will be playing at the next level, so his focus is on becoming a well-rounded player who defends at a high level and can distribute the ball to his teammates as well.”

 Whether on a football field or the basketball court, Dom Herrling comes off like the guy at the poker table who has already read everyone’s cards.

 The 6’3 point guard can handle pressure, knock down jumpers, distribute, and get to the rim any time he wants. “ Dom comes from a family of athletes, and what stands out to me about him is he might be the most competitive player I have ever been around as a coach,” said Morin.

 “ That is a list of players that includes (Pelham greats) Keith Brown and Justin Hojlo. He just gets after you and does whatever it takes to come out on top.”

 Peter Hemmerdinger averaged eight points a game last season and has the complete confidence of his head coach. “ Peter was an important of our run last season,” said Morin.

“Early last season, we were struggling offensively against Sanborn. He stepped up with 18 points in a two-point win, and we’ll see more performances like that. I think he is going to benefit from all the attention being paid to Zach and Dom.”

 Connor Travis was a key reserve last season but steps into the starting lineup from day one this season.

 “ I thought Connor played very well against Bedford,” said Morin. “ Last year, if he picked up three quick fouls, it was no big deal because he was a reserve. This year, he’s someone we need playing twenty-plus minutes a night, so he will need to manage that better.”

 Logan Dumont will contribute right away and fill the all-important glue guy role while Brady Hegan, Justin Bowlan (“Justin gives us another guard who can handle the ball and run the offense,” said Morin), and Adrian Villanueva will all play prominent roles for the defending champs.

 “ Our offense will be there, so my focus is on defense and rebounding,” said Morin. “ I told the kids, the more you defend at a high level and rebound, the more freedom I will give you on offense.”

 “ To be there again in the end, we need to be elite defensively, and that is what we are working towards.”

  Rich Otis takes over at Manchester West, where the Blue Knights look to replace a pair of all-state performers from a 15-3 team last year that lost in the quarterfinals to Pelham.

 “ We are taking this season as a bit of a re-set,” said Otis.

 “ We had a very good team a year ago (Otis served as an assistant coach under John Langlois), but we did not handle adversity well. All you have to do is look at our playoff loss. We had a four-point lead going into the fourth quarter and ended up losing by twenty.”

 “ We are going to hold everyone accountable this season and work to come together as a team,” said Otis. “ The kids have been great and very receptive early on. I’m encouraged.”

 Part of that encouragement comes with the return of 6’3 all-state guard Max Shosha, a key reserve two years ago on Trinity’s championship team, and followed that up by averaging 20.3 ppg (fourth in the division) last season.

 “ He is a player of the year candidate, and he’s someone we can rely on to get us a basket when we need it,” said Otis. “ Max is a dynamic offensive player, and if he can get his teammates involved and distribute the ball, it’s only going to make life easier for him.”

 Point guard Tevin Edmunds might be the most underrated guard in the division. “ I can’t say enough good things about Tevin,” said Otis. “ I think this is going to be a breakout year for him. He’s a defensive stopper, runs our offense, and does everything his coaches ask of him. Just a great kid.”

 Eliel Chavez gives the Blue Knights another returning starter along with size & strength on the low block. “ Everyone is aware of his ability to defend and rebound, but he’s an underrated scorer who is going to get more opportunities this season.”

 Will Tanuvasa joins the Blue Knights after helping lead Hopkinton to the final four a year ago. “Will has been terrific. He is going to play alongside Tevin and gives us a pair of guards who can get us out in transition.”

 Otis feels West could be a deeper team than last season. He notes that Jayden Rosa, Germaine Gonzalez, Max Houde, CJ Tyler, Ka'Shawn Foster and Nathias Obando will all be able to compete immediately.

 “ I really like the group we have and the effort they are putting out in practice,” said Otis.

“ It’s about controlling our emotions, playing as a team, and working as a unit. If we can do that, we can be there again in the end.”

 The Pembroke Academy Spartans have a lot of new faces but the same goal is to be there in the end come March.

 “ My goal is a little different than theirs,” head coach Mike Donnell joked. “ I want our focus on the next game, the next practice. They are focused on getting back to UNH.”

 All-state guard Joe Fitzgerald, who scored 28 points in a win over Nashua South in our jamboree, returns after averaging 16.8 ppg last season.

