Last year, the Palmerton boys basketball team came closer to making the postseason playoffs than it did in a long time.

The Bombers finished the regular season with a 10-12 record overall and 8-10 in the Colonial League. And the returning players don't want to see that happen again.Senior Spencer Hay is back as a four-year starter and the 6-5 strong forward enters the season with 614 career points.Senior point guard Zach Svetik will be a starter for the third straight year and junior Mike Stasko will also be a three-year starter.So the experience is there and a number of reserves and junior varsity players are ready to step in and give the Bombers the depth they need to make this a season to remember."I'm excited," said Leigh Keenan, who begins his third year as head coach. "I think we have a better team than last year. We have a deeper bench and there just seems to be a different chemistry."My first year we had three seniors, my second year we had three seniors and this year we have double that so that helps."I've witnessed some good camaraderie and closeness on the court and that makes me feel optimistic."Keenan calls Hay an MVP candidate without a doubt."He has all the stats to prove it," said Keenan. "We're going to give him every opportunity to prove it and help him along the way as best as we can."Keenan feels Stasko, who just came off an outstanding football season, is a pure athlete."He's a fighter, he leads by example, and along with Spencer (Hay) and (Zach) Svetik started since I've been here. That's good security for me going into this year and makes my job easier.Svetik is an absolute leader on and off the court along with Spencer."Keenan looks to a couple of extra pieces to add to the talent of the three seniors."We have a big strong center in 6-4 Mason Stahler," added Keenan. "We have two juniors who can really shoot the ball in Brett Papay and Joey Suto and we have a senior shooter in Jack Yaindl."We also have improvement in our size with junior Garrett Perschy coming out for the squad, who seems to be a great team leader."Keenan also said he'll look to senior Seth Andress. Senior Cole Rodrigues, a captain, is out with a fractured foot."We have some young guys coming through in sophomore Eric Baumgardt, Ryan Yacone and Nick Quinn," said Keenan. "They're all good pieces to round out the rest of our varsity team."As long as we do the things we are supposed to and as long as we execute what we go through day to day, the talent, closeness, chemistry is there. We just have to put it together out on the court."I want to see this team go farther than last year. From the first year to the second year I was here, we improved seven games. I want to improve seven more this year."