ECC Division I

East Lyme

Coach: Jeff Bernardi (6th season)

Key returnees: Sr. G Nate Diaz, Sr. F TJ Horner, Sr. F Joey Grubb.

Top newcomers: Jr. F Chris Carpenteri, Jr. G Matt Valakos, Jr. G Hunter MacDuff.

Outlook: Bernardi has the difficult task of replacing more than 3,000 career points with the graduation losses of guards Dev Ostrowski (2,012 career points), the Connecticut High School Coaches' Association Player of the Year and Luke Leonard (1,025), a Division III all-state pick. The Vikings will rely on the experience of their three seniors, who will lead a talented group of newcomers. East Lyme, which was 13-3 when Ostrowski suffered a season-ending foot injury and went 1-5 the rest of the way, will be competitive in Division I provided the Vikings develop some consistent scorers.

New London

Coach: Craig Parker (26th season)

Key returnees: So. G Tayeshawn Pemberton, So. F Sean Raymond, Sr. C Derek Raymond, Sr. C Andre Howell, Jr. G Davon Benjamin.

Top newcomers: So. G Rhodia Perry, So. G Anthony Martinez, Sr. F Syncere Gray.

Outlook: The Whalers, playing a demanding schedule, went 8-12 and qualifed for the Div. II state tournament and return a young team that will rely on a pair of sophomores in Pemberton and Sean Raymond, as well as big men Derek Raymond and Andre Howell. "Our expectations are to compete, improve and win as many games as possible," Parker said.

Norwich Free Academy

Coach: Chris Guisti (7th season)

Key returnees: Sr. G Xavier Marquez, Sr. F Nolan Molkenthin, Sr. G Blaise Beaucejour, Jr. G Mason Jackson, Jr. G Jared Martin, So. F Max Pierre Louis.

Top newcomers: Sr. F Kiari Watson, Sr. G Parker Sharp, Sr. F Djebyson Perrin, Jr. F Connor Ullrich, Jr. G Tyler Spruill, Jr. G Jayden Francis, So. G Grover Boone.

Outlook: The Wildcats are coming off a solid 14-6 season that included a trip to the ECC Division I final at Mohegan Sun Arena, where they lost to eventual Division II state champion Waterford. Guisti returns three starters, including the dynamic backcourt of Jackson (ECC Division I all-star) and Marquez, and some talented newcomers. NFA should make a run at Division I regular season and postseason titles. "We can be very good if we can attack each day to get better, grind through adversity, and not let complacency set in," Guisti said.

Waterford

Coach: Bill Bassett (5th season)

Key returnees: Sr. F Ryan O'Connell, Sr. F Payton Sutman.

Top newcomers: Sr. G Robert Zawacki, Sr. G Stanley Maynard, Sr. G Liam Kane, Sr. G Donovan Dunning, Sr. G Ryan Bakken.

Outlook: The Lancers move up to Division I after winning back-to-back state titles and finishing 26-1. They must, however, replace three starters, including All-Area team members JJ Brennan (Player of the Year) and Liam Spellman, along with senior Payton Sutman, who may not play this season after suffering a leg injury during the football season. O'Connell is one of the ECC's top returning big men, but Bassett will be inexperienced in the backcourt. "Many seniors have been sitting out and watching the success of graduating players and now will have to jell as a team to take on Division I competition in the ECC," Bassett said.

ECC Division II

Fitch

Coach: Charles Silvan (4th season)

Key returnees: Sr. PG Adriel Atad, So. G Yaniel Hernandez, Sr. G Ajia Brown, Sr. G Kiki Roman, Sr. F Tre Bryant.

Top newcomers: So. PG Colin Anderson, So. G Kyhol Kershaw, F Chris Kershaw.

Outlook: The Falcons are coming off a solid 2018-19 season, going 11-9 during the regular season while reaching the ECC Division I tournament semifinals and the second round of the Division III state tournament. Brown, an ECC all-star and one of the conference's quickest guards and top 3-point threats, returns along with two solid point guards in Atad and Anderson. Silvan said, "We are continuing to build in the process, looking to improve day-to-day and develop a program at Fitch High School."

Ledyard

Coach: Dave Cornish (9th season)

Key returnees: Sr. G Jaiden Bickham, Sr. G Omar Whitmore, Sr. G Elijah Morton, Sr. C Xander Hutchins, So. F Dorell Cagle.

Top newcomers: Sr. G Jayden Luther, Jr. F Jabari Jones.

Outlook: The Colonels are coming off an 8-12 season and must replace two talented big men in Ken Turner (ECC Division I all-stars) and Seamus McGrath. Ledyard moves from Division I to Division II and will feature one the quickest backcourts in the conference in Bickham and Whitmore, while Hutchins provides size and experience inside. "It's going to be a teaching lesson each night, but as long as the kids come out and play hard, compete as hard as I know they can, I will be satisfied with the results," Cornish said.

