MaxPreps 2014-15 Massachusetts preseason boys basketball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

1. Putnam Vo-Tech (Springfield)
2013-14 finish: 25-0
Head coach: William Shepard

Putnam Vo-Tech completed an undefeated season last year and has won 34 straight games heading into the 2014-15 season. It has also won two straight Division I state championships and is favored to win a third. Putnam has two of the state's top juniors in All-Western Massachusetts pick Tyonne Malone, 6-foot-3 small forward, and Davidson Pacheco, a 6-5 power forward. Justin Stewart, a 5-10 senior point guard, also returns. Other key returning players are All-Western Massachusetts guard Jonathan Garcia and all-area honorable mention pick Ty Nichols and Ki-shawn Monroe.

View last season's Massachusetts boys basketball rankings, presented by the Army National Guard

2. Central Catholic (Lawrence)
2013-14 finish: 22-6
Head coach: Richard Nault



The Raiders are always in the thick of the state championship race in Division I, winning state titles in 2010 and 2008 and reaching the finals in 2014. Central Catholic has averaged 22 wins a season for the past nine years, but it will have to replace All-Scholastics selection Ty Nelson, who has graduated. The Raiders are expected to have one of the state's top freshmen in 5-11 guard Tanahj Pettway.

View last season's Massachusetts boys basketball playoff brackets

3. Mansfield
2013-14 finish: 22-3
Head coach: Michael Vaughan

Mansfield was unable to repeat as South Division I champion, falling to Catholic Memorial 96-90 in triple overtime in the semifinals. However, two of the team's top three players return in all-conference picks Ryan Boulter, a 6-6 small forward and Michael Boen, a 6-4 shooting guard. Mansfield also has one of the state's top senior prospects in Brendan Hill, a 6-5 senior small forward.

View last season's Massachusetts boys basketball stat leaders

4. Catholic Memorial School (West Roxbury)
2013-14 finish: 23-2
Head coach: Denis Tobin



Catholic Memorial picked a bad time to lose its second game of the season, falling to Central Catholic in the first round of the playoffs. However, coach Denis Tobin returns four players who earned all-conference honors from last year, including co-MVPs Guilien Smith and Aahmane Santos, a pair of senior guards. Also back is junior guard Brandon Twitty and junior guard Kellan Grady.

View the MaxPreps Massachusetts boys basketball pro photo galleries

5. Andover
2013-14 finish: 19-5
Head coach: David Fazio

Behind the play of David Giribaldi, the Merrimack Valley Conference co-MVP, Andover reached the Division I North final for the first time in 15 years. Giribaldi, an All-Scholastics selection by the Globe, returns for his senior season.