“ Joe is the alpha dog; he’s our leader,” said Donnell. “ He can make all the shots and is doing an excellent job of getting the younger players on the same page.”

 Evan Berkley moves from a key reserve role and into the starting lineup. Replacing all-state point guard Mike Strazzeri. “ Evan has a lot of ability and can knock down shots,” said Donnell. “ We need him to become a better defender, and I believe that he will.”

 6’3 Javien Sinclair might be the x-factor for the Spartans, a forward who can finish at the rim, rebound and defend at a high level. “ I’m really excited about the strides Javien has made in his game,” said Donnell. “ He is going to surprise some people this season.”

 Mason Gagne returns after missing last season due to an injury and is expected to contribute immediately.

 Devin Riel gives the Spartans another fast guard on the perimeter who can pressure the ball and knock down shots. “ Devin is very quick. He tends to reach on defense, so keeping him out of foul trouble early in the season is a priority. He’s going to help us this season.”

 Jacob Mather will also step in and contribute immediately, as will glue guy Zach Al-Shawfi.

 “Building chemistry is important, and that’s coming together,” said Donnell. “ This is a new group at the varsity level but a group of players who have been together for years.”

 “ Pelham is clearly the team to beat. For us, it is about improving every week and ultimately giving ourselves a good shot to be there again in the end.”

 The Laconia Sachems reached the final four for the second time in three seasons a year ago.

 Player of the Year Keaton Beck returns for a Sachem team that will look to beat you in the paint rather than out on the perimeter.

“ We have good size across the board,” said head coach Steve McDonough. “ We’ll start four players 6’2 or bigger, so our focus is on being tough defensively and the best rebounding team in the division.”

 Keaton Beck was a first-team all-state selection a year ago and is a three-year member of the NHsportspage underclassman team (he’s moving on to the senior team in March).

 The 6’5 center is bound to attract a lot of attention, and McDonough feels like the Sachems are prepared for it. “ We have some sets that we can run when he has a straight double team in the post.”

 “ We will have a different look offensively, and I see us having a lot of success with it,” said McDonough.

 Carson Tucker returns after finishing third on the team in scoring last year and will run the offense from the point guard spot. “ Carson is all about the team, and I think you’ll see him take on a bigger scoring role this season.”

 His brother Caden Tucker also returns to the starting lineup and embodies Laconia’s image of an athletic team that will defend and try to own the paint.

“ Caden is going to allow us to spread the floor with his ability to knock down shots,” said McDonough. “ We also feel like we can utilize him in the low post when teams put smaller guards on him.”

 Rowan Jones also returns and is a three-sport athlete (Rowan’s father, Aaron, was a three-sport legend at Laconia) who contributes in a number of different ways. “ Rowan fills that glue guy role for us and can defend scoring guards on the perimeter.”

 Brady Stevens will also play a significant role for a Laconia team that wants to return to the final four after being dominated by Pelham in the semifinals last March.

“ We still have a bad taste in our mouths for how our season ended,” said McDonough. “ The chemistry of this group is good, and Keaton is a kid you might get to coach once every fifteen years or so. I can't say enough good things about him,” said McDonough.

 “People expect us to be a team solely reliant on Keaton, but we are a lot more than that, and the players are ready to prove that.”

 When you’re the youngest team in your division, you’re going to have to stick to the plan, even when it seems like the plan isn't working.

 Hanover head coach Ben Davis saw the same 0-11 start the rest of us saw, but he also could see his team was getting better by the week.

 “We started three freshmen last year,” said Davis. “That’s not ideal for a strong start to the season.”

 “ I could see us getting better, though, and we began to compete. The games were getting closer, and the results were getting more positive.”

 The Bears did get better, and the record shows it.

 Hanover won five of their last six games, their lone loss in that stretch being a 59-57 loss to a 12-6 Con Val team.

 As one coach told me years ago, ‘The best thing about freshmen is they become sophomores. ’

 Ben Davis’s team has a loaded group of sophomores and may be the surprise team in the division this season.

 Ryan McLaughlin returns after averaging 16.4 points per game as a freshman, ready to step into a leadership role. “ He had a great summer, played basketball all over, and you can see his improvement from where he was a year ago,” said Davis.

 “ He will score again for us, but Ryan is also a very good passer. He makes smart decisions with the ball and the players around him better.”

