It’s Year 2 for Titans coach Greg Godderidge, whose inaugural campaign (11-13, 4-6 Region 1) featured a 5-0 stretch last December, a fourth-place region finish, and an early exit from the 6A tournament at the hands of a Layton program that, once again, has high expectations this season.

A familiar Syracuse lineup, including senior center Carter Robinson and senior guard Skyler Orton, will take the floor Wednesday for a matchup with Fremont as the start of their nonregion slate.

The Silverwolves posted a disappointing 5-12 record a year ago, but return a key starter in senior center Zach Hancock to lead a young group full of returners for Corey Melaney’s 17th season at Fremont, and 20th all-time.

Melaney’s produced eight winning seasons since taking the Fremont job in 2009. (Melaney split three double-digit win seasons at Roy and Northridge from 2006 to 2008).

“They’re a great program,” Godderidge said of Fremont. “Melaney’s had them in shape for years, so we kind of want to see where we’re at against them; good opener for us. For us, it’s just about getting off to a good start, making sure we’re running what we want to run, and that we’re playing the right way.

“They’ll be a good opponent and it’s nice to have them come in and challenge us that first (game) so we can see (our) weakness or flaws, or things we’re doing good.”

Syracuse’s leg-up on Wednesday will likely come in the paint.

Godderidge is looking to Robinson (14.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.1 bpg) as his main man inside the paint this year, and plans on pairing him up with returning senior Bracken Lessey, transitioning from his role as a wide receiver on the football field to lend Robinson a hand on the block.

“(Robinson)’s been extremely impressive,” Godderidge said. “He was one of our leaders last year, and we expect him to be a big leader this year. … It’s easier when you have two dynamic scorers to rotate the offense around. It’s easier to feed off when you know what you’re going to get. The consistency from those two is going to feed into everything else.”

Orton returns to lead the Titans up top after scoring a career-high 15.0 points per game last season. He also finished his junior year as the team’s second-leading rebounder behind Robinson with 4.6 boards a night.

Junior guards Colton Hoenigman and Cohen Godderidge return the most experience on the wing, and give Syracuse enough familiarity to step forward as a region contender this season, Greg Godderidge said.

“We have more experience in the locker room this year,” Godderidge said. “The continuity of the coaching staff, and our culture overall of pace (and) pushing the ball, we’re trying to get the ball down the floor a little quicker.”

After the team’s initial tryouts last week, Godderidge feels confident about the roster’s ability to “refine and develop the concept” introduced in 2024.

But with Fremont removed from the region picture, Region 1 features just five schools this hoops season, and for all sports at least through the spring of 2027. Last year, Syracuse managed just four region wins: Jan. 14 at Weber (77-64), Feb. 14 vs. Farmington (52-48), and both meetings with the Silverwolves (65-51, 68-52).

December alone includes key tests at Springville (Dec. 3), at Bountiful (Dec. 9), and home against West Field (Dec. 12). The Titans wrap their nonregion schedule at Corner Canyon on Jan. 6.

“We love having that football energy carry over into basketball,” Godderidge said. “They’ve been getting after it the past couple of days since tryouts — we had a great turnout for tryouts — so there’s energy in the building (and) things are getting more exciting.”

Syracuse and Fremont tip off at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Syracuse.

Connect with reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.