The transition feels natural for Pleasant Valley boys basketball — and that’s exactly how new head coach Joe Berezwick hoped it would be.

Berezwick, elevated after serving as the program’s JV coach, takes over for Bobby Hahn, who guided Pleasant Valley to a district berth last winter and helped establish a strong foundation that the program now aims to build upon. With familiarity on both sides, the Bears entered the preseason with a sense of continuity rather than reset.

“Knowing the kids was a great tool coming in,” Berezwick said. “They already knew my mentality and how I approach things, and I knew their personalities and work habits. It’s made everything seamless getting into the gym. The energy has been great.”

Pleasant Valley is coming off an 11-12 season — including a 6-10 mark in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference — that produced just the program’s second district berth since joining the league. But the Bears return a new-look roster after graduating leading scorer Zach Prator (18.9 ppg, Second Team EPC), along with key contributors Jerael “JJ” Moore, Quinn Kauffman, Kellen Green, and Daniel Baker.

The Bears’ returning core is built around three experienced starters: junior Sebastian Sacci (8.7 ppg), senior guard Jaxson Haines (3.65 ppg), and senior shooter Jacob Loch, who hit a team-high 31 threes last season. All three were central to last year’s postseason run and form the backbone of Pleasant Valley’s attack.

“Sebastian, Jaxson, and Jake were huge parts of what we did last year,” Berezwick said. “They’re experienced, they understand our expectations, and they’ve led the way early.”

Senior Marcelus Solt is expected to step into a larger role this winter. Junior William Breuer, coming off a strong football season and significant strides on the court, is also poised to contribute. Seniors Uriah Gearhart, Michael Horstman, Storm Sykes and Ajani Wheeler, along with juniors such as Drew Perry, and sophomores Quntin Cordle and Gavin Dorshimer, give the Bears depth and athleticism across the rotation.

“We have guys that hustle, compete, and fit what we want to do,” Berezwick said. “We’re excited about the seniors coming back and the depth we’ve built.”

Pleasant Valley also benefited from a productive offseason. After being hired in June, Berezwick jumped immediately into summer league games, scrimmages, and workouts, helping the Bears develop rhythm and identity before the fall.

“We had a great summer, great fall turnout. The kids bought in early,” he said. “They’ve been working hard, cheering each other on, pushing through drills. The energy has been outstanding.”

As for style and system, Berezwick plans to blend what worked under Hahn with pieces of his own approach.

“Bobby had a great system, and we’re keeping a lot of what the kids already run well,” Berezwick said. “We’re also adding our own flair. It’s a combination — taking what works and building on it.”

Culture remains a central point of emphasis.

“We want to play the right way, work hard, play with class, and represent Pleasant Valley proudly,” he said. “If we play for each other and get better every day, great things can come from that.”

Berezwick isn’t attaching win totals or expectations to the season — only standards.

“We’re looking to build off last year’s success without putting numbers on it,” he said. “Progress shows up in different ways — hustle, effort, improvement. If we focus on that, the results will take care of themselves.”

The Bears open the season Dec. 2, aiming to continue last year’s momentum while carving out their identity in the Berezwick era.