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Marblehead Boys Basketball Preview

Last year's record: 14-6

Coach: Wayne Hanscom (3rd season)

Key returnees: Damola Abu, 6-2, Sr., F; Pat Song, 5-9, Jr., G; Brandon Lee, 5-9, Jr., G; Tom Powers, 6-3, Jr., F.

Strengths: Abu is a returning NEC All-Star who was good for 16 points and 10 rebounds a game and Song, who averaged 6 assists, is in his third year at point guard. Justin Dana, who is 6-5, is up from the JV team and Hanscom likes the potential of junior guard Eric Stein and the athleticism of Taariq Allen. Ian McKinley and Anthony Corbin should also help. Tom Powers returned from an elbow injury earlier than expected and is a scoring threat.

Concerns: The Magicians were major overachievers last season, winning more games than they had in 20 years, but a lot of them were by close scores and there's no guarantee that it's going to continue. Hanscom has a well-deserved reputation for getting the most out of his players, but there a lot of new players this season.

Coach's outlook: "We want to win the NEC (South). Our goal is to contend and we tell our kids they need to improve every day. We want to develop team chemistry and be unselfish. Everything is built around that."