Ceres High’s boys basketball program refuses to lower its expectations heading into the 2024-25 season despite its lack of experience.

The Bulldogs return just one starter from last year’s team.

“We want to win league and make some noise in the playoffs,” said T.J. Walker Jr., eighth-year head coach of Ceres High. “That’s our expectation every year. It doesn’t change with people leaving.”

Ceres High welcomes back five players from a season ago, including Manuel Ortega (Sr.), Somil Bonsal (Sr.), Tremond Karriem (Sr.), Jaylen Pettigrew (Sr.) and Treyvon Martinez (Jr.).

Varsity newcomers Oscar Caro (Sr.), Jayden Boss (Sr.), Anthony Estrada (Jr.), Joel Cortez (Jr.), Cashton Almeida (So.) and Tay Galton (So.) round out the Bulldogs’ 11-man roster.

Ceres High lost a handful of key players from last year’s squad, including AJ Brown, Gurman Dhaliwal, Ezekial Lopez, Antwan Stevenson and Carey Mastin.

“It’s a brand-new, varsity team,” Walker said. “We want to compete. We have to figure out how to win together. There’s a different speed and physicality to the game (at the varsity level). It takes half a year to get acclimated. We know we have work to do.”

Ortega, a forward, fell one vote shy of being named co-Most Valuable Player of the Western Athletic Conference as a junior.

He was selected to the WAC First Team.

Ortega averaged 21.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game in conference play.

“Manuel is the only returning starter,” Walker said. “He’s a third-year varsity player. Expectations are high for him.”

Brown, Dhaliwal, Lopez and Stevenson were lost to graduation in June.

Mastin moved to Iowa.

The first-team all-WAC point guard averaged 11.5 points, 6.7 assists and 2.5 steals per game as a freshman.

Galton will start in place of Mastin this year.

“It’s a learning process,” Walker said. “He wants to work. He wants to get better. That’s what we expect from him.”

Walker will announce team captains on a week-to-week basis.

“We want guys that show energy and effort,” he said.

The Bulldogs amassed a 17-11 overall record, placed second in the Western Athletic Conference standings with a 10-4 mark and secured their first playoff berth since 2016-17 this past winter.

Ceres High will compete against Central Valley, Livingston, Beyer, Grace Davis, Johansen, Lathrop and Pacheco in the new-look WAC this season.

Central Valley and Livingston relocated from the Central California Conference and Trans Valley League, respectively, as part of the Sac-Joaquin Section’s league realignment plan.

WAC members Los Banos and Mountain House joined the CCC and Valley Oak League.

“The competitive gap is not as big,” Walker said while comparing the WAC to the CCC. “There’s going to be a lot of parody throughout the league. You have to be consistent every night.”

The Bulldogs are looking forward to re-establishing their conference rivalry against the crosstown Hawks. Ceres High and Central Valley will face off twice this season.

“It’s going to be fun,” Walker said. “Those games are always amazing. The energy is so high. The gym is packed. There’s so much going on. As a coach, you try to keep the boys as even-keel as possible.”