 Christian Blix can play at the guard or forward spot and brings senior leadership to a young core.

 David Frechette, a standout on the football field this fall, may be one of the team’s best defensive players and brings toughness to the lineup.

 Jaysen Oriol averaged eight points a game as a freshman and, at 6’2, should once again be a factor in the paint. “ Jayden has that quick burst of speed that makes him difficult to defend,” said Davis. “ He is very versatile. He helps us in a lot of different ways.”

 Roy Lucas returns to the rotation and will see time at point guard while Beckett Sobel will play a more significant role for the Bears as a junior this season.

 In addition, both Allie Muirhead and Wyatt Daigle will be able to contribute immediately.

 “ We still will be very young, but there is a foundation set with this being my second season (as head coach),” said Davis. “ We have good balance across our lineup, and the experience we gained last season will help us.”

 The Bow Falcons made the 2023 tournament as one of the division's youngest teams.

 That distinction won't change this season, but led by one of the best underclassmen in the state, Scott Drapeau’s team hopes to stick around a little longer once the post-season arrives.

 “ We’ll have at least three sophomores in our starting lineup, but they’re no ordinary sophomores,” said Drapeau. “ These kids can play, and they want to win now.”

 Forward Jake Reardon, a member of the NHsportspage underclassman team, returns after averaging 18.7 points per game and ten rebounds as a freshman. “ He is better than he was a year ago by leaps and bounds,” said Drapeau. “ He can do it all offensively and is becoming a much better defender.”

 “ Jake has a good group around him where he knows he doesn't have to do it all by himself.”

 6’6 forward Peyton Larrabee might be the team’s most improved player and will give the Falcons a rebounder and scorer in the paint.

“ Peyton is a terrific athlete and looks like a completely different player this season. His ability to defend the paint and rebound is crucial for us,” said Drapeau.

 Point guard Brendan O’Keefe returns and will be joined in the backcourt by shooting guard Colby Smith. “ Brendan does a nice job with the basketball,” said Drapeau. “ He utilizes the talent around him.”

 Keenan Hubbard will fill the all-important glue guy role, while Sean Guerrette and Connor Eno are expected to contribute immediately.

 “ We should be able to go nine deep with our rotation, and we have made big strides from where we were a year ago,” said Drapeau. “ We are excited to get going.”

 The Kingswood Knights return four starters from a 7-11 team that advanced to the tournament a year ago.

 Head coach Joe Faragher likes the team he has returning and their chances of taking the next step this season. “ We had a good summer and a good young core that has improved,” said Faragher.

 “ We want to be able to compete for a home playoff game. We have players who have had a lot of success in other sports, and you hope to see that carry over.”

 Sophomore Brady Moulton led the team in scoring last season at 13.3 points per game. He can handle the ball or play on the wing alongside senior Wlil Crane.

 “ Brady does everything you ask him to,” said Faragher. “ He has the ability to be one of the top guards in the division, and he loves to compete. He’s just a great kid.”

 Crane is the team’s vocal leader and also gives the Knights rebounding and defense. “ Will is coming on as a scorer, and I think he is set to have a very strong season for us,” said Faragher.

 Brady Clarke was the Knights' third-leading scorer last season (He’s a playmaker and does a lot of things that help us win games,” said Faragher), while Emerson De Nitto is coming off an all-state football season.

“ Both Brady and Emerson have been with us for three years, so they understand what we are running and working to accomplish,” said Faragher.

 A pair of sophomores, Thomas Benker and all-state baseball pitcher Kolby Brown, will also have an opportunity to contribute immediately.

 “ We have seven players back and just a really good group that likes to put the work in to get better,” said Faragher. “ I’m excited to see how we come together over the course of the season.”

 Sanborn will have a new look this season as Wayne Souther takes over as head coach after leading the middle school program. “It’s a big jump from middle school to varsity, but I’m very familiar with the kids, having coached them coming up,” said Souther.

“ We’re off to a good start after solid results in the fall league.”

 Chase Frizzell returns after finishing sixth in Division II scoring last season at 18.3 points per game. “ His leadership has been evident from day one,” said Souther. “ He wants to win every game, every possession, and that kind of effort rubs off on his teammates.”

 Dylan Rego averaged 8.5 points per game last season and will take on an even more significant role this season. “ He gives us scoring and good length defensively on the wing,” said Souther.

