As if dominating the 2012-13 regular season wasn’t enough, Hampden Academy seemed to secure its team-of-destiny rights when it won the Eastern Class A title on a miracle buzzer-beater by a freshman.

The Broncos went on to defeat South Portland for the state title a week later. They may be even better this year in their bid to become the first back-to-back state champion since Bangor (2000-01) with the return of brothers Zac and Nick Gilpin (the aforementioned freshman miracle worker) and the addition of transfer Isiah Bess, who led Penquis to a Class C title last year.

Bangor has a transfer of its own to challenge Hampden, although it is a face already familiar to the Rams and their fans. Xavier Lewis returns after one year at Lawrence, where he led to the Bulldogs to the Eastern Maine final and within Gilpin’s miracle shot of the state title game. Messalonskee and Brunswick also figure to contend for the top four spots.

Edward Little’s hopes of spoiling Hampden’s plans took a hit when Ian Mileikis broke his leg during the football postseason. Last year’s starting point guard is rehabbing with seven screws in his tibia in hopes of returning to the lineup by the end of the season.

Junior Luke Sterling takes over point guard duties and won’t lack for options when distributing the ball. The most promising are a pair of 6-foot-5 forwards, junior Lew Jensen and senior Andrew Middleton, who transferred from Leavitt and is eligible after winning his appeal with the Maine Principals’ Association. Both are difficult matchups, capable of scoring in any number of ways.

“They are similar in a lot of ways,” EL coach Mike Adams said. “Both are long and athletic and can shoot the ball, spread the defense out and open up the middle for whichever is posting up.”

Kaleb Main and Anthony Garand will offer help in the backcourt. The question for Adams is how deep he can go into his bench. Playing time is available, especially to those who show a commitment to defense.

Lewiston will have to replace about 50 percent of its regular rotation after graduating five contributors to its regional semifinal team. The Blue Devils still have a half-dozen players back with meaningful varsity experience, including speedy guards Ben Howell and Ace Curry and athletic forwards Isaiah Harris, Mohamed Mohamud and Quintarian Brown.

Their skills suit coach Tim Farrar’s 84-feet-of-chaos philosophy, but Farrar also has a viable inside scoring option when things slow down in 6-foot-5 senior center Carlos Gonzalez.

“We will try to use the quickness of the guards, Howell and Curry, in transition in combination of the post play of Gonzalez in the half court,” Farrar said.

Oxford Hills is another team that subscribes to the chaos theory.

“We’re going to make the game a mess,” coach Scott Graffam said. “We’re going to press and run. We’re going to play fast and we’re going to make the other team play fast.”

Point guard Matt Beauchesne, a four-year starter, sets the tone with his defensive intensity. The Vikings also have plenty of length with 6-foot-4 senior center Luke Davidson, 6-foot-5 sophomore Andrew Fleming and 6-foot-4 senior swingman Dalton Rice. They could be one of the surprise teams in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference.

Mt. Blue welcomes its third coach in three years in David Pepin, the school’s varsity baseball coach who has roamed the basketball sidelines at Hermon High School and Eastern Maine Community College. The Cougars are coming off a 1-17 season with a fresh perspective.

“I was able to work with them over the summer and now in the preseason and there’s a new attitude,” Pepin said. “They’ve just totally turned the page from last year and are working very hard.”

Pepin likes to play aggressive, halfcourt trapping defense, force turnovers and score in transition. He has some good athletes to carry out that game plan, including seniors Nate Backus, Kindle Bonsall and Cam Abbott. Pepin expects the Cougars to be competitive every night and pull off some upsets.

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