The Maine high school basketball season is in the books. Which means it’s time to take a quick look at the next one.

While many teams won championships or went deep in tournaments with senior-laden teams, others impressed with underclassmen in key spots and should be teams to beat when they take the court again next December.

Here’s a too-early look at teams that should be in the championship picture next season:

Boys

Cheverus (2025-26: 12-9, Class A South runner-up)

Cheverus, which finished fifth in the Class A South Heal point standings, expects to return four starters, six of its top seven players, and its biggest scoring threats in freshman Khaelon Watkins and junior Colton Jewett. Meanwhile, the rest of this season’s top-eight teams in the region have standouts they need to replace, notably defending state champion Portland (four senior starters).

Watkins and Jewett give the Stags two strong scoring options who can get to their preferred spots. AJ Lauture is a top-level defender who could expand his offensive game. In a league where nearly every other team is breaking in new lineups, Cheverus should have the upper hand.

Maranacook (2025-26: 17-5, Class C runner-up)

The Black Bears were one win shy of a Gold Ball, losing to Fort Kent. That can be a great motivator for offseason improvement, and Maranacook looks to return two of the state’s top small-school players in junior Jack Fontaine and freshman Gage Mattson. Those two combined for 49 points in the state final. Grady Hreben, a junior guard, is another key returner. Maranacook is expected to add Connor Labrie, a touted shooter, from the Team Maine program.

Yarmouth (2025-26: 17-5, Class B runner-up)

The Clippers will miss the reliability and 6-foot-4 size of leading scorer Ian Lawrence, but they should return four starters from a Class B South championship squad that fell to Gardiner, 58-54, in the state final. Sophomores Adam Maxwell and Matthew LeBlanc have power forward builds, and LeBlanc is a capable 3-point shooter. Starting guards and twin brothers Evan and Owen Oranellas are juniors. Connor Hasson will be in his second season as the Clippers’ head coach. Like Maranacook, this season’s final game is sure to spark a fire.

Monmouth Academy (2025-26: 17-5, Class D champions)

The Mustangs have won two state titles in three years, and a third won’t be far-fetched. Levi Laverdiere returns. He scored his 1,000th point while dropping 33 in the state final against Machias. Also back will be junior big Jake Harmon, sophomore starter Gavin Parsons and freshman sixth man Tyler Day. This is a group of multi-sport athletes with vast big-game experience. Laverdiere and Harmon led Monmouth to the 2025 Class C baseball championship.

Other contenders: Mt. Blue (Class A), South Portland (Class A), Cony (Class B), Poland Regional (Class B), Mount Desert Island (Class B), Leavitt (Class B), Fort Kent (Class C).

Girls

Cheverus (2025-26: 21-1, Class A champion)

Miss Maine finalist and leading scorer Kylie Lamson will be gone, but the state final showed that freshman Kristin King (24 points) is more than ready to take over as the Stags’ go-to scoring option.

“Nothing fazes this girl,” coach Billy Goodman said. “She’s a special kid. The team loves her.”

The Stags also bring back juniors Addie Jordan and Abby Kelly, who were integral pieces of their defense and rebounding and will likely be counted on for more offense. Junior Marian Pitney, a top option off the bench, could step into a starting role. With Goodman’s penchant for developing role players, this should be a quality team again.

Biddeford (2025-26: 16-4, Class A South semifinalist)

The Tigers have gone from being a team on the rise to emerging as a full-fledged favorite. Biddeford was the only team to beat the Stags and led them by 11 points in the regional semifinals before Cheverus rallied.

All five starters — Natalia and Gabby Silva (16 and 15 points per game, respectively), Jordyn Crump, Mia Mariello and Anna Smyth — are expected to return from what was already a championship-caliber team, and sophomore center Olivia Hunter became a difference-maker in her return from injury. The talent isn’t going anywhere, and this is a team that is even more battle-tested than it was coming into this season.

Gardiner (2025-26: 19-2, Class B North semifinalist)

The Tigers won their first 12 games and earned Class B North’s No. 1 seed, but Gardiner wasn’t quite championship ready this season. The Tigers were stymied in the preliminary round in the previous two years, and fell to an experienced Lawrence team in the regional final this year.

Next year, though, could be Gardiner’s year. Four starters — juniors Zoey Sullivan-Brennan and Mikayla Cleary, and sophomores Molly Takatsu (11.4 points) and Madison McMahon — will be back, as will 6-foot-3 freshman and playoff leading scorer Alexa Quintana (8.5 rebounds). The Tigers should be back at the head of the pack in the region, and with some more big-game experience under their belt.

Edward Little (2025-26: 15-5, Class A North semifinalist)

The Red Eddies leaned on juniors, sophomores and freshmen this year and became one of the best teams in the region in the process. Edward Little struggled with Mt. Ararat, but defeated eventual Class A North champion Hampden Academy and Camden Hills, the bracket’s third seed, during the regular season.

So the Eddies were close. And next season they should be even better. Elizabeth Galway (13.4 points, 10.1 rebounds) had a great sophomore season, junior Hope Fontaine is a proven point guard, and Xavi Hall (2.7 steals, 6.8 rebounds) impressed as a freshman. Charlotte Ranger, a sophomore who led the team with 31 3-pointers during the regular season, will also be back to round out what should be a potent offense.

Other contenders: Thornton Academy (Class A), Sanford (Class A), Gray-New Gloucester (Class B), Oceanside (Class B), Poland (Class B), Spruce Mountain (Class C).

Staff writer Mike Mandell contributed to this story.