 Evan Butler and Robert Comtois will step in and contribute right away, along with 6’3 Cole Chaplin, who Souther calls one of the most improved players on the team.

 “ We have the players for a strong eight-man rotation. Right now, it’s about figuring the combinations that work best together on the floor,” said Souther.

 Freshman Jesse Cavallo will run the Indians' offense from day one. “He’s up to the challenge,” said Souther. “ We are putting a lot on his shoulders, but he’s proven here in the pre-season that he can run our offense effectively.”

 Souther expects more structure offensively while still wanting to get out in transition. “ We are going to change some things defensively and have installed a couple of quick hitter plays to get the ball in the hands of our scorers.”

 Brandon Sarette, last seen quarterbacking the football team, and Ricky Caillouette are also expected to contribute immediately.

 “ It’ll take us some time, but when we come together, we feel like we can compete with any team in our division,” said Souther. “ The kids are excited to get started.”

 It was a frustrating end to a good season last year for Coe Brown after a quarterfinal loss to 14-seed and arch-rival Oyster River.

 Hall of Fame head coach David Smith lost four starters from last year's 13-5 team but does return all-state guard Connor Bagnell, who 16.1 ppg last season. “ Connor does a little bit of everything for us. He is a very good shooter and is someone we rely on defensively as well,” said Smith. “ We are expecting him to have another good season.”

  Quinn Salter and Trevor Amergian will contribute immediately in the front court, while James McKane and Ryan Kouchoukus can run the offense from the point guard spot.

 “ We have enough depth in our rotation where we can go with a bigger lineup or go small if we need to,” said Smith. “ We haven't always had that kind of versatility so that we can utilize that.”

 Matt Flanagan returns after breaking into the rotation last season and will play alongside James Larson-Clarke and 6’3 forward Jack Matson.

 “ We had a good summer as a group, and the chemistry in practice has been excellent,” said Smith. “ We had a successful JV team a year ago, and those players are eager to step into bigger roles this season.”

 The Con Val Cougars followed up a trip to the championship game with a 12-6 season a year ago under head coach Jay Starr.

 All-state guard Joe Gutwein is now playing for Alex Burt at Great Bay CC, but a new-look team should again compete for a Top 8 seed.

 “ We lost nine seniors from last year’s team, but I don't see that as an excuse to take a step back,” said Starr. “ When you are a good program, you re-load, and we feel like we have a very good program here.”

 The optimism begins with the return of point guard Ryan Close. “ Ryan played a lot of basketball over the off-season and has emerged as a leader for us,” said Starr.

 “ Ryan will run the offense, but I anticipate him taking on more of a scoring role for us this season. He’s capable of having a big season for us.”

 Small forward Max Call will step into a more prominent role along with junior Zach Collins. “Zach was our leading scorer on the JV team a year ago,” said Starr. “ He can knock down shots and has also improved his ball handling.”

 All-state football Sammy Davis is also expected to step up into a more prominent role along with a pair of talented newcomers, Ryan Wilson and James Healey. “ They will both compete for minutes, and I’m excited about their potential,” said Starr.

 “ When I first took over three years ago, we had a veteran group, so the focus was game-planning,” said Starr. “ With a new group like this, we work on skill development and seeing who works well on the floor with other players.”

 “ It’s been a lot of fun, and we look forward to competing.”

 The bad taste from Merrimack Valley's quarterfinal loss to Laconia still lingers.

 Tim Mucher’s team led the top-seeded Sachems by five points in the final two minutes before Laconia came back and knocked the Pride out of the tournament.

 Nine months later, Mucher’s team wants to rewrite the script with a better ending.

 “ That was a tough pill to swallow,” said Mucher. “ We earned a good win over Lebanon in the first round and were two minutes away from going back to the final (MV advanced to the final four in 2018 and 2019) until we made mistake after mistake.”

 “ It’s a fresh start, but we have a lot of players returning that want to go further than they did a year ago.”

 Trevor Simonds returns to the starting lineup after being the team’s third-leading soccer a year ago. “ Trevor can play the point or off the ball, and we expect him to score for us,” said Mucher. “He needs to be more consistent, and I’m sure he will be. We have a lot of confidence in Trevor.”

 Logan Gabour looks poised for a breakout season at the forward spot (“ He looks ready to have an all-state season for us,” said Mucher), while junior Aidan Gray returns after missing last season due to an injury. “We are really excited to have Aidan back,” said Mucher.

