Although a bulk of last year's starting lineup was lost to graduation, a handful of players who saw time on the varsity hardwood return to the Newtown High School boys' basketball team this winter.

"They're exposed to the speed of the game," Newtown Coach Tim Tallcouch said of his returnees - led by senior captains Tom Cotton and Sam Grossano, along with junior captain Nick Weiland - and the uptick of speed from the junior varsity to varsity level is the most significant change, the coach notes.

The players will need to gel, come together collectively, and have consistent defensive intensity and strong rebounding skills to achieve the goals of getting back to the Class LL state playoffs, and qualifying for the South-West Conference postseason. Newtown missed both tourneys after a deceptive 5-15 campaign.

A big difference in not qualifying was in falling just short in competitive games. Newtown lost seven contests by six or fewer points, including a pair of overtime battles - one of which went to double OT. And three of the regulation defeats in that grouping of close games were one-possession nail-biters.

Turning those close games around this winter could be key to the Hawks getting back into the playoffs.

"And that comes with this chemistry that this team is working toward developing, and hard work ethic they've shown thus far," Tallcouch said as his team prepared to scrimmage at Trumbull High just before the start of the regular season.

In addition to the captains, key players are seniors Derek Ivey and Evan Eggleston, juniors Ryan Escoda and Brian Montoya, and sophomores Tucker Garrity and Todd Peterson, Tallcouch anticipates.

"I'm comfortable playing eight, but we have the potential to play as many as ten," Tallcouch said.

Athleticism and depth are on Newtown's side, along with that depth in numbers, so expect the Nighthawks to try to run the floor and score in transition.

"Preferably we would like to push the tempo - absolutely," the coach said.

Newtown begins the season when nonconference foe Fairfield Ludlowe, from the FCIAC, visits; the game is set for Saturday, December 17, at 2 pm. After the calendar turns to 2017, the Hawks dig into their SWC slate, including a January 6 visit to Masuk of Monroe and January 10 home tilt with Brookfield - both at 7 pm.

Notre Dame-Fairfield is the favorite to win the SWC this year, Tallcouch predicts. "Other than that I think there is a lot of parity in the league."

And the Nighthawks are striving to be in the mix among the playoff qualifiers.

"We think we're going to surprise a lot of teams in the SWC this year," Grossano said.