Missisquoi Valley is our top pick for this season. But not far behind are Mt. Mansfield, Rice Memorial, Rutland and Twinfield.
MaxPreps 2012-13 Vermont Preseason Fab 5 Presented by the Army National Guard1. Missisquoi Valley (Swanton)
Head coach: Jim Bose
2011-2012 finish: 11-10
Missisquoi Valley may have barely had a .500 record last year, but it does return the state's top player in Matt St. Amour, a 6-foot-3 scoring machine who earned Gatorade State Player of the Year honors while averaging 26.6 points, 12.8 rebounds 3.8 assists and 2.7 steals per game.
View the MaxPreps Preseason Xcellent 25 National Boys Basketball Rankings
2. Mt. Mansfield (Jericho)
Head coach: Jeff Davis
2011-2012 finish: 23-1, Division I champions
The Cougars won the Division I state championship and finished the year 23-1. However five of the team's top scorers have graduated, including Tom Lacy (15.8 ppg) and Eric Suder (12.7). Sean Springer (5-8, Jr., SG), and Nick Bergeron (5-8, Jr., PG) are the top returning scorers with Springer averaging four points a game and Bergeron averaging three. Derek Villenue gives Mt. Mansfield some size, however the 6-foot-5 senior power forward is the only returning letterman taller than 6 feet.
View last season's Vermont boys basketball Freeman Rankings
3. Rice Memorial (South Burlington)
Head coach: Paul Pecor
2011-2012 finish: 21-2, Division I runner-up
Rice will rely on two-sport standout Casey Tipson to lead the way after he scored All-State honors during a stellar junior season. An All-State pick in football as well, Tipson averaged 12.7 points and 4.8 assists in guiding the Rice offense on the hardcourt. Rice also has one of the state's better forwards in Marcus Willingham (6-4, Sr, F), who was a member of the Vermont Basketball Coaches Association (VBCA) Dream Dozen last year, along with Tipson.
View last season's Vermont boys basketball stats leaderboard
4. Rutland
Head coach: Mike Wood
2011-2012 finish: 14-5
Rutland reached the Division I semifinals last year before falling to Rice Memorial, 62-45. Coach Mike Wood earned VBCA Division I Coach of the Year honors and he returns one of the state's stop point guards in
Tre Hysell, who earned third team All-State honors from the Burlington Free Press and Dream Dozen honors from the VBCA.
View last season's Vermont boys basketball playoff brackets
5. Twinfield (Plainfield)
Head coach: Ira Wheeler
2011-2012 finish: 22-2 Division IV champion
Twinfield loses All-State forward Chad Copeland (6-7), who averaged 18.5 points and 11 rebounds last year for the Division IV state champions. However David Codling and Brandon Gibbs, both of whom were members of the VBCA Division IV Dream Dozen, return to lead Twinfield to a possible third-straight state championship.
