The key number for the Kennedy Cougars basketball team is eight.

As in eight seniors that need to be replaced, including the entire starting lineup, as the season gets underway this week. Head coach, Rory Block, summed up his squad after a recent scrimmage with Hicksville.

"We are a work in progress. We have a long way to go," Block said.

The Cougars are coming off a strong 2011 campaign that saw them reach the quarterfinals of the playoffs and notching a win against eventual county champion Elmont, that team's only loss to a public school last year. Now, it's a new team and a new year, though the competition will remain fierce in Conference AA-III, including newcomer Westbury.

Block is counting on his returning seniors to fill out the starting five. The lineup isn't set yet, but it looks as though the size up front will be provided by center Ben Canarick and power forward Zack Hecht. It's a wide open competition at small forward, featuring the likes of Brandon Lerner, and juniors Chris Racalbuto, Tyler Merron, Ralph Faiella and Ethan Jones, who can play inside and out.

The backcourt features a familiar face from across town, as Chad Fuschillo transfers over from Calhoun and should start at shooting guard. Senior Keith Safon will be at the point and sharpshooter Merron could see time at guard as well.

"We're finding our way. Fuschillo can shoot it from outside, Merron, Jones, Faiella [as well], and hopefully Ben and Zack can give us some inside scoring," Block said.

Defensively, Block says his team will be expected to do a little of everything.

"We play some man, some zone, we press and trap a little bit," he said. "We're going to have to play much better defense, we're going to have to rebound and not [commit] turnovers, those are the keys; if we can do that, then we can worry more about the offensive end, but it all starts with defense."

A work in progress? Sure, but the key word is progress, as the Cougars get set to start the year with a non-league matchup versus New Hyde Park on Tuesday.

"Each day they're improving, we just have a long way to go – hopefully we'll keep getting better and better," Block said.