“ He might be our best playmaker and brings a lot to the table.”

 Luke Dougherty will provide rebounding in the frontcourt alongside Andrew Surprenaut. “I like the depth of this group, and the competition for minutes has been really good in practice,” said Mucher.

 Ming Lawati and Nate Joubert (“He brings great energy to the floor,” said Mucher) are also expected to contribute immediately.

 “ We are going to compete like we always do, and the expectation is we have a chance in March to take the step in the tournament.”

 For the first time in over two decades, the Lebanon Raiders have a new boys' basketball coach as Blendon Salls takes over for Kieth Matte.

 “ I worked under Kieth for seven years before taking a head coaching job in Vermont, so I’m very familiar with the program and the system,” said Salls.

“ The players have been great. They’re getting to understand my philosophy as a coach while I’m learning about them at the same time.”

 The Raiders have a solid nucleus coming back, led by point guard Nick Brill, who was third on the team in scoring a year ago. “Nick has been impressive,” said Salls. “ He certainly has taken on a leadership role and can run the offense or play off the ball on the wing.”

 6’4 forward Case Adams gives Lebanon rebounding and rim protection (“His size and athletic ability are going to be a huge asset for our defense,” said Salls). At the same time, Declan Brandis will provide shooting on the wing.

 Talan Patkul is a proven scorer who also defends at a high level. “ Talan will likely draw the assignment when we face high-scoring guards,” said Salls. “ He’s extremely athletic and has looked very good here in the pre-season.”

 Will Katz can play the point, allowing Brill to play on the wing (“Will has a high basketball IQ and understands what we are running offensively,” said Salls). At the same time, a pair of underclassmen, Miles Saunders and Myles Nolan, are expected to contribute right away.

 “ The program is in a really good place. We had nineteen freshmen come out for the team this year, and I have liked the energy at practices,” said Salls.

“ We open with Hanover and then play another really good team in Pembroke, so we will need to be ready to compete at a high level.”

 “ We’re excited to get started.”

 The Souhegan Sabers were the Cinderella story of the 2022 season, winning the Division II title after being picked outside of the Top 10 in the pre-season.

 Last season, they went into the year #1 and once again had a hand in creating the next Cinderella story, but this time, they were on the wrong side of it.

 The 3rd-seeded Sabers were stunned 48-45 by an Oyster River team that would advance to the final four. “ There were a lot of factors that went into that loss, but at the end of the day, all that matters is that Oyster River was better than us that night,” said head coach Peter Pierce.

“ They came in and took it for us, and I give them all the credit in the world for doing it.”

 Four starters from that team have graduated, meaning Pierce’s team will not again enter the season in the spotlight. “ It’s a good group. It’s just going to take us some time to come together.”

 Nolan Colby is a three-year starter who returns after averaging eight points per game last season. “ His scoring average will go up this season,” said Pierce. “ He’s a terrific athlete, loves to compete, and understands what we are running on both ends of the floor.”

 “ He’s going to play a vital role for us.”

 Sophomore Weston Hickman looks poised for a breakout season (“He has really played well here in the pre-season,” said Pierce. “ He can get to the rim and doesn't shy away from contact.”) while 6’3 Sean McCool returns at the other forward spot.

 “ Sean does a lot of the little things that help you win games,” said Pierce. “ He will get more opportunities to score this season, and I expect him to have a good year for us.”

 Nick Nowack and Max Hayes will contribute immediately for the Sabers. At the same time, all-state quarterback Romy Jain joined the team, giving Pierce another very good athlete who could defend, score, rebound, and contribute.

 “ We are not as long as we have been the past two seasons, so we are going to need to work harder on the glass,” said Pierce. “ You’ll see us play faster this season, whereas we have walked the ball up the past two seasons.”

 The Oyster River Bobcats pulled off a true stunner when they went to Amherst and knocked off defending champion Souhegan in the first round.

 All five starters from that team graduated, so if Lewis Atkins (who prefers to be called The Big Smooth) guides his team back to the final four, he will be doing it with a lot new faces.

 “ We have one player back who was in the rotation last season, so it’s an almost entirely new rotation,” said Atkins. “ We have worked hard over the off-season, though, and this is a group that likes to spend time in the gym. It’s a fun group to practice with every day, and we have the same goals as we had a year ago.”

