As the 2014-15 basketball season begins Division II finds itself in a bit of an identity crisis.

 Two elite Division II programs have split off in different directions with two time defending champion Pembroke Academy petitioning up to Division I while Pelham was assigned down to Division III based on their enrollment numbers.

 What they have left behind is a wide open division that features three or four elite teams and a whole lot of wait and see. “I think we are in the same boat as the majority of the teams in our division where we could go 12-6 or 2-16,” said longtime Hollis-Brookline head coach Mike Soucy. “It will come down to health and how a lot of these first year players develop.”

 A wide open division back in October became a little easier to forecast a few weeks later when Jourdain & Joe Bell returned to Bishop Brady after a short stint at prep school. How the contenders assemble around them will be determined over the next three months but today we give you the most likely candidates to find their way to the campus of UNH in March.

 In our third of four pre-season previews we take a look at Division II.
 
 Division II Predicted order of finish
 

1. Bishop Brady
2. Portsmouth
3. Lebanon
4. Merrimack Valley
5. Manchester West
6. Kennett
7. Goffstown
8. Hanover
9. Coe-Brown Academy
10. Windham

Lurking outside the Top 10: Hollis-Brookline, St. Thomas, Oyster River & Plymouth

 The biggest dilemma for most 24 year olds around the holidays involves figuring out if they are too old to still be cashing Grandma’s Christmas checks. At that same age new Bishop Brady head coach Cole Etten has to figure out if Brendan Johnson should pick & roll or pick and pop with Jourdain Bell. Not a bad place to start a varsity coaching career. “There’s a learning curve early on both with me and with the kids,” said Etten of his new team. “The kids have been great though and we’re getting up to speed pretty quickly.”

 Speed is a commodity Brady will have plenty of and it starts with the Division II pre-season player of the year. Jourdain Bell has been on the radar of New Hampshire high school fans since he was an 8th grader but as impressive as his resume is it does not include a trip to Durham for the Final Four. That mission becomes championship or bust for the 6’1 point guard. “ Jourdain can get to the basket any time he wants and he distributes the ball well,” said Etten. “ The focus for us right now to play as a unit, to play as a team. That was the message on day one and will remain the message from here until the end of the season.”

 Bell has plenty of playmakers around him starting with little brother Joe. The younger Bell is a tough defender who may be the team’s best rebounder and he has improved after working on his game throughout the summer. Brendan Johnson had a huge season on the football field and steps in as one of the better forwards in Division II. Starting center Aaron Svendsen got better by the week a year ago and is expected to rebound and fire outlet passes to both Bell brothers to start what could be an elite transition game for the Giants. “ We essentially start four guards so Aaron's ability to play down low is a key for us,” said Etten.

 Matt Quirk is a deadly shooter from the wing and will benefit from all the attention paid to the Bell brothers. Etten expects major production from 6’2 lefty forward Matt Desmarais and gets added depth off the bench from Concord transfer Gabriel Vargas who Etten said has fit in very well in his first year with the program. “ We know people are expecting big things from us but we are taking it day by day,” said Etten who at 24 is already at a veteran ‘coach speak’ level. “ We have a lot to prove just like every other team and I’m excited to keep working and see how we improve this season.”

 If there is a team in the division that could find the floor at Lundholm blindfolded it is the Portsmouth Clippers who seem to make an annual trip there. The team head coach Jim Mulvey puts on the floor every night will be one of the better defensive teams in the state, but where will the points come from? “ This group has a chance to be one of our better offensive teams in years but we’re not anywhere close to that today,” said Mulvey. One sure thing in the group is senior forward Charlie Lehoux who has stepped up into not only a leadership role but a scoring one as well. “ Charlie has been great. He’s really improved his game over the off-season and he’s our best defender as well.”

 6’4 sophomore Joey Glynn caught the attention of coaches around the division with his rebounding in last year’s run to the title game. With older brother Patrick now graduated Joey takes over as the anchor of the Clippers defense. “ Patrick was able to put him in the right spot defensively last year and cover for him,” said Mulvey. “ He’s gone now so it’s on Joey to be in the right spot for us and that’s still something he needs to be more consistent with.” Loden Formichelli will start at the other forward spot while Angus Lamond will provide depth off the bench. Mulvey likes the improvement of sophomore Christian Peete and the energy he brings to the game.

