A roster full of experience and talent has Pembroke Academy believing it can make another run to the Class I boys basketball semifinals – and beyond.

With a lineup that’s almost entirely upperclassmen, the PA coaching staff is confident every player enters the season gameready.

“We’re going to have 11 players that can come in and help us out … at any time, which is pretty unheard of in high school basketball,” said Dave Segal, PA’s assistant head coach. “A lot of people are talking about us as being one of the top four teams in the state along with Pelham, Portsmouth and Laconia. So I hope that’s true.”

The Spartans must replace productive guards Justin Muniz and Drou Goff, as well as sixth man Matt Lavoie. Yet Segal and head coach Matt Alosa are confident yesterday’s role players can become today’s stars.

“We’ve lost three key players from last year’s team. However, we’ve been able to fill those gaps pretty easily,” said Segal.

The coaches expect sophomore Taylor Vazquez to see an increased amount of playing time this season at various positions on the floor.

“Vazquez has improved tremendously over last year,” said Segal. “Taylor’s going to open some eyes out there for us this year.”

Along with experience, size is on Pembroke’s side this season, with 6-foot-6 senior Tyler Yeaton expected to anchor the center position for the Spartans. He offers a strong interior defensive presence and was consistently among the team’s top scorers in games last season.

Yeaton should spend nights flirting with double-double statistics, as he did in last season’s Class I semifinal game against Hanover, when he scored eight points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Yeaton was a key reason the Spartans remained competitive against a Marauders team that outsized PA everywhere else on the floor.

Seniors Jon Grenier and Nick Porter were among the most likely candidates to be named team captains. Porter is in line to start at forward, along with junior Sheldon Benson.

The rest of the roster includes seniors Christian Davis and Pat McCormack; juniors Coleton Neely, Jackson Riel, Dalton Cheney, Zach Cogswell and Brad Freeman; and freshman Tyler Morrison.

The Spartans begin their season with a home date against Hanover on Tuesday, Dec. 16. It’s a chance to avenge last year’s semifinal loss, during which PA stormed back from an 18-point second-half deficit, closing to two points before falling by eight.

PA also visits Bishop Brady on Friday, Dec. 19, then hosts Plymouth Regional on Monday, Dec. 22, before taking a Christmas break.