When Cal Poly Pomona meets Westmont in the 2009-10 men's basketball season opener Saturday night in Santa Barbara, it will mark seven months and 24 days since the Broncos experienced their last game-day experience. 

And though that March afternoon in New England is long since over, this upcoming season will allow head coach Greg Kamansky and his Broncos to officially turn the page and start fresh after playing for last season's national championship in Springfield, Mass. 

“The reality is that this season is a completely different team than last year's team,'' said Kamansky of last year's tri-CCAA champion that finished 25-8 overall and placed second in the country. “Last season was historic on several levels, but that's history. We've got new players who are in our system for the first time and it takes time for them to understand the level that we play at. 

“We're trying to get better by the time league starts in December.'' 

The Broncos enter their game against Westmont with four returning starters from a year ago and look to build upon their two All-CCAA performers from last season. Senior guard Austin Swift (6-5, 210) earned first-team honors (10.2 points and 5.1 rebounds/game) and junior forward Tobias Jahn (9.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg) was a second-team selection. 

Swift started in each of CPP's 33 games a season ago and averaged 31.7 minutes a game. Jahn (6-9, 235) led the CCAA in field goal percentage at 57.7 percent and played the best basketball of his career during the Broncos' playoff drive. 

Kamansky, who begins his 10th season at the helm, also returns senior point guard Dahir Nasser (6-1, 175), who averaged 31.8 points a minute in 33 starts. The Phoenix native plays an efficient game, distributing the ball and running the offense well. 

The fourth starter returning is sophomore forward/center Dwayne Fells (6-5, 260), who stepped into the starting lineup at the midway point and CPP went 16-2 down the stretch. 

“I've been impressed with our leadership,'' Kamansky said. “We have a core group of guys in Austin, Dahir, Toby and #Donnelle (Booker)#, who have been in the system for awhile and understand what it takes to play well in the CCAA. They're up to the challenge and it trickles down to everyone on the team. They're high-character young men.'' 

The Broncos return Booker (6-5, 200) after he sustained a knee injury during fall preseason a year ago and was redshirted. The forward was the CCAA's Freshman of the Year in 2006-07 and already stands fourth on the all-time blocked shots in just two seasons. 

Senior guard Robert Summers, who averaged 7.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in 28 games off the bench for CPP, is projected to redshirt. 

Other returners for Kamansky include sophomore guard Matthew Rosser (6-4, 170), who saw limited time in 25 games in 2008-09. 

A big concern for the Broncos will be how they respond after the graduation of All-American Larry Gordon, who became just the fifth All-American in school history and finished his career as the only Broncos who produced at least 1,500 points, 950 rebounds, 525 field goals, 375 free throws, 125 steals and 50 blocks. 

Both Gordon and Walter Thompson, who averaged 11.4 points a game, are playing professionally in The Netherlands and Mexico, respectively. 

“Getting everyone playing together is a big key,'' Kamansky said. “We're looking to find guys who can step it up. We don't have Larry or Walter, who we depended upon for points a year ago. That's why these nonconference games are so key. We're going to figure out who can score or else we're going to have to play unbelievable defense.'' 

Rosser has improved his play this fall, Kamansky said, and freshman guard Mitchel Anderson (6-4, 190) has been a pleasant surprise. 

The 10-man roster also includes: junior college transfer Mark Rutledge (6-2, 195), redshirt freshman forward Kevin Ryan (6-7, 240) and freshman guard Shaun Norum (6-2, 190).

The Broncos enter Saturday night ranked inside the top 10 in all four preseason polls. The Broncos are sixth in the NABC poll and are tabbed as the front-runner in the CCAA. 

The West Region features BYU Hawaii, which lost to CPP in the West Region title game and fellow CCAA member Humboldt State, which has been ranked among the top 15 teams in the country. 

Add perennial favorite Cal State San Bernardino to the mix and you have a competitive conference and region. 

“In the past, I don't think the CCAA has gotten the respect around the country that it should have,'' Kamansky said. “That's changed. The West Region as a whole is the strongest in the country. A team like San Francisco State that's picked in the middle of our league goes out and beats Kentucky Wesleyan by 22 is quite a statement for our league. 

“Humboldt State is going to be strong and Cal State San Bernardino always is in contention for being at the top in our league and Cal State Dominguez Hills will be good again. But what you're going to see are teams like Sonoma State and San Francisco State making runs this season along with UC San Diego. Our league prepares us well for postseason play.'' 

The Broncos will face The Master's College on Tuesday, November 24, in their home opener. They open CCAA play on Dec. 4 against conference newcomer Cal State East Bay in Pomona.