 Sophomore Shon Parham is a very good on the ball defender who will run the Clippers offense, “Defensively he’s very good, what I’d like to see is him looking for his own offense when the defense gives it to him. We’ve seen him do it in practice so we know he is capable.” Portsmouth may find their second scoring option in freshman Cody Graham. The 5’9 shooting guard averaged over 30 points per game in middle school and has the ability to be a double digit scorer right away. “ He has the best footwork of any player on our team,” said Mulvey. “ What he needs to do is play with more energy and urgency. I think it’s an AAU trait where these kids play four games a day and when they give up a basket it’s ‘Let’s get the ball back inbounds and go up the floor,’” said Mulvey. “ At this level its two games a week, its only 32 minutes long and you have to value each possession. It is a common problem with a lot of the younger kids today. They don't have the urgency to win that the upperclassman do. With Cody I absolutely believe it will click for him early on and he will be a double digit scorer for us every night from there on out.” AJ McManus is a very good shooter who can provide instant offense off the bench. “ We will defend and if we can get better offensively we have a chance to be pretty good by the end of the year.”

 There is no easing into a street fight as Dick Vermeil used to say and so goes the logic of a very fast & athletic Lebanon team that isn’t going to win many jump balls but will pound you with pressure defense for 32 minutes. “ We really only have one true forward in the rotation right now,” said longtime head coach Keith Matte. “ It’s going to be a challenge for us all season long to keep bigger teams off the boards. Where we think we can hurt teams is in our ability to force turnovers and spread the floor offensively.”

 That attack starts with sophomore point guard KJ Matte who is one of the best floor generals in the state already. Few players do a better job of keeping their head up when they are under pressure and Coach Matte has all the confidence in the world in the point guard who lives two bedrooms down the hallway. “ I like the composure he has been showing this year. When we played Manchester Memorial in the Jamboree they pressed us the entire game and he was very efficient against that pressure, we had very few turnovers,” said Matte. “ I’m not sure he could have handled that pressure a year ago as well as he does now.”

 His running mate in the backcourt is junior guard Austin Whaley who has an ability to get to the rim or pull up for three when given room to shoot. Ryan Milliken gives the Raiders energy and an ability to cause havoc defensively. The standout running back is very good at finding an angle to attack the basket and he along with fellow shooting guard Greg Roberge give Lebanon plenty of weapons to spread around. “ This group has been playing together since I was driving them around in my backseat listening to them argue whether there really was a Santa Claus or not,” said Matte. “ The kids are excited to run & pressure all season long and the goal is always to get back to Final Four.”

 It has been over 15 years since Merrimack Valley has advanced past the first round of the tournament but with four starters back head coach Kevin O’Brien is hopeful that all comes to an end in 2015. “ This is a group that has now played a lot of games together and they are as nice as group of kids as I’ve ever coached,” said O’Brien. “ The goal is to advance in the tournament and compete for a spot in Durham.” The reason for optimism starts with the frontline of 6’5 Justin Williams and 6’6 Bruce Barton. “ They are big boys, especially Bruce, and that gives us a good combination of scoring in the paint and ability to hurt you from the perimeter as well.”

 Nate Mulleavy is a former 5’8 point guard who is now a 6’3 point guard and he along with shooting guard Cole Remillard gives Valley experience in the backcourt. “ Nate will run the show for us and he makes real good decisions out there. He just seems to have a knack for finding the right guy in the flow of the offense,” said O’Brien.

 6’3 forward Ian Curtin will be a big contributor for O’Brien’s team and adds yet another big body to rebound in the paint. Hudson Aldridge will contribute as well as Merrimack Valley looks to return to the Division II power they were for much of the 1990’s. “ The worst part of this group is we have no go to guy,” said O’Brien, “ and the best part of this group is we have no go to guy. If you design a play to stop one guy on a particular play good luck with that because we have a few different guys who can hurt you. That balance is our best asset.”

 Danny Bryson’s Manchester West team (The coverage of Manchester West is sponsored by 900 Degrees Pizzaria) is the new kid on the block everyone is asking about. Everyone else might be unsure of who they are but Bryson thinks he knows exactly what to expect from the newest team in Division II. “I’ve had this group for a few years now and that’s a lot of games when you talk about regular season, summer leagues and playing in the fall. I think we’re a team that can be a factor this year.” Joe Simpson and Corey Descoteaux form a young but very experienced backcourt while Bryson knows he can count on forward Zach Jones to handle the ball as well against pressure. “ Zach is a player who will score for us and in the open court he finishes very well.”

