POULSBO — Some of the players on the Poulsbo Panthers boys’ basketball team are hoping for a repeat.

No, not a repeat from what the varsity team had a year ago. Rather, a repeat of junior varsity’s record-breaking 10-0 perfect season.

The varsity made a late-season comeback to finish the season just shy of .500 last year. But the Cinderella story came from the team’s younger counterparts.

And this year, PJH coach Clary Carlsen said many of the players on this year’s varsity are from last year’s junior varsity, one coached by Marshall Miranda.

“This group as a JV went unbeaten,” Carlsen said, “So their expectations are very high.”

But Carlsen also warned that those same players shouldn’t expect the junior high league to be the same as it was a year ago.

“The reality of it is kids change a great deal over the course of a year,” he said. “It was great to be unbeaten, but this is a whole new year.”

Still, Carlsen admitted that the discipline each of the players had during the perfect year is definitely with them and will aid them greatly during their varsity season.

“The good work habits are still there and there’s plenty to be excited about,” Carlsen said. “But we’re going to take it one game at a time.”

The 27-year PJH coach said that the team’s biggest strength will be in its ability to learn and grow over the course of the season.

“Coachability,” he said simply. “They’re very eager to be coached and they work hard. They’re just good kids.”

“We really have a good team that likes to work together, and work hard,” said post player Jordan Coover.

The Panthers’ strategy this year will be two-fold: two over-six-feet tall post players (Taylor Hoffer and Coover) will be utilized down low but when the defense collapses to the paint, the team’s players said they will take advantage of their team’s quickness and solid shooting skills.

“If our guys are open, we’ll take the shots,” said point guard Jordan Tucker. “But then we also have our posts.”

“We’ll use a little bit of everything,” Carlsen added. “This is about developing kids’ skills for playing at the high school level.”

Out of all the teams the coach has had, Carlsen said this is one of best teams in regard to their friendships off the court.

“They just get along really well,” he said. “These guys all hang around together, and that’s part of the character of this team.”

The chance for the 15-member varsity to go unbeaten will first hang in the balance when the team takes on perennial powerhouse Central Kitsap Nov. 23. The team will have to come out of the gates firing on all cylinders, mentioned Tucker.

“I think we have the potential to go undefeated,” Tucker said. “But we need to work hard if we want to have a chance to do that.”