The start of the season brought some challenges for the Palmerton boys’ basketball team.

But after months of steady work, heavy offseason reps, and a unified approach, the Bombers believe they’re ready to move past the setbacks that pushed them back early.

With hopes of building on last year’s 8-14 overall record (7-11 Colonial League), Palmerton was dealt an early hit to its 2025-26 roster.

While Corey Serfass graduated, additional circumstances mean Logan Anthony and Andrew Zulic will also miss the upcoming season. Despite those setbacks, head coach Joe Egan believes the Bombers can recover with the help of experienced players returning to the roster.

“This has been the strongest offseason I have experienced in my time at Palmerton,” said the Bombers’ third-year coach. “We’ve had consistently strong numbers the entire offseason, both on the court and in the weight room. In addition, as a program, we have played over 60 games since March.

“This level of buy-in has allowed us to enter the season with continuity and an established standard that we are excited to build upon.”

Anthony — a Rutgers University football scholarship recruit — has decided to focus solely on offseason training, while sophomore Andrew Zulic was sidelined for the entire offseason recovering from another knee surgery.

Egan will rely on a returning group of skilled upperclassmen who are prepared to maximize their final season.

Seniors Cam Pengelly (8.91 points per game, 17 three-pointers), Brady Reph (4.68 ppg, 20 threes) and Kurt Jedrzejczyk all return after seeing action in the majority of games last season, while Beau Stahler looks to make up for lost time after missing last year with an injury.

“Cam showed some great flashes throughout the last season. So, we will count on him for his scoring and physicality. Brady is the backbone of our defense, and is a jack of all trades and can contribute in a variety of different ways,” Egan said. “Beau is a smart player who brings physicality, rebounding, and leadership to the team.

“Kurt has grown his game tremendously over the past year, and he’s one of the hardest workers in our program and plans to bring a mix of inside and outside scoring.”

Also returning are juniors Jared Grammes, Braylen Delgado and Gaige McGowan, who combined for action in 34 games last season. Tyler Singleton, Aundrea Bettini (foreign exchange student) and freshman Tate Buck all look to compile varsity minutes this year.

“We have multiple scoring options that can contribute at a high level on any given night,” Egan said, noting that strength in numbers will be key this season. “The pieces are there — the coaching staff is excited to see them come together.”

A year after losing “multiple games last season in the fourth quarter,” Egan spent much of the offseason focusing on strategies to close out games by “handling pressure and controlling possessions.”

After implementing new measures and reestablishing the Bombers’ identity, Egan remains confident the program can still achieve its objectives this winter.

“We’d like to qualify for district and league playoffs,” Egan said. “The goal will always be to compete for a championship, and the first step is earning that opportunity.

“We aim to play an upbeat brand of basketball that gives multiple players opportunities to attack the basket and score in transition.”