 Sophomore Matthew Jernigan showed flashes of his considerable potential in the tournament a year ago, scoring 9 points in the win over Souhegan.

 He will play the point and be relied on heavily from Day one. “ Our offense is going to run through him, so he is going to need to lead us,” said Atkins. “ He’s grown to 6’3, can score, and makes the right plays with the ball in his hands.”

 Ethan Brewer will contribute immediately as a guard who can shoot the ball and defend at a high level, while forward Luca Varney will provide scoring and rebounding in the paint. “ Luca is going to be a big piece for us,” said Atkins. “ At 6’3, he gives us some size on the baseline.”

 Jack Carpenter is a captain who will play either guard spot for the Bobcats. “ Jack really leads by example and can handle the ball, shoot it, and bring energy on the floor.”

 An x-factor for the Bobcats could be Brandon Kirby, who may be the team’s best athlete. “ He jumps out of the gym and has good range as a shooter,” said Atkins.

 All of this makes the Bobcats a similar team to a year ago, a team that hides in plain sight while they improve by the week and prove capable of knocking off a higher seed (or two) in March.

 “ I feel like we can be eight deep as far as our rotation, and I’m encouraged by the team's attitude,” said Atkins.

 “ We have a very difficult schedule out of the gate. If we can get a couple of early wins and settle in, we have the potential to be a pretty good team come playoff time.”

 The Milford Spartans should be in the mix for a home playoff game but will need to replace three starters from last year’s 7-11 team.

 “ The attitude and effort level have been very good,” head coach Don Gutterson said. “ We also have a lot to improve on. Rebounding is going to be an issue, so that has been a focus in practice.”

 Sophomore Kai Lauquan looks poised for a breakout season after averaging 13.2 points a game as a freshman. “ Kai will run the offense and can knock down shots when teams play off of him,” said Gutterson.

 “ I’d like to see him take the ball to the rim more often. He certainly has that ability.”

 Will O’Connell is the Spartans' other returning starter, and his versatility should be on full display this winter. “ We are going to ask a lot of Will,” said Gutterson. “ He can play four different positions, and his attitude has been great.”

 “Both Will and Kai do a very good job getting the younger players up to speed.”

 Will White is expected to step into a more significant role this season (“Will is going to help us,m we are just looking for him to be consistent this season,” said Gutterson) as Milford figures out their rotation.

 Josh Berry, Ethan Szopa, Kenyan Sowa, Zack Zaremba, and Landon Pierce will all have an opportunity to contribute right away.

 “ We still have roles to be defined and playing time up for grabs,” said Gutterson. “ That’ll all work itself out over the next few weeks.”

 After coaching Division IV Mascenic Regional last season, Ryan Kelley takes over at Hollis-Brookline.

 Coming off a 1-16 season, the rebuild is on, and Kelley loves the attitude he saw in the pre-season.

 “I coached a lot of these players when they were younger, so there is some familiarity there,” said Kelley. “ Guys have been flying around the gym, and the communication on the floor has been strong for this point in the season.”

 If you are, for some odd reason, a huge fan of senior night ceremonies, you’ll need to look elsewhere as the Cavaliers do not have one senior on the roster. “It’s a fresh start for the entire group, and we like the underclassman we have in the program.”

 Cam Kump is the only returning starter from last season and will play a big role for the Cavaliers this season. “ Cam can run the offense for us at the point guard spot or play off the ball,” said Kelley.

 Kelley loves the potential of 6’4 sophomore Alton Williams as well as freshman guard Dylan Kelley. “ Alton is going to help us on the glass and has really improved.”

 “ Dylan is a good defender and has also developed a good mid-range game. He will contribute for us immediately.”

 Y-Arie Ramas gives the Cavaliers depth in the backcourt, while sophomores Will McCoy and Noah Natalino will have an opportunity to play a significant role immediately.

 “ Our only upperclassmen are two juniors, so there will be some growing pains,” said Kelley. “ It’s about competing today but also building for the future, and I’m excited about the group we have.”

 The Plymouth Bobcats are hoping a veteran team can turn the corner after finishing 3-15 a year ago. “ We have been able to pick right up, and the energy at practices has been very good,” said head coach Ben Cronin.

 “ We have players that have had a lot of success both in football and in baseball. I think you’ll see that carry over for us this season.”

