1. Gorham: The Rams have a talented frontcourt in 6-foot-6 Nick Thibeault and 6-4 Sam Kilborn. Both are excellent shooters. Gorham showed flashes last season and was impressive in the summer league. Veteran coach Mark Karter is in his second year with the program.

2. Portland: The Bulldogs went 22-0 in winning the Class A state title. Steve Alex is the only returning starter, but Amir Moss and Joe Esposito saw playing time and are ready to assume bigger roles. Portland also got Liam Densmore, a transfer from Deering. Densmore is a streaky shooter who can knock them down from beyond the arc.

3. Windham: The Eagles return all five starters, including double-figure scorers Markus D’Andrea and Kevin Weisser. D’Andrea averaged 15 points, while Weisser, an excellent 3-point shooter, averaged 12 points. Windham has size and depth.

4. Falmouth: The Yachtsmen are usually in the discussion of possible regional championship contenders. In their first season in Class A last winter, they lost in the regional semifinals. Jack Simonds is one of the top players in the state, but Falmouth will have to survive the first two-thirds of the season without Tom Coyne, last year’s top scorer, who broke his foot the weekend before practice began.

5. Scarborough: The Red Storm have their second- and third-leading scorers returning in Nate Wessel and Milani Hicks. Wessel averaged 17 points and 11 rebounds last season, while Hicks averaged 15 points and was in the top 10 of every offensive category in the SMAA. The team has excellent depth.

6. Cape Elizabeth: The Capers have all five starters back from last season’s Western Class B tournament team. They don’t have a go-to player, but rather several players who can score. Eddie Galvin, Ethan Murphy and Jack O’Rourke are all capable of scoring in double figures. The potential is there for an outstanding season.

7. Marshwood: The Hawks have all the ingredients to go deep in the Western Class A playoffs – talent, depth and size. Marshwood has three starters back, led by point guard Drew Bartlett, who averaged 12 points last season. The Hawks got a late start in the preseason because several players were members of the Class B state championship football team. Once everyone is up to speed, Marshwood could be tough to beat.

8. Bonny Eagle: The Scots have lost Dustin Cole, the SMAA’s all-time leading scorer, but there are some talented holdovers who should keep the Scots a tourney factor. Ben Malloy, a 6-foot-2 senior, averaged 14 points last season and is one of the best 3-point shooters in the SMAA. Zach Dubiel and Nick Dubay have been key players the last two seasons. Matt Smith is another battle-tested player.

9. Lake Region: The Lakers have depth, size and plenty of team speed, and should be a tough opponent for anyone in the Western Maine Conference. Jack Lesure averaged 11 points last season.

10. Yarmouth: The Clippers have two starters back, including Adam LaBrie, from a team that went 15-5 last season and lost in the regional semifinals. LaBrie averaged 15 points per game. The Clippers are three seasons removed from their Class B state title. They feel they have the talent to make a run deep into the playoffs.

– Tom Chard, Staff Writer