By KEN HAMWEY

Staff Sports Writer

The Natick High boys basketball team will be experiencing plenty of senior moments this season.

It’s not like they’ll be memory loss or bouts of confusion. Not at all. It’s all about a nucleus of eight players, all seniors, who’ll be counted on to fulfill their roles, to promote team chemistry and to play effectively on both ends of the court.

The players include co-captains Patrick Mulholland and Sean Fleming, and Liam O’Neill, Yousseff Bouqartacha, Pat Maloyan, Charles Ramsey, Kyle Fuchs and Ben Chandler.

“Our two captains will lead by example and be supportive,’’ said coach Mike Masto, who’s guided the Redhawks to four straight winning seasons. But, the other six seniors are also leaders. This group makes hard work fun, they’ve got passion for the game and they’ve built great team chemistry.’’

The players stepped up long before the season got underway and set their goals. They want to win multiple playoff games, capture the Bay State Conference’s Carey Division title,  and improve daily.

The players’ goals are admirable and Masto likes their priorities but he’s acutely aware of the degree of difficulty. “To achieve our players’ objectives will be challenging,’’ he noted. “It all depends on them. To dislodge Newton North, the defending champ of the Carey Division, will be a tall task. They key to achieving their goals will depend on their ability to execute different game plans.’’

Masto’s cautious optimism is a point well-taken. Last year, the Redhawks finished their regular season with a 14-6 record but they were eliminated in the first round of the state tourney, losing to Waltham by five points.

Masto’s fifth year at the helm likely will conclude with another winning season, thanks to the positive attributes of the eight seniors.

“Our team strengths include experience and depth, a high basketball IQ, players with good instincts and court sense, sound technical skills and balance,’’ Masto said. “We’ll rely on an up-tempo offense but we’ll also employ a half-court approach. Defensively, we’ll use a half-court, man-to-man style.’’

Following is a capsule look at Natick’s nucleus of eight seniors:

*PATRICK MULHOLLAND — Now in his third year as a starter, the guard was a BSC all-star last year and his 10.2 scoring average was second on the team. “Pat is a good shooter at all three levels,’’ Masto said. “He’s got a high hoop IQ, has good instincts and court sense. He loves the game and is a true gym rat.’’

*SEAN FLEMING — A starter at point guard last year, he led the team in assists (5 per game) and steals (1.5 per game) and was second in rebounds (5 per game). “Sean is a true point guard,’’ Masto said. “A phenomenal floor general, he’s creative on offense, sees the court well and he’s very instinctive. An all-around player.’’ 

*LIAM O’NEILL — A 6-foot-4 center, he led the team in rebounds with a 5.1 average. “Liam has developed into a nice post player,’’ Masto said. “A dedicated hard-worker, Liam is inquisitive. He’s eager to learn and to understand the game.’’ 

*YOUSSEFF BOUQARTACHA — A shooting guard who’s fast, quick and athletic, he’s very capable behind the three-point arc. “Yousseff played some minutes last year,’’ Masto noted. “He can be a great spark because he manufactures points quickly. I’m hoping he develops into a catalyst for us.’’ 

*PAT MALOYAN — A guard-forward, his coach likes his slashing ability. “Pat is a slasher who drives effectively to the hoop,’’ Masto said. “He’s a great teammate who does what’s needed. Truly a jack of all trades. He played sparingly last year but he can step into our rotation and help our depth.’’

*CHARLES RAMSEY — A forward, he’s returning after suffering an ACL tear last year. “Charles provides leadership and he’s got a high basketball IQ,’’ Masto noted.

*KYLE FUCHS — A guard-forward, he missed his junior year after suffering a fractured collarbone in tryouts. “Kyle can score from mid-range to the three-point arc,’’ Masto said. “He had a good off-season playing in the summer and fall leagues. He strives to always be prepared.’’ 

*BEN CHANDLER — A guard, his coach likes his quickness and athleticism. “Ben can jump and he can get steals,’’ Masto said. “He played in key situations for us last year. He’s a solid defender who’s a very good rebounder from his guard position.’’ 

The 35-year-old Masto has a disciplined competitive philosophy that focuses on the attributes he admires in prospective players. His approach and his desire are to instill top-quality values in his players. 

“Three core values I stress are that every situation in life is a learning opportunity,’’ he emphasized. “Also, that it’s imperative to control what’s controllable and that hard work is the price of admission. Attributes I prefer in players are a strong work ethic, resilience, passion and good decision-making. Resilience means reacting to adversity in a positive fashion. I want our team to be successful on and off the court, and success occurs when strong relationships are built, when potential is reached and when players enjoy their athletic experience.’’

Before taking the coaching reins at Natick, Masto was Walpole High’s varsity coach for two years, He was an assistant for six years at Franklin High where he’s taught health and physical education for 14 years. A native of East Haven, Conn., he was a high school all-star in football and track before enrolling at Springfield College where he earned a bachelors degree in physical education. He has two masters degrees — one from Endicott College in athletic administration and the other from West Virginia University in physical education. 

The Redhawks’ coaching staff consists of Ben Westerman (jayvees), Chris Cardoso (freshmen), and Otis Wheeler and Tom Russo (varsity assistants).  

At Local Town Pages deadline, the Redhawks opened their season against Wellesley and won, 54-31. There’ll be more triumphs ahead and there’s no doubt those victories will be engineered by the eight seniors. 

As Masto says: “My goal is to get our eight seniors to excel in their roles.’’