It’s too early to start talking about championships, but the record-tying start by the Bates College men’s basketball team has visions of playoffs dancing in Bobcats’ fans heads as they head into Christmas break.

The Bobcats have matched their 8-0 start to the 2004-05 season despite having to replace two graduated starters, losing another to injury in the season opener, inserting a freshman into the starting lineup, and starting their preseason two weeks later than most of the other teams they’ve played.

What happened to the usual bumpy start common for teams trying to blend new faces with returning ones?

“I think it’s due to the great leadership that our veterans and new guys have blended so well together this quickly,” said Joe Reilly, now in his 10th season as Bates’ head coach. “I think we’re one of two unbeaten Division III teams in New England and the reason is we have great seniors.

“We have five and all are great leaders. Our two captains, Zak Ray and Rob Stockwell, have been leaders since they arrived on campus.”

Stockwell and former Winslow and Bangor High star guard Ray are doing it on and off the court. Stockwell leads the team and the New England Small College Conference in scoring (18.9 points a game) and rebounding (11.0) while Ray, a D3hoops.com preseason All-America pick, is at 7.8 ppg and 3.5 rpg while leading the team in assists (55) and steals (24).

Throw in returning starter and junior guard Bryan Wholley (14.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg), a talented rotation in which eight different players have started, and immediate contributions from freshman guard Chris Wilson of Brewer, and you can understand why the Bobcats are off and running.

“In my 10 years at Bates, the two freshmen having the easiest time adjusting to college ball are Zak and Chris, and I think it has to do with their high school coaches,” Reilly said. “They both prepared the kids well for the college game.”

Ray, Bates’ career steals leader with 201, was coached by Bangor’s Roger Reed and Wilson was coached by Roger’s son, Mark, who also played for his father at Bangor.

“Having a point guard as good as Zak makes you look really good as a coach,” Reilly said. “And I knew Chris was going to be great. I loved him when I saw him in high school and recruited him aggressively. He led us in scoring with 18 in his first game, off the bench.”

Wilson has played in all eight games and started four, averaging 9.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists.

“The guys have really embraced him and enjoy playing with him because he’s a great scorer and passer,” said Reilly. “He plays like an upperclassmen and looks like a veteran on the court.”

Wilson has filled in more than capably for junior guard Eric Shone of Portland, who has been out with a back injury since the first game.

If he keeps it up, he might someday catch up to Ray in the Bates record books. Ray is closing in on 1,000 career points with 921 and is 50 assists away from the school career mark of 498 held by Herb Taylor (1980-84).

“Zak’s already accepted a job as an investment banker in Boston for Royal Bank of Canada, so he’s as much a superstar in the classroom as he is on the court,” Reilly said.

Howard headed south

Record-setting former Husson College swimmer Cameron Howard is hoping to transfer to Florida Gulf Coast University sometime in the next few months with the goal of competing for the FGCU Eagles, according to her mother Cindi Howard, who coached Cameron at Bangor High School.

Howard, who graduated from Bangor High in 2005, lost only one race while competing for the Husson Eagles in 2005-06. She set four pool records and three Great Northeast Athletic Conference records, along with three pool records at the GNAC championships, in which Husson finished fourth out of seven teams.

Cindi Howard said Cameron Howard is still attending classes at Husson but is eager to move south. Cameron Howard has some contact with the coaching staff but isn’t sure yet what she’ll swim.

“It’s in Fort Myers and it’s warm,” Cindi Howard said. “… I think she’s going to wait and see when she gets down there and on deck and say, these are my goals, this is what I want. The coach seems very nice, wants to help out. She wants to go in and work her way up.”

Howard will have three years of eligibility. She is swimming with the Bangor Y-based club team Barracudas.

Florida Gulf is an NCAA Division II school, although it just announced it plans to move to the Div. I Atlantic Sun Conference in 2007-08.