 Bryson has high hopes for sophomore guard Jacobee Burpee as well as the defense given to his team by Prince Gbaly. “ I have a lot of confidence in both of those guys and Jacobee is a player who I think can make big strides over the course of the season.” Down low 6’7 center Monytung Maker is a shot blocker who Bryson feels could be a big time player if he gets stronger. 6’6 forward Keenan Caron gives West one of the biggest frontlines in their new division. “ The kids are excited to play in Division II, we know it is a tough division. It’s the city rivalries with Central, Trinity and Memorial that they will miss but we get to see them in the Queen City Tournament later this month,” said Bryson. “ There is a lot to learn the first time through a new division so right now we have to be ready every night to compete. The goal is the same as it was in Division I and that’s to get to Durham.”

 Coaches are quick to remind you that success in high school basketball starts with good guard play. The coaches who tend to remind you of this right away happen to boast an elite playmaker in their backcourt. So go ask Kennett head coach Steve Cote where success starts in high school basketball. “ I am biased of course but I feel like Brandon (DiLucchio) is one of the best guards in the division,” said Cote in an opinion his peers would absolutely agree with. “ As far as his character, his leadership and his ability; he is a kid that comes along once every ten years or so.”

 DiLucchio is a four year starter and three year captain who will lead a Kennett team that advanced to the quarterfinals a year ago before bowing out to eventual champion Pembroke Academy. “ We’ll have a completely different identity this year as we will look to push the ball more,” said Cote.

 Nick Graziano returns to the starting lineup and could be the breakout performer for the Eagles this season. Fritz Carr joins the all-name team and will give Cote ball handling in the backcourt along with the athletic Kerry Rober. Our player of the year in Division II football Will Pollard will get major minutes at the forward spot alongside fellow football standout Drew MacDonald. “ We usually get them in the gym right after Halloween to start working on basketball activities but the playoff run kind of set us back a little,” said Cote, “ so we’re still sort of catching up as the season comes around.”

 The Eagles will be improved with the addition of 6’2 big man Theo Scarlett who was expected to be a major contributor a year ago before an injury forced his to miss the entire season. “ This is a group that loves playing together and I know the seniors want to go out on a good note,” said Cote. “ I certainly think we are capable but there are a lot of good teams in this division and every night is going to be a battle.”

 Goffstown was 20 seconds away from knocking off #3 seed Lebanon in the first round a year ago and will boast one of the best combinations of size and guard play of any team in the division this year. “We’ve got height but better than that is the fact that our big men are big strong/physical kids,” said head coach Mark Elmendorf. “ There are a lot of players on this team with a football mentality and I think that will serve us well as the season goes along.”

 The Grizzlies will start a backcourt of shooting guard Marcus Haynes, a good outside shooter with an ability to handle the ball, and point guard Brendan Hall who has been limited in the pre-season because of an injury. Hall may not return until late January but when he does he makes an already deep team even better. Mike Bailey will provide scoring from the wing while Ben Barrs is expected to contribute as well. The frontline is led by 6’3 junior Tim Comeau and all-state QB turned forward Casey Gervais. “Casey has been terrific in the pre-season,” said Elmendorf, “ He’s been a really good addition for us.”

 Rob Girardin is a 6’4 big man who provides instant offense off the bench while 6’10 center Ryan Roggenbuck has worked hard to improve and provides production for what may be one of the better rebounding teams in the division. “ The kids are working hard and when Brendan is able to return we feel like we have the pieces in place to compete with anyone in the division.”

 Coe-Brown Academy is notoriously a team that struggles early and surges late in the season but with a veteran group returning under Hall of Fame head coach David Smith the Bears are hoping the success comes a little earlier than usual. “ We have a lot of players who have played big minutes for us but right now it is about who fits into what role,” said Smith. “ This is a very balanced group that doesn’t really feature a go to guy but we certainly have players capable of producing for us.”

 The Bears will feature a very good backcourt in Sam Langdon and Sam Lupinacci. Spencer Nowland will compete for the point guard  job and may be challenged by sophomore Brody Ashley, “ Brody has played very well during the pre-season,” said Smith. “ I’m encouraged by his play so far and I really think he will help us this year.” Luke Zollman and Adam Edin will carry the load for Coe-Brown in the paint while senior McCormick Struthers provides good depth at the forward position.

 You can never count on success from football season to carry over to basketball but over at Windham head coach Todd Steffanides has definitely seen it carry over to pre-season practices. “ The practices have been as competitive and intense as I can remember,” said Steffanides. That strong start is aided by the return of point guard David Carbonello, one of the best floor general’s in the division. “ He worked really hard at his game over the off-season and it shows,” said Steffanides, “ His level of effort really sets the tone for the entire group.”

