MANCHESTER – Its gym could double as a trophy case. Yet, the Manchester Central boys basketball team’s home could be mistaken for that of a Class S startup.

Other than a sign commemorating the since-departed Tyler Roche for being the New Hampshire Player of the Year last season, there are no championship banners, no signs honoring those who’ve made all-state or even the slightest indication that the ’06 Central team was just the fourth club in state history to post a perfect season.

Instead, there are just four offwhite walls, a handful of “Central Pride” banners and a scoreboard that more often than not has done the talking for the most successful team in Class L history So when coach Dave “Doc” Wheeler says he doesn’t consider his team a “defending champion,” you almost have to believe him.

“We talked to our guys about the term ‘defending champion.’ And we’re not defending anything,” said Wheeler, who led Central to a 25-0 record and its 17th state crown last winter. “We virtually have a brand new team, and even some of the guys who were on the team last year have entirely different roles.”

That still means Central should be pretty darn good. Despite losing six seniors – including Hooksett’s Roche, who now plays at Boston College, Joe Fremeau and Max Stisser – Wheeler welcomes back a speedy, athletic group that will look to run more often this year.

Hooksett’s Josh Last, the first man off the bench last year, has a “chance to be one of the leading scorers in the state,” Wheeler said, thanks to his 40-percent three-point shooting percentage. Sophomore guard Will Bayliss runs the show for the second straight year, while Hooksett natives Bill Statires and Mike Stys are expected to carry the load on the wings.

Of course, Central won’t try to replace players like Roche and Fremeau – two 6-foot-7 forwards – but Wheeler’s current front-court players aren’t slouches, either.

The 6-foot-4 Will Brooks provides an athletic option in the blocks, along with J.J. Jackson, a 6-foot- 3, 240-pound junior who didn’t play last season after being ruled academically ineligible.

Wheeler said he expects Central to be stronger along the perimeter “and not as good around the basket,” but that’s OK. Last season, the Little Green wanted to run a more up-tempo game, but teams continually slowed the pace.

Central will see just how good it can be when it opens against Manchester West on Dec. 19, and follows that with a showdown against Manchester Memorial, a team that “person for person,” Wheeler said, “has the most talented team in the state.”

It then plays in the Manchester city holiday tournament before hosting one of the state’s early favorites, Bishop Guertin, on Jan. 9.

“Last year, we knew we were going to be the best team, and we thought we were going to win every time,” Statires said. “But we have to do the same this year and have confidence in ourselves. “It’s going to be good to see the best teams right in the beginning,” he added, “so we can beat ’em later in the year.”