Christian Brothers Academy Basketball will hit the hardwood for the season opener this Friday, December 16th, when they host Manalapan at CBA.

For the Colts, it's a season that is sure to bring a few new names to the forefront. Gone are seven seniors from the 2015-16 team, who took most of the minutes on the court last season. Junior forward Rob Mahala is the sole returning player that saw substantial amount of action before this season. Matthew Lautato, Chris Lautato, Lucas Waraska and Ronald Meehan return from last season as well.

Nevertheless, head coach Geoff Billet's squad is confident that they can develop on the run and challenge for the A North Division title, and ultimately, the Shore Conference Championship.

The Colts have ten home games on the schedule this season, beginning with the game against Manalapan on Friday at 6:00 p.m. The first 50 adult fans on Friday will receive a schedule poster like the one above, while the first 50 students will receive a Colt Nation t-shirt.

The usual suspects in Freehold Township, Colts Neck, Howell, Freehold Boro, Neptune and Marlboro will also visit Lincroft. Meanwhile, CBA will host two out-of-conference opponents in William Floyd (NY) and Marist High School.

The regular season will conclude with Red Bank Catholic visiting CBA in the first regular season game between the two teams since 1982. The game will serve as the CBA Homecoming Game, with a rally planned before the contest.

Christian Brothers will participate in four showcases this season as well: the Skyline Classic at CERC in Jersey City, the Boardwalk Classic at Brookdale, the Hoops to Help Showcase at County College of Morris, and the Battle by the Bay in Atlantic City.

Last Season:

The Colts won the A North Division with a 13-1 record in division play, with the single loss coming in a make-up game after the division was already clinched. CBA beat Middletown North and Manasquan to advance to the Shore Conference Championship, where they ultimately lost to Mater Dei in a game that came down to the wire. CBA was led by NJ.com Shore Player of the Year and current Lehigh University forward, Pat Andree, who averaged 24 points and 10 rebounds per game. Andree also broke the all-time scoring record last season, finishing with 1,984 points in his Colts career.