Maranacook Community School of Readfield began last season without much of a tradition in boys basketball.

Never before had the Black Bears won a regional championship, let alone a state crown, and the program had competed in Western Maine Class B for many years before making a relatively recent switch to the Eastern Maine ranks.

But now that’s all changed. Led by an impressive trio of sophomore guards, Maranacook had a dream 2005-06 campaign – rolling through the regular season with just one loss, besting all comers at the Eastern Maine tournament, and then defeating Mountain Valley of Rumford to claim its first state championship.

With the majority of that team back – including that guard trio that are now just juniors – Maranacook begins this season as a favorite to win a second straight state title and extend the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference’s hold on the Class B gold ball to seven consecutive years.

“Maranacook has to be the leader coming into the season,” said Caribou coach Chris Casavant. “With everybody they have coming back and as talented as they are, you have to look at them first.”

Maranacook is led by 5-foot-8 dynamo Ryan Martin, who led the KVAC Class B ranks in scoring during the regular season before taking the postseason world by storm last winter. He had a record-setting Eastern Maine tournament to earn MVP honors, and went on to be named a Bangor Daily News first-team All-Maine honoree.

He’s likely even better this year.

“Ryan’s a lot stronger,” said Maranacook coach Rob Schmidt. “He’s really worked on his physique, and come back in phenomenal shape. He’s also extended the range on his jump shot, which is something people will notice this year.”

Martin teams in the backcourt with classmates Mike Poulin and Will Bardaglio. Poulin, at 5-9, handles the point guard duties, though his preseason progress was slowed by a strained hip flexor. The 6-3 Bardaglio is the team’s best long-range shooting threat, and he’s expanded his game to include more driving to the basket.

They will be joined in the lineup by 6-6 senior Kevin Leary, a shot-blocking force on defense with 3-point shooting range, and 6-2 senior Justin Denbow, one of the team’s top rebounders and inside defenders.

“The guys are very self-motivated and very dedicated,” said Schmidt. “They want to succeed, they know how to succeed, and they’ve put in a lot of work during the off-season.”

Chief among Maranacook’s challengers for regional honors could be perennial power Camden Hills of Rockport. Coach Jeff Hart’s Windjammers were ousted in the preliminary round last winter, but graduated just one starter in Cameron Puls, now playing at Husson College in Bangor.

Camden Hills returns one of the state’s better sophomores in versatile 6-5 forward Gordon Fischer, and in juniors Paul Campbell and Christian Pieri the Windjammers have a talented backcourt duo. At 6-5, senior Nick Wootton provides a strong presence in the middle, while 6-2 senior Jarad Mitchell is another frontcourt veteran.

“Camden’s a very tough team,” said Schmidt. “They have tough guards, and Gordon Fischer’s a real legitimate player. They’re going to be a tough team to beat.”

Elsewhere in the KVAC, Medomak Valley of Waldoboro should contend for a return to postseason play, with 6-4 senior Colin O’Donnell one of the top players in the conference. Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield will be boosted by two transfers from Class A Nokomis of Newport, Benson Mensah-Bonsu and Troy Murray.

Ellsworth features a veteran and versatile guard tandem in seniors Corey DeWitt and Demetrios Katsiaficas, a duo that could lead the Eagles deep into the playoffs.

Developing quality complementary players to go with those two veterans will be crucial to Ellsworth’s fortunes.

“That’s the goal,” said Eagles’ coach Jay Brown. “We just want to make it to Bangor. I’d love to see us depend on other kids, to have two or three other kids step up with Dem and Corey. We know there are going to be nights when one or both of them are off, but if we can develop the consistency with the other guys in the lineup and the guys coming off the bench, that will be key for us.”

Other contenders from the Big East Conference Class B ranks could include Aroostook County representatives Caribou and Presque Isle.

Caribou has made steady progress in recent years, from 1-17 to 6-12 to 9-9 and a quarterfinal berth last winter. And with a junior-laden roster led by point guard Kyle Corrigan, the Vikings may now have the experience to have success come tournament time.

“Kyle’s a coach out on the floor for us,” said Casavant. “This is his third year with us, and he’s really become more of a vocal leader over the summer.”

Presque Isle, an Eastern B finalist last year, suffered some significant graduation losses in frontcourt players Greg Whitaker (now playing at Southern Maine) and Chris Coffin (Husson) and point guard Chris Carlin. But coach Tim Prescott’s Wildcats remain talented, with junior forward Adam Kingsbury, senior forward Gabe Cheney and senior guard Logan York among the top returning players.

Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln, a tournament qualifier in its first season back in Class B last winter, also figures to contend for a return trip to Bangor, with junior Derek Libbey and seniors Isaac Young and Shey Gardner among the veterans back for coach Rick Sinclair.