By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

HEAD COACH

Jim Collins

7th year

40-133 career record

THE TEAM

League: Northeastern Athletic Conference.

Coaching Staff: Dougle Hankins, Tyler Collins, Larry Jones.

2023-24 Record: 11-12 overall; 9-4 NAC (league champs).

Returning Letterwinners (4): Brielle Jones, jr.; TT McCall, jr; Skyler Bailey, jr.; Makenzi Blockinger, soph.

Letterwinners Lost (6): Mariah Woods, Briah Daniel, Abby Simpson, Lorena De Oliveira, Quinn Justham, Sydnie Sweet.

SEASON OUTLOOK

Nearly 98 percent of the team’s scoring graduated last season, with a pair of 1,000-point scorers in Mariah Woods and Briah Daniel now gone.

It leaves the Bombers as a very young and inexperienced team.

Finding players to fill in the scoring existing void will be a challenge for the team to find an answer to the entire season.

“We will have success if our basketball maturity can match our athletic ability,” coach Jim Collins said.

One thing you can always count on when playing the Bombers is that they are going to play as hard as they possibly can every single game.

GUARDS

The trio of Kieran Sanders (freshman), Makenzie Blockinger (sophomore) and TT McCall (junior) will make up the Bombers’ backcourt this season.

Sanders is an athletic player and good ball-handler. She will likely handle the majority of the point-guard duties.

Blockinger is another good athlete and one of the team’s better all-around shooters. She is also a hard worker on defense.

McCall is a solid all-around player and hard worker.

FORWARDS

Jones is the the returning letterwinner with the largest skill-set. She will be one of the team’s primary scoring options and a top rebounder.

Makenna Jones is another athletic player who is part of the freshmen class.

Bailey is a good shooter and continues to work hard to improve in other areas.

CENTERS

Sara Giugni, who is a foreign-exchange student, is new to the game, but athletic. She was a dominant force at the net for the Bombers’ volleyball team.

She is long and has a special leaping ability.

UNDERCLASSMEN TO WATCH

Makenzi Blockinger, soph.; Kierrah Sanders, fresh.; Makenna Jones, fresh.

CAUSE FOR CONCERN

“Our overall basketball maturity on the court,” Collins said.

LEAGUE OUTLOOK

Collins said he feels that Bristol and Maplewood will be the top teams in the NAC this season.