MCCURDY SCHOOL BOBCATS

Head coach: Walter Bustos (first season)

2008-09 record: 6-21, lost 64-41 to Questa in District 3AA quarterfinal

Returning starters: David Martinez, 5-11, junior, forward; Ryan Bustos, 5-8, senior, guard

Key newcomers: Eric Vigil, 5-3, freshman, guard; Justin Garcia, 6-1, sophomore, forward

Outlook — Bustos, who has had two stints coaching the McCurdy girls, says the team got a good deal of work in over the summer, playing 46 games with a core of 10 players - three seniors, three juniors and two sophomores with a couple of freshmen coming in to fill out the roster.

"What we tried to instill this summer was to work on the team's attitude a little and become more positive and try to support one another more," Bustos says.

The coach says he expects the team to be competitive with the motion offense and man-to-man defense he installed over the summer.

MESA VISTA TROJANS

Head coach: Tomas Vigil (third season)

2008-09 record: 25-5; lost 70-61 to Santa Rosa in Class AA semifinals

Returning starters: Estevan Trujillo, 6-0, senior, forward

Key newcomers: Ramon Trujillo, 6-1, senior, guard/forward; Alejandro Lopez, 5-6, junior, point guard; Eric Garcia, 5-8, junior, guard/forward; Greg Trujillo, 6-3, senior, post

Outlook — The Trojans return six seniors and have a balance that Vigil's earlier teams did not have.

"To have this much depth and balance is astonishing," Vigil says.

It's quite a change coming off a year in which Mesa Vista has two players capable of scoring 30 points a game — departed seniors Frankie Giron and Jaime Cruz, Jr.

"We might not be as good last year, talent-wise, but this year we have a lot more versatility," Vigil said. "The key thing is our toughness, both physically mentally."

PEñASCO PANTHERS

Head coach: Manuel Romero (first season)

2008-09 record: 18-11; lost 58-57 to Pecos in first round of Class AA tournament

Returning starters: None

Key newcomers: Donald Atencio, 5-8, senior, guard; Sage Vogel, 6-3, junior, forward/post; Mario Romero, 5-7, junior, guard

Outlook — Romero comes to the Panthers after spending 13 years leading the Mora boys, including two state championships. Peñasco returns no starters but has a core group of upperclassmen who were very successful at the junior varsity level.

"They already have a team concept and played together a lot," Romero said. "The thing that could hurt most is the lack of varsity experience."

The team spent the summer adjusting to Romero's motion offense after years of pounding the ball into the paint and slashing to the basket. Romero says the team's lack of size should be offset by its quickness.

QUESTA WILDCATS

Head coach: Larry King (fourth season)

2008-09 record: 17-11, lost 80-75 to Peñasco in Disctrict 3AA semifinal

Returning starters: Jared Herrera, 5-11, senior, forward

Key newcomers: Felipe Sanchez, 5-6, senior, point guard: Cristobal Gallegos, 6-1, senior, forward; Dominic Apodaca, 6-0, junio, post; Reo Valencia, 6-0, junior, post: Danny Enciso, 5-10, junior, shooting guard

Outlook — King says the Wildcats are looking at a rebuilding year after graduating nine seniors and returning just one starter — Herrera.

"Our talent pool is probably nowhere near what it has been," he says. "We're working hard trying to get better."

Vigil said the team will likely be working out the kinks during the early pre-district schedule.

"We're still experimenting, trying to figure some things out," he says. "We're not very big and we're inexperienced so whatever we do, we'll have to keep things simple."