Mountain View returns a young, but experienced, lineup as the Eagles try to begin a progression up from the middle of the pack in Lackawanna League Division boys basketball.
All five starters return for the Eagles, but 6-foot-3, all-star guard Ryan Henke is the only senior in that group.
Henke was a first-team, division all-star selection by NEPABasketball.com last season when he averaged 20 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. He is into his third season as a starter.
Mountain View was 4-7 for fourth place out of seven teams in the division last season and finished 4-8 overall with a loss to eventual state semifinalist Old Forge in the District 2 Class 2A semifinals.
The Eagles, who dropped their first two non-league games, also bring back 6-5 junior forward Ryan Drake, 6-1 junior guard Tanner Stout, 6-foot junior forward Carter Bain and 6-2 sophomore guard Bronson Kilmer. Kilmer has missed the start of the season with an injury.
Promising freshman point guard Jackson Gesford has joined the starting lineup.
The experienced players also include 5-10 junior forward Jon Symuleski, 5-9 senior guard Jalil Gilyard and 6-2 sophomore guard Riley Jagger.
Zayandre Bradford is another freshman guard already seeing playing time.
“We are a young team that will have to rely on energy and enthusiasm, as opposed to experience, to remain competitive in Division 4,” Eagles coach Joe Gibbons said.