 Chance Twomey and the team’s top returning scorers, Dylan Webster (10.2 ppg) and Johnny Flaherty (9.2) give Cronin three seniors in the starting five. “ You win games with seniors, and I like the balance we have across our starting lineup,” said Cronin.

 They will be joined in the rotation by a pair of juniors, Grady Marunowski and Kyle Dodge, while Jake Sanborn, Trevin Stone, and sophomores Isaac Benton & Turner Oldenburg will get an opportunity to contribute right away.

 “ We want to be a tournament team this season, and we feel like we can compete with just about any team on our schedule,” said Cronin. “If we stay healthy and continue to improve, I like the group we have and our chances to have a good season.”

 The John Stark Generals hope the lumps a young team took a year ago pay off this season, as five of the top six scorers return from a 1-17 team.

 “ We’re playing better this pre-season, and that’s a result of some of the strides I thought we took at the end of last season,” said head coach Mike Smith.

“ There were a lot of times that we went into games knowing it was going to be a struggle just to compete. I see us being a lot more competitive against our schedule this season.”

 Logan Montgomery returns after averaging 12.6 points per game last season, and his coach sees improvement in every area of his game. “Logan is someone who can score on the wing for us or run the offense,” said Smith. “ He has bought in more on the defensive end of the floor, and that’s only going to make him a more complete player.”

 Hayden Pond returns to the starting lineup and should play several different positions on the floor, while Joey Dykstra and Donnie White return after a strong season on the football field. “ Joey and Donnie are terrific to have on the team,” said Smith. “ They’re very good athletes, and they are great kids.”

 Sophomore Aiden Harris is a standout baseball player who will contribute right away, while Eliot Beliveau is also expected to contribute right away after battling injuries last season.

 “ We had a scrimmage last week where thirteen different players scored. That tells me we have improved our depth, and it makes for some very competitive practices as players fight for roles and playing time,” said Smith.

 Regan Webb (“He’s one of the hardest working platters we have.”), Cedar Beaupre and Cam Cam Carpenter are part of a group that will have an opportunity to contribute right away.

 “ One thing we have had with this program is incredible support from the parents,” said Smith. “There was an acknowledgment that the program has struggled the last two years, and our parents have been very involved in improving the situation. We have team dinners and team-building activities that I can already see are bringing us together and making us a stronger team.”

 “ I like this group and the energy they are bringing to the gym every day,” said Smith. “ I like the direction we are headed in.”

 The rebuild is on at Bishop Brady, where John Billings takes over a team with two upperclassmen (total) on the roster after all five starters from last season have either graduated or moved on.

 “We have one senior, one junior, and a big sophomore class,” said Billings. “ So the focus is on improving every day, building good habits in practice, and putting those building blocks in place.”

 Todd Sheppard will start immediately after serving as the football team's quarterback in the fall. “Todd sets a great tone for us,” said Billings. “ He is versatile and athletic.”

 Owen Thornton is the team’s lone junior, and the baseball standout is expected to produce immediately. “ Owen is extremely competitive and is a good leader for this group as well,” said Billings.

 Ryan Casey, who returns after an injury last season, and Alex Pelletier are part of a big group of underclassmen who will have an opportunity to contribute right away.

 “ New coach and a new rotation so there are going to be growing pains,” said Billings. “ We will focus on playing hard and the right way. If we focus on that, we are going to be a better team as the season goes along.”

 

First Team All-State (Pre-Season)

Keaton Beck of Laconia

Zach James of Pelham

Dom Herrling of Pelham

Joe Fitzgerald of Pembroke Academy

Jake Reardon of Bow

 

Second Team All-State

Max Shosa of Manchester West

Ryan McLaughlin of Hanover

Connor Bagnell of Coe Brown

Tevin Edmunds of Manchester West

Logan Gabour of Merrimack Valley

 

With apologies to: Ryan Close of Con Val, Brady Moulton of Kingswood, Chase Frizzell of Sanborn, Peter Hemmerdinger of Pelham, Carson Tucker of Laconia, Jayson Oriol of Hanover, Nick Brill of Lebanon, Nolan Colby of Souhegan, Will Tanuvasa of Manchester West, Matthew Jernigan of Oyster River and Kai Lauquan of Milford.

 

Coming Thursday: Division I