Once again, Patrick Wanamaker will be coming out of the locker room and onto the gymnasium floor at Northern Lehigh this season.

But this time, instead of sprinting onto the basketball court as a player like he did from 2004-2007, or walking to the bench as an assistant coach like he has done the past eight years, Wanamaker will take the court as a proud, first-year head coach at his alma mater.

“It sounds a little cliché probably, but it feels great to be back home and in charge of the Northern Lehigh program,” said Wanamaker. “Going from being a Bulldog player to now being the head coach here at Northern Lehigh is extremely exciting. I still get all those memories from being a player here flood back in when I walk into the gym. I hope to instill some of that on the guys that I have now.

“There’s no better place to get my head coaching career started, and I’m thankful for the opportunity.”

If Wanamaker hopes to make his first season at the Bulldogs’ helm a successful one, he’ll need to find replacements for three key players lost to graduation. Zach Moyer, Carter Smith and Kole Richards. The trio leaves some big shoes to fill, especially Moyer, who led the Bulldogs in scoring at 15.27 points per game a year ago.

Among those looking to fill the void is senior Ardit Mujovic, whose 9.17 points per game last year was the best among returning players. Mujovic is anxious to expand his role, especially after missing 15 games last season with a hand injury.

“He’s kind of like that silent leader,” Wanamaker said. “He does what you ask him to do; he works hard every day in practice, and the kids gravitate toward that.”

Mujovic will be joined by classmates Ryan Hammond (point guard), Jaden Marlatt (forward), Evan Zambo (guard) Teague Herzog (forward) and DeSean Smith (guard) in providing leadership for the program.

With questions lingering about possible delays of the season because of COVID-19, Wanamaker said he has sensed an overwhelming feeling of excitement and gratitude among the players, especially his seniors, during the opening weeks of practice.

“My guys actually talk about it more than me ... that they’re just thankful to be in the gym,” said Wanamaker about his seniors. “I think the kids are just really thankful for the opportunity in seizing the moment because they truly don’t know when their last shot will be. They don’t know when the last time we’re going to be in the gym is.

“It’s unprecedented. It’s times we have never seen. The kids kind of bought into that, and that’s more so from them and less from us as coaches.”

One of the strengths of the Bulldogs should be their guard play.

Mujovic and Smith, Zambo, Ryan Hammond, Donavin Correro and Aiden Varvel are all strong perimeter players who can handle the ball.

“I think we have a handful of kids that can create off the bounce, and kind of dictate the pace we want to play at,” said Wanamaker.

Wanamaker expects his senior Bulldogs to lead this year’s pack.

“The one thing I have been preaching since my first day with these guys is that they were 4-18 last year, but they had eight losses last year by single digits,” Wanamaker said. “So, that’s three to four possessions a game. So they were three to four possessions a game away from being a District 11 playoff team.

“So, I think that’s the thing I have been harping on - if we take that one possession at a time approach, I think we will be there in the fourth quarter.”