 Marco Allanach and Kurtis Jolicoeur will contribute for a Jaguars team that narrowly lost a first round game at Plymouth a year ago. Joey Frake, Davis Potter and 6’4 center Cole Gill form a very good rotation that has size, speed and the ability to knock down shots from the perimeter. “ We want to utilize the athletes we have and create havoc in the half court defensively,” said Steffanides.

 The sleeper team in Division II may be Mike Soucy’s Hollis-Brookline, a team that despite major graduation losses could be a factor if they find a cure for their consistent ability to be,,,well inconsistent. “ The pre-season has been up & down, from game to game really,” said Soucy of his new group. “ We show an ability to really play well as a team one game and then don’t take care of the little things the very next. When we learn to eliminate that kind of pattern we have a chance to be pretty good.”

 Matt Fothergill brings stability to a young group and will handle the ball from the point guard spot while also playing out on the wing and away from the ball in certain lineups. Younger brother Nick Fothergill can handle the ball and will see time with shooting guard Riley Hamel.

 6’3 forward Will Petersen is one of the Soucy’s most improved players and gives the Cavaliers some flexibility up front. “ He was really just a shooter a year ago but he has worked to add more to his game and that makes us a better unit on the floor,” said Soucy. 6’3 forward Trevor Bowler will push you off your spot on the low block and provide rebounding and defense. “ We’ll feature a four guard lineup on most nights so the key is tailoring the system you run to the ability of the kids on the floor. We feel like we have done that with this group and the hope is we get better every week as we go through the season.”

 At Oyster River new head coach Lorne Lucas likes where his new team is going he just wants to get there faster. A lot faster…” They have it in their head to walk the ball up the floor and that’s not how we are going to play,” said Lucas. “ We’re going to apply pressure, push the basketball and not allow defenses to set up and wait for us. The kids have been great and they really have a good concept of what they should be, it’s just about getting there.”

 Collin Runk will lead a new look backcourt and has improved his shooting over the off-season, “ He’s a good kid, he works hard and sets a good example for the other guys.” Peter Antognetti is a 6’3 forward who can get out and finish in transition while Lucas has been very happy with guard Mitchell Harling, “He has a really good understanding of the game and he is going to help us right away.”

 If you’d like to stroll down memory lane with the members of last season’sPlymouth Bobcat quarterfinal team you can find them in the UNH football weight room or at a Plymouth State basketball practice. Head coach Mike Sullivan knows Collin Sullivan, Jared Kuehl and Kyle Resiert are not walking through that door and so the rebuild begins with a new cast. “ We have seven seniors so it’s not necessarily a young group, but very few of them saw a lot of time last season so that puts us behind.”

 Connor Nolan did see big minutes a year ago and Sullivan expects his new point guard to be a leader to the new group. Justin Robinson is coming off an all-state football season and will be a primary scorer this season. Sullivan has shooters that can spread the floor and expects to get good production from Derek Preble, Christian Babin and Mike Buhrman. Jimmy Wieliczko is a 6’5 bull down low who will anchor the defense for a team Sullivan thinks could peak later in the season. “ The group we had a year ago allowed us to just pick up where we had left off the season before. With this group it will take longer but I think we can be a good basketball team as the season goes along.”
 
 Pre-Season Player of the Year: Jourdain Bell of Bishop Brady
 
 Pre-Season First Team All-State
 Jourdain Bell of Bishop Brady
 Charlie Lehoux of Portsmouth
 Brandon DiLucchio of Kennett
 Zach Jones of Manchester West
 Joe Bell of Bishop Brady
 
 Second Team
 David Carbonello of Windham
 KJ Matte of Lebanon
 Austin Whaley of Lebanon
 Joey Glynn of Portsmouth
 Marcus Haynes of Goffstown
 
With apologies to: Justin Williams, Bruce Barton & Nate Mulleavy of Merrimack Valley, Brendan Johnson of Bishop Brady, Joe Simpson & Corey Descoteaux of Manchester West, Matt Fothergill of Hollis-Brookline, Nick Graziano of Kennett, Connor Nolan of Plymouth, Tommy O’Rourke of Hanover, Collin Runk of Oyster River, Sam Langdon of Coe-Brown and Schuyler Hedberg of St. Thomas.

 Thursday: Division I