It would be hard to believe the schoolboy basketball season is already here – if it weren’t for the 17 inches of snow Mother Nature dropped in my yard this week.

At least the subsequent exercise in shoveling provided time to consider who might emerge as 2008 Eastern Maine champs.

Class A: Despite losing All-Maine first-teamer Alex Gallant, Bangor is the clear choice to repeat. Roger Reed’s defending state champs have the necessary size, talent and experience in the likes of Ryan Weston, Lee Suvlu and Jon McAllian but still need to firm up at point guard and adjust frontcourt roles to compensate for Gallant’s graduation.

Edward Little of Auburn should challenge, after the top-ranked Red Eddies were stunned by Hampden Academy in last winter’s quarterfinals. Mr. Basketball Troy Barnies is now at the University of Maine, but EL has quality guards in seniors Eric Prue, Ben Hartnett and Kyle Philbrook. Hampden also returns some tourney-tested seniors and the well-earned confidence that it belongs among the elite.

Class B: This race features 2007 EM champion Camden Hills of Rockport and 2006 state champ Maranacook of Readfield, though four new teams – Gardiner, Erskine Academy of South China, Central of Corinth and Old Town – make a deep division even deeper.

Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln lost 61-60 to Camden Hills in last year’s regional final and returns a premier player in guard Derek Libbey. John Bapst of Bangor and Caribou also could make deep postseason runs from the Big East, while Rockland and Belfast add further depth in the KVAC ranks.

Maranacook still has two-time All-Mainer Ryan Martin, as well as backcourt mates Mike Poulin and Will Bardaglio, but Camden Hills gets the edge because of its inside-outside combo of forward Gordon Fischer and guards Paul Campbell and Christian Pieri, as well as a deep bench that includes a promising freshman class.

Class C: Calais has won 44 straight, and while the Blue Devils aren’t focused on that streak, they are the choice to win a third straight EM title. Ed Leeman’s club will continue to be an aggressive full-court team, with Sam Bell anchoring the backcourt. But 6-4 Cal Shorey, 6-3 Rod Tirrell and 6-3 freshman Cam Shorey also give Calais perhaps the biggest frontcourt in the division.

Down East rival Washington Academy of East Machias could challenge, its lineup led by center Joey Hunter and sophomore point guard Ben Teer. Houlton returns four starters from last year’s semifinal team, while Orono features senior Seth Dwyer. George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill also will be in the mix.

And the division has become deeper with the reclassification of Eastern D finalist Schenck of East Millinocket and semifinalist Lee Academy, both of whom will contend in Class C.

Class D: This is the toughest division to figure. Reigning state champ Deer Isle-Stonington graduated four starters but returns 6-4 senior Collin Ciomei and sixth man Eben Powers.

Central Aroostook of Mars Hill has plenty of tradition of its own, barely removed from its state-title runs in 2005 and 2006, and the Panthers have a solid nucleus that includes Cameron York and Manny Martinez.

There’s also hope in several other locales, including Woodland, Easton, Van Buren and Fort Fairfield, but the narrow pick here is Central Aroostook.

Good luck to all the teams this winter. It will be tourney time before we know it.

Ernie Clark may be reached at eclark@bangordailynews.net or 990-8045.