The Spartan boys basketball team were South Puget Sound League 2A champions and ended its season in the state semifinals last year losing 56-35 to the Lynden Lions.

Sumner finished last season with a 12-2 conference record and 18-9 overall.

Same as the fall sports and the spring sports to come, the Sumner Spartans are in a new league.

The Spartans have joined the Bonney Lake Panthers in the SPSL 3A division.

Regarding the new league and facing different teams this season, head coach Brett McDaniel said the team has approached this season no different than last year.

“We try and be the best defensive team in the league and pray we make some shots,” he said. “Moving up just means that when you get to state you play nationally ranked opponents like Rainier Beach and Garfield who have four to five D1 kids on their roster. Otherwise, (there isn’t) much of a difference.”

It is hard for McDaniel to predict the upcoming season.

“You better show up every night because anyone in this league can beat you,” he said.

McDaniel said an eye should be kept on Riley Bruil, Jase Johnson, Tyson Birrer, Austin Ford and Seth Carnahan.

Bruil won league Most Valuable Player last season.

After three seniors graduated, returning starters include Bruil, Johnson and Ford.

McDaniel said the athleticism of the graduated seniors will be missed but credits the depth the Spartans have this season to help make up for the missing three players.

“This years group is longer and more experienced than nay senior group I have had,” he said.

McDaniel also said there are two new players Sumner fans should be excited about.

He said Hashwinder Singh and Carnahan are “two new posts (who are) ready to make their mark.”

Apart from regular season league and non-league games, McDaniel said the Spartans will also participate in the San Diego Surf-N-Slam tournament.

The tournament will be played Saturday, Dec. 27 to Tuesday, Dec. 30.

He also said Sumner will also play “powerhouse schools like Kentwood and Kentridge” in non-league games throughout the season.

This season tipped off at home Tuesday against Graham Kapowsin.

The game was played after press deadline, check online for results.

The Spartans travel to Auburn Riverside Tuesday, Dec. 9 for the second game of the season and the first league game.

Game time is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

Girls Basketball

The Sumner girls’ season also came to an end last season one game shy of the state tournament.

The Spartans lost 51-44 in the semi finals to the Lake Washington Kangaroos.

The girls were undefeated in conference play going 14-0 and finished the season with a overall 23-4 record.

The girls season started with a jamboree Saturday, Nov. 29.

The next game for Sumner is Saturday, Dec. 6 when the Spartans travel to Kentridge to face the Chargers at noon.