MaxPreps 2012-13 Alaska preseason boys basketball Fab 5

Graphic by Ryan Escobar

Coach Ron Hoffman loses just two players from last year's team that lost 47-33 to Monroe Catholic in the Class 3A championship game. Among the returning players are Augustus Simmers (6-4, Sr, G), who led the team in scoring with 21.2 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. Calvin Hoffman (6-0, Jr, PG), meanwhile, averaged 18.3 points, 5.2 assists and 3 steals per game. Simmers was the Class 3A state MVP last year by the Alaska Basketball Coaches Association while Hoffman was all-state.

View the MaxPreps Preseason Xcellent 25 National Boys Basketball Rankings

2. Colony (Palmer)
Head coach: Tom Berg
2011-12 finish: 15-12

Colony returns nine players from last year's team that returned to the Class 4A state tournament after a one-year hiatus. Colony has performed well over the summer at camps in Alaska and Oregon with seniors Hunter Eisenhower (6-4, G) and Tanner Menard (6-0, G), along with junior Damien Fulp (5-9, G), leading the way.

View last season's Alaska boys basketball Freeman Rankings

3. Monroe Catholic (Fairbanks)
Head coach: Frank Ostanik
2011-12 finish: 25-1, Class 3A state champions

It wouldn't come as a shock if Monroe Catholic and Anchorage Christian both returned to the Class 3A championship game. While Monroe Catholic loses first team all-state player LaDarius Milton and third team all-state forward John Michaels, it returns junior guard Scooter Bynum, who earned first team all-state honors, and junior guard Tyler Wells, who was a third team all-state choice.

View last season's Alaska boys basketball stats leaderboard

4. Palmer
Head coach: Jason Marvel
2011-12 finish: 16-11

Palmer is looking to improve on its 2012 season when it went 16-11 and just missed being invited to the Class 4A state tournament. Coach Jason Marvel has a more experienced group back this year, led by senior guard Connor Looney, who earned all-state honors last year.

View last season's Alaska boys basketball playoff brackets

5. Service (Anchorage)
Head coach: Tyler Moor
2011-12 finish: 23-5

Service finished just short of winning the Class 4A state tournament last year, falling to Dimond 57-51 in the championship game. Service returns one of the state's top all-around athletes in Amu Aukisitino, who was third team all-state in basketball last year and has twice been all-state in football as the Service quarterback. Marques Robinson also returns after earning third team all-state honors as a junior. The lone first team all-state returner is Adam Kile.