The Mounties finished 18-9 overall last year, going 8-2 in the division and 12-5 in the league overall to claim the Small School title. Three playoff wins gave NPL their first ever District championship.

Gone from the historic ’24-’25 team are three starters (Blake Oakley, Louis Mercantino and Adynn Wheeland) while two key members of the ’24-’25 squad return .. Luke Kreger and Evan McTish .. to provide senior leadership.

Kreger, an All-Tioga County first team member, was second on the ’24-’25 team in scoring at 12.2 points per game. He made 34 threes and added 5.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.7 steals per game. 

McTish made the All-Tioga County second team after averaging 9.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.3 steals and a block per outing. 

Mattison points to a pair of returners who will be looked at to increase their roles in senior Brody Grinnell (2.2 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.4 SPG) and sophomore Sudan Benner (3.8 PPG), while sophomores Connor Lewis and Landon Mattern are expected to contribute as well.

Mattison welcomed a higher-than-usual number of players to camp as the Mounties expect to field a full, 15-man varsity roster, and will suit 25 players between varsity and junior varsity.

The NTL Small School division looks to be competitive once again this season, as both Northeast Bradford and Sayre matched Liberty’s 8-2 divisional mark last year and played in the consolation game of the 2A playoffs. The Panthers were also the 2023-’24 NTL-II champs.

“I think Northeast Bradford is the team to beat in small school this year,” says Mattison, entering his third season at the helm of the Mounties, “We have to find a way to compete with them and be in the hunt entering the last two weeks of the season.”

Mattison is excited, and optimistic, to see his Mounties progress on the court as the season plays out.

“It’s going to be a fun season,” says Mattison, “and I’m excited to watch the team grow throughout the season. Ultimately our goal is to get back to the district championship game.”

The Mounties will once again open their season at the Montgomery Tournament, on December 5th and 6th, before opening league play on December 10th at home against North Penn-Mansfield.