EAST PROVIDENCE — The East Providence High School boys basketball team isn't just turning the page to a new campaign in 2023-24, the Townies were also pretty much starting a whole new chapter as they embarked on their Division I regular season schedule this week.

That's because not only did seven players depart the program after last winter's trip to the Open State Tournament semifinals, but that group consisted of all five starters along with two All-State caliber players in Trey Rezendes and Xavier Hazard.

The latter pair were integral to the Townies' run to the state final four, where they lost to eventual champion Bishop Hendricken. Both with interscholastic league eligibility remaining, Rezendes and Hazard opted to continue their basketball pursuits at the prep level, the former at Tabor Academy in Marion, Mass., and the latter at the Middlesex School in Concord, Mass.

East Providence went 16-10 overall in '22-23 and 11-7 during the D-I regular season. In the postseason, the Townies, first, won a preliminary round game over Woonsocket in the Division I championship tournament before losing to eventual league winner LaSalle in the quarterfinals, 60-49.

EP followed up with the impressive run to the Open Tourney semis, where they opened with wins over two fellow D-I sides: a four-point victory over Classical and a five-point defeat of Smithfield. But East Providence would again fall to the eventual champ, dropping a 62-55 decision to the aforementioned Hawks in the semis. Hendricken next bettered LaSalle for the state title, 67-61.

As the new season approached, EPHS head coach Joe Andrade, now in his eighth season at the helm of the Townies, views this winter as a year of unknowns, though with unlimited potential.

"I think we go from people thinking we could be a factor to win the state championship with those guys, to a team that people don't know what to expect. I think most people think we'll be competitive. We have talent, but there's definitely a learning curve these guys are going to go through, especially when we hit that first bit of adversity," Andrade said, assisted for a third season by Patrick Marchand.

Senior Kenaz Ochgwu leads the cast of returnees who saw significant amount of action a year ago. The 6-foot-7 center actually left the area for a bit at the start of the current school term before returning to the city about mid-way through the first quarter.

Classmate Derrell Liggins, a 5'8" guard, along with juniors Christian Torres (6'2" forward/guard), Alex Mulamba (6' forward) and Franklin Carela Lopez (6'2" guard) are the other returnees of note.

"I wouldn't say we're rebuilding. We're inexperienced, but the talent is there. And some of that talent has been behind those guys who left," said Andrade. "It's their time to shine now, and I think they're up for the challenge. They're embracing it. They've listened to all the talk about the other guys for the last three or four years. So I now, it's their time to play. Their time rise up."

Not only does EP have a mostly changed group of players, they're style should also be considerable different. The Townies have siginificant size and length in '23-24, so rather than being perimeter-oriented, they will likely attack the hoop from the post out.

Ochgwu, Torres, Lopez and Liggins are joined in the starting lineup by emerging senior Brandyn Van Wagner, a 6'2" forward. Mulamba is one of the first reserves off the bench along with junior guards Tyler Gomez and Antonio Varela.

Also in the mix id senior Levi Jacobs, finally healthy after two years away dealing back-to-back anterior cruciate ligament tears in his knee.

"We're a different team than we've been the past few years. We were outside-in, now we're more inside-out," said Andrade. "We were guard-oriented. Now we have more size. We're taller, longer. One-to-five, we're bigger. We're going to get the ball inside more.

"We have more size and physicality. I see them as being pretty interchangeable because of our length. We'll be able to mix things up more on defense. I have some things in my little bag. On offense I think we'll struggle at times because we don't have the shooters we've had in the past. Sometimes we'll settle for jump shots instead of going inside, but that will come with experience."

The rest of the varsity roster is composed of juniors Colin Roche and Braedon Ellis; sophomores Jaydason Barros, Jahziah Cardenas and Justin Jardine; and 6'5" freshman Jervon Brown

"So far they seem to like each other. They seem to be more together than other teams we've had recently. In past years we've had different faction. We weren't all together. People had different agendas," said Andrade. "And like I said, I think some of of them have something to prove. They have a chance to be the main guys now. They've heard all the hype about other people, and now it's their time."

The Townies should quickly find out where they rank among the best teams in Division I. Two of East Providence's four league games before the holiday recess are against LaSalle and Barrington. They then welcome another D-I mainstay Central along with Shea and North Providence for the annual Mutter Christmas Tournament. The Townies then return to D-I action after the New Year against the same Central side and Mt. Pleasant.

"I think it's reasonable to say we can win 10 league games, between nine and 11," said Andrade. "My expectations are we'll be better in late January than we are right now. We should be a dangerous team by then. Hopefully we'll be a dangerous team by then and playing great basketball.

"We have a lot of good games right at the beginning of the season. We'll have tests right away. We'll see how we deal with some adversity. I think this is a year where we have a lot of motivated people. The kids are motivated. I'm motivated. I'm motivated to show this is a program. It's not about individuals. I'm looking forward to it. It should be a lot of fun."