Growing pains? Sure. College Park coach Clifton McNeely expects those. But what he also expects is for his team to be competitive this season. So far, he likes what he’s seen. McNeely, entering his ninth year at the helm, has his eyes set on returning the Cavaliers to the playoffs after a 4-8 record in District 14-5A kept them out of the postseason last year.

College Park finished 20-16 overall last season, the sixth consecutive year the Cavs have notched 20 or more victories. But injuries and a lack of offensive chemistry kept them from reaching their full potential.

“Our expectations are always going to be set high,” McNeely said. “I think regardless of who we lost and who we didn’t lose, our expectations are that we’re going to come in here every year and compete for a district championship and get to the playoffs.”

The Cavs will have to cope with the loss of point guard Dez Fleming, who is now playing at Cornell, and leading scorer Bryon Makel, who poured in 12.6 points per contest.