Bobby Hahn knows each season is unique, and that each campaign comes with its own set of challenges.

But Hahn is also well aware that each new year is another chance to create an identity. And seize the moment.

And the Pleasant Valley boys basketball coach sees a team that’s ready to make its own mark this winter.

“We’re primarily a younger and unexperienced team,” said Hahn. “We have returning Zach Prator and JJ Moore. And other than those two, pretty much everybody else on the team was a JV player last year, primarily; some got some varsity minutes, but most of them were primarily JV players.

“So it’s just going to be kind of tough to figure it out and see where we are because of that inexperience. However, I am very pleased with the work ethic and the talent that I have seen.”

Prator led the team in scoring last season at 15.41 points per game. Moore was sixth on the squad, which finished 8-14 overall, averaging 5.41 points per game.

“We are right now trying to find some depth for the team to see who is going to be coming off the bench, and guys are trying to settle into their spots,” said Hahn. “But I expect us to have a pretty competitive season. I always want to make the playoffs. Pleasant Valley has been in a big District 11 qualifying drought and that’s something that’s always a goal, and something that we want to aim for. I certainly think we can attain that goal this year.

“I really do think that we have the potential to end that district drought and hope that we can achieve that goal.”

And Hahn will be leaning on Prator and Moore to show the way, both on and off the court.

“Not only are they very talented players, but they’re really good kids,” said Hahn. “They’re great in the classroom, there are never any discipline issues, and it is very important having guys like that. Their ability to lead, and I think the motivation they bring, the realism that they bring, the kids can see that and they understand it. They lead well, and having that early in the season is going to be crucial.

“You can do so much to get them prepared, put them in spots and do what you have to do. But it comes through the players being able to perform, especially in the beginning of the year. And that performance a lot of times comes off the leadership the team has from its seniors. And they have been pushing everybody, and leading in a very positive way. I couldn’t be happier with those guys.”

Others in the mix include Jake Loch, Jaxson Haines, and Sebastian Sacci, in addition to Quinn Kauffman, Marcellus Solt and freshman Madden Roselli.

And they’re ready to make this moment theirs.

“In the past we would ask guys their goals and they would say they want to win a championship, they want to win the division. And the funny thing is, this year, the guys that we have, from top to bottom, have said they want to win opening day,” Hahn remarked. “And after that, we want to win the next game. The mindset is not so much looking toward the future as much as it is game by game, day by day. The kids really have had that mindset before we even talked to them, and I want to continue that, because I really do like that.

“By them kind of doing that game by game mentality, I think it’s really going to help keep the pressure off of those younger and inexperienced players that we have.”