Biddeford basketball is back.

After missing the playoffs every year since 2012 and compiling a dismal 2-52 record in that span, the Biddeford boys basketball team finally returned to the postseason last year after finishing the regular season at 8-10.

The Tigers returned a handful of players from last year’s club, and it seemed that the narrative was that this would be a rebuilding team that was simply happy to be in the playoff conversation.

From what I’ve seen so far in the first half of the regular season, this Tigers team has proven to be much better than just a rising team. This team looks like it’s ready to contend this year.

Sure, a 6-3 record and sixth place in the Class A standings doesn’t jump off the page … but hear me out.

Let’s focus on some of the wins.

Opening night was buzzing as the Tigers welcomed in neighbor Kennebunk, who is also a talented team on the rise. The Tigers came out energized, confident, and got solid performances across the board to shut down the Rams 56-31. Biddeford would then host Marshwood and take an 82-80 win in a wild five-overtime game.

Biddeford later squared off against two of Class AA’s top teams: Thornton Academy and Scarborough.

First was TA. There was no way that Biddeford could compete with the Trojans, who won their last 20 meetings in decisive fashion. However, it would be the Tigers who came out firing, and would once again rise to the occasion in a last-minute comeback win in overtime.

Most recently was Scarborough, who sat at 8-2 and in second place in the conference. Once again, the Red Storm were just too stacked and too hot for the Tigers, but maybe Biddeford could give them a game and learn from the experience … the Tigers won 68-39 and made it look easy.

It definitely was surprising to see those wins at first, but then it hit me. This team is actually that good.

Carter Edgerton has been as good as advertised at the point. He can take a game over by attacking the rim, but has also proven to be a solid distributor and set up man. All-State forward Kyle Norton has also picked up where he left off last year, and once again looks to be one of the conference’s best all-around players despite working his way back from injury.

Edgerton and Norton were the talk of the town heading into the season, and deservedly so, but Cody Saucier has continued to impress on the offensive end as well. Saucier dropped 27 points against the Red Storm, and has been able to score from anywhere on the court.

Speaking of sharpshooter, what about Jerome Criado? The senior has been the best pure shooter I’ve seen all year, and it’s not even close. Criado has come up with big shots in seemingly every contest so far, and hit the game-winner against TA.

All of those guys mentioned have fueled the Biddeford offense, but you can’t sleep on this defense either. From the beginning, Biddeford coach Justin Tardif has preached “defense first,” and it has clearly hit home. I remember catching a preseason practice, and it felt more like a defensive basketball clinic.

The Tigers have gotten solid defense from every player on the floor and have a knack for coming up with the big stop at the critical moment in the game. You also can’t talk about this defense without singling out Jackson Oloya.

Oloya, at least from my personal eye test, has been the best perimeter defender that I’ve seen this year. He’s tough, confident, and persistent … some may even say pesky. If you have the ball, just pass it away. Oloya will make sure you have no other option. Oloya’s defining game was in the opener when he held Kennebunk’s All-Star Cam Lovejoy to just three points.

Offense, check. Defense, check. Coaching, check. But there is one more category: intangibles.

“The intangibles are a euphemism for we have no idea what we’re looking for but we know it when we see it.”

That was former NFL coach Brian Billick’s take on the intangibles, and I’d say it’s pretty applicable to this year’s Biddeford club.

Something feels different about this team … I’m not sure if it’s the heart, the toughness, the swagger, but these Tigers have all three.

Biddeford has seen it all this season already. They’ve come from behind to win games, they’ve let games slip away, they’ve won marathons. Each time I see them, they seem a to have a little bit more of an edge than the time before.

Guys like Oloya and DeSean Cromwell exude self-assurance, and set the mental tone each game. Edgerton, Norton and Saucier will just flat out outperform you. Criado has given them the clutch factor that is sometimes the difference between a playoff team and a championship team.

Look, there’s still plenty of season left, and the Greely Rangers still haven’t been knocked off yet and are sitting at a pretty 11-0. I’m not going to predict a state title, hell, I’m not going to make a prediction at all.

I will make one promise to you though — these Tigers are legit.

— Associate Sports Editor Alex Sponseller can be reached at [email protected] or at 282-1535 ext. 323. Follow the Journal Tribune Sports Department on Twitter @JournalTsports.