Expectations will be high when you return most of your top players from a team that went 30-3 and won a Sac-Joaquin Section, Division II championship.

Rocklin High’s varsity boys basketball team returns three starters this season and coach Steve Taylor says he has eight of his top 10 players back from that championship squad.

One of those starters is 6-foot-10 senior center Brendan Lane who has accepted a scholarship to UCLA. Senior forward Pat Stover, 6-5, and junior point guard Jackson Cummings are the other returning starters although it is not known when Cummings will be able to suit up because of a groin injury that has bothered him since the summer.

Add to that mix the addition of four transfers (Lincoln’s Tony Williams, Whitney’s Cody Kale and Anthony Romero and Mads Frandsen from Denmark) and the expectations grow even taller. Williams was Lincoln’s top scorer last year while Kale was an all-Pioneer Valley League guard for the Wildcats. Frandsen, at 6-8, should help the Thunder inside.

CalHiSports.com ranks Rocklin 14th in California and says that the Thunder looks like “the most likely foe that Mater Dei would face in Division II” of the state championships.

Rocklin, playing without the injured Cummings and Frandsen (undisclosed reason), topped visiting Burbank 91-72 in its first official game of the season Tuesday night. This came one night after Rocklin lost its Foundation Game at Oak Ridge 79-76. The Foundation Game is a scrimmage and does not count as an official game.

Lane led the way with 40 points against Burbank despite dealing with double and triple teams while Stover scored 12 points. Lane is happy to no longer have to worry about deciding on a college like he did last season.

“I can just focus on the high school season,” said Lane, who didn’t let Burbank’s physical play bother him. “The whole game they were pounding me.”

Taylor says that Lane will have to deal with this treatment all season.

“He is so much more physically strong and more mature (then last year) and the big challenge for him is knowing people will come at him every game,” Taylor said. “But he’s so level headed and mature that I think he can handle that. It will motivate him. But guys just body check him all the time and they will target Brendan and they shouldn’t be allowed to do that.”

Lane is excited about Rocklin’s schedule this month. He’s looking forward to a tournament at De La Salle Dec. 11-13 and can’t wait to play in the Max Preps Holiday Classic in San Diego Dec. 26-30.

“Definitely (excited about) that San Diego tournament because we’re in the national bracket and will have some really good competition,” Lane said.

Taylor is well aware that expectations are high but he says it will take time for the new players to adjust to the new team. Also he said that the absence of Cummings hurts.

“He’s a key loss for us that’s for sure,” Taylor said. “It’s a wait and see approach and the groin is a hard thing to figure out. Realistically it’s probably January (when he returns).”

For now it’s the 6-3 Kale running the point.

“Cody does a great job just seeing the floor and finding teammates,” Taylor said. “Great mentality as a point guard – he really enjoys (setting up teammates).”

Kale is pumped up about playing for the Thunder.

“It’s really exciting with the expectations that high. All these tournaments we’re in and every game will be a challenge,” Kale said. “So far it’s coming along – learning the offense and all that. (The toughest part about the transition to a new team) is just getting to know the guys and playing with them. But with more and more games is more and more experience.”

Kale said the Foundation loss “shows that we have a lot to work on.”

Taylor isn’t worried about the Foundation Game, a game in which Lane and Stover fouled out and Kale picked up three fouls in the first half. Rocklin also hit just 21-of-41 free throws.

“We didn’t really approach it as a game but we approached it as a learning opportunity,” said Taylor about the scrimmage.

The Thunder will return to the court at Foothill Tuesday and they won’t be home again until they host the annual Rocklin Holiday Tournament Dec. 18-20.

Rocklin Girls

Rocklin opened its season with the Foundation Game Monday and lost 60-36 at Oak Ridge.

The Thunder will officially open their season at the Galt Warrior Classic today through Saturday. They will also visit Rio Linda at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.