VESTAL, N.Y. – The watchword for the University of Maine men’s basketball team this season was depth, especially in the guard corps.

A preseason broken foot to all-conference guard Kevin Reed early in preseason, a lingering injury that limited the effectiveness of sharpshooting guard Freddy Petkus, and the non-availability of freshman guard Junior Bernal due to NCAA Clearinghouse academic complications turned that watchword into a dirty word for the Black Bears.

Reed and Bernal both missed the entire season, Petkus was never close to 100 percent due to severe back pain caused by degenerative discs, and the Bears limped out of offseason hibernation with a 1-5 record.

With senior guard Ernest Turner Maine’s lone returning starter, the Bears rebuilt their frontcourt, broke in a new point guard, and developed some raw, young talent the rest of the way while qualifying for the America East Tournament quarterfinals and going .500.

“With only one of our top seven guys from last year’s team back, we lost more than 90 percent of our rebounding plus points and leadership,” said second-year Maine head coach Ted Woodward. “The start of the season was tough with everybody trying to figure things out, but after that start, we went 11-11 the rest of the way.”

The season ended with a tough 71-62 loss to second-seeded Binghamton, a team Maine went 0-3 against this season, but Woodward is as excited about his team’s prospects for next season as he is disappointed with the recently concluded one.

Woodward’s optimism comes from the return of four starters and 13 of the team’s 15 players (Turner and Petkus are the only departing seniors), the return of a healthy Reed, and the arrival of BDN All-Maine selections Jordan Cook of Hampden Academy and Sean Costigan from Cheverus of Portland.

“It’s nice to have a big group of players returning. Usually on March first, you have a lot of question marks about who you’re having on the roster because you’re still recruiting, but we don’t have that this year,” Woodward said.

The players all started spring break Sunday and won’t be back for two weeks, but for them, the 2006-07 season starts as soon as they get back.

“They’ll get back to conditioning and start the process,” said Woodward, also noting that his players’ work ethic has never been a big concern. “I really love our guys’ intensity and willingness to learn. It’s an incredible group of gym rats. They’re always in the gym.

“We’ve had very few bad practices the entire season as well as a large number of incredible practices. I really am very happy with the types of people we have.”

Returning starters include 6-foot-10 center Olli Ahvenniemi, a junior starter who should benefit as the Black Bears beef up of the frontcourt in the offseason and 6-6 freshman forward Philippe Tchekane Bofia, who has been developing into a true power forward. Also returning are 5-10 junior guard Rashard Turner, who went through growing pains while learning the point, but became an offensive force in the latter half of the season; and 6-1 junior guard Jon Sheets, another 3-point threat who also developed his passing skills down the stretch.

Throw in the return of two-year starter Reed, the leading rebounder in the country in 2004-05 among players 6-2 or smaller, and the Bears are already as deep as this season.

Add the expected contributions by new guys like Bernal; 6-9 power forward Brian Andre, a 300-pound Bingham native and former Valley High star who transferred from the University of Buffalo; and the two home state freshmen, and the Bears are even deeper.

“Junior Bernal is someone we were hoping would bring a dynamic to our team this year that we just don’t have,” said Woodward. “He’s a big, athletic guard who is quick and can do some play-making things. He’ll go through some growing pains, but he gives us something we haven’t had on the perimeter since Eric Dobson.

“Brian Andre is something we don’t have in our program in terms of a big guy with tremendous size. He’s always been plagued by injuries, but we think with our conditioning we can get him to be a consistent contributor.”

Woodward says Cook and Costigan also give the Bears something they haven’t had in awhile.

“Jordan’s a very skilled, offensive big man with a high game IQ who’s also a great passer in the post,” Woodward said. “Costigan is extremely versatile and can play the 3 [small forward] or 4 [power forward] spot. He can put the ball on the floor and still cover those positions.”

Factor in the return of regulars like 6-4 swingman Chris Bruff and Westbrook high school star Jason Hight off the bench and the Bears are a good bet to be a preseason top-3 pick in America East.

“I think the league will be significantly stronger next year with Vermont and UNH having everyone back. [Top seed] Albany’s in good shape as well, and Stony Brook has a bunch of transfers coming in,” Woodward said. “And we had plans to have a lot of depth this year too until a couple guys weren’t around, so things can happen.”

After the rash of injuries to key Maine players the last four years, the Bears are due for some good things to happen.