Stonington

Head coach: Jay Wosencroft (1st season)

Key returnees: Sr. G Tyler Fidrych, Sr. G Justin McKenna, Sr. C Ayden Morrison, Sr. G Zach Scott, Sr. G Marco Tedeschi, Jr. G Anthony Fry, Jr. F Alex Tobiassen, So. G Cole DeVoe, So. F Sam Montalto, So. F Dorian White.

Top newcomer: So. F Jadon Perez.

Outlook: Wosencroft takes over a Stonington program that is coming off a 19-7 season, a trip to the ECC Division II finals and a berth in the CIAC Division IV quarterfinals. The Bears were hit by some key graduation losses, but return two veteran guards in Fidrych and Scott, who led the team in scoring last season (16.3 points per game) and needs just one point to reach 1,000 for his career. The 6-foot-7 Morrison will provide a solid inside presence and Wosencroft said a talented sophomore class will push his veterans and provide depth. Stonington moves up from Division III to Division II.

ECC Division III

St. Bernard

Coach: Mark Jones (7th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Nathaniel Avery, Jr. Frank Pacheco, Jr. Walker Baillargeon.

Top newcomers: Fr. Cedrick Similien, Fr. Tyson Wheeler, Sr. James O'Brien, Jr. Ethan Ortega, So. Corbett Brassaw.

Outlook: The Saints finished 21-5, repeated as ECC Division II tournament champions by defeating Stonington in the final at Mohegan Sun Arena, then reached the CIAC Division IV quarterfinals before losing to New Canaan. They graduate a three-guard tandem of Max Lee, JoJo Beltran and De'Andre Williams, so St. Bernard will need time to grow. The 6-foot-6 Avery gives them a strong inside presence while Pacheco and Baillargeon will take on larger roles in the backcourt. "We have an extremely young team with not much experience," Jones said. "But have some really good, young talented players."

ECC Division IV

Montville

Coach: Timothy Strong Jr. (1st season)

Key returnees: Sr. F/C Zach Southard, Sr. G Ethan McKinney.

Top newcomers: Sr. G Eddie Reyes-Suarez, Sr. C Jayden Long, Jr. F/C Antonio Brown, Jr. F Isaiah Gallagher, Sr. G Nehemiah Owens, So. G Bernard Hawkins, So. F Chas Terni, So. G Christian Dio, Fr. G Anthony Barbuto.

Outlook: Strong takes over the Indians, who went 7-13 a year ago but return a first-team Division IV all-star in Southard and an honorable mention pick in McKinney. Montville will have plenty of new faces, but Strong has been encouraged by the play of some of his younger players during the preseason. If they come of age quickly, and with the leadership of Southard and McKinney, challenging for a division title and a Division IV state tournament bid are realistic goals.

Wheeler

Coach: Neal Cobleigh (12th season)

Key returnees: Sr. G Bowen Baker, Sr. F Scott Pion, Sr. G Ian Spracklin, Jr. G Lukas Jones.

Top newcomers: Fr. F Nick Larkin, So. G Kayleb Startz, Jr. G Sam Taylor, Sr. G Dylan Davino, Sr. F Joe Biggs.

Outlook: The Lions are coming off a 5-15 regular season but won a game in the ECC Division II tournament and return the bulk of their lineup led by veterans Baker, Pion and Spracklin. "We have every reason to expect to be in the Division IV race and compete in the states," Cobleigh said. "Pion, Baker and Spracklin must produce and lead at all division levels, and we must also get quality play from our depth for this to happen."

Others

Old Lyme

Coach: Kirk Kaczor (18th season)

Key returnees: Sr. F Aedan Using, Sr. G Brady Sheffield, Sr. G Ray Doll, Sr. F Jared Ritchie, Sr. G Connor Hogan.

Top newcomers: Sr. F Ty Dean, Jr. G Timmy O'Brien, So. G John Almy, So. G Frank Sablone, Jr. G Jared Ritchie, Sr. G Jackson Warren.

Outlook: The Wildcats are coming off the best season in program history, finishing 21-6 and reaching the first state championship game in program history before losing the Division V final to top-seeded Innovation at Mohegan Sun Arena. They suffered some graduation losses, but return four of the eight players in their rotation including Using, a member of The Day's All-Area team and a Division V all-state pick. Sheffield and Doll also give Kaczor an electric, experienced backcourt. "We aren't very deep at this point and really need a couple of younger guys to step up or it will be tough to get to where we want to go," Kaczor said. "This is a special group that has grown up together and has become a family.

Williams

Coach: Kevin Steuer (2nd season)

Key returnees: Jr. G Grayson Guinan, So. G Josh Laggis, Jr. F Max Sarwar, Sr. G Quinn Furgueson, Sr. F Jerry Jiang, Jr. F Jack Yost, So. F Sterling Frost, Jr. F Ozzie Alam.

Top newcomers: Fr. G Ben Xenelis, Fr. F Sam Kaplan, Fr. F Amand Sarwar.

Outlook: The Blues, who make their debut in the Housatonic Valley Athletic League, return three starters from a year. They have depth in the backcourt with Guinan, Laggis and Furgueson, and three solid inside players Max Sarwar, Yost and Frost. "The team looks to have a balanced attack and continue to build upon their success from last year," Steuer said.