Lebanon -- Meet the Lebanon boys basketball team's very own band of brothers.

Four of the Raiders' starters this year -- juniors Dylan McCarthy, Jason Martin, and Jake Woodward, along with senior Brad Maxfield -- are the younger brothers of recent program graduates who also started.

The new crop of contributors from families already familiar with the team has created a seamless transition for Lebanon coach Kieth Matte, now in his 12th year.

“It's been extremely comfortable, a nice transition. They're good families and it's been great to get to know the parents,” Matte said. “If I want to call up the parents and have a conversation about their kid, I don't have to be formal with them. We’re all on a first-name basis.”

Raider fans got very familiar with the older brothers, all reliable contributors who helped Lebanon become a strong contender in New Hampshire Class I. Tucker McCarthy and David Maxfield (class of 2007) and Robbie Woodward and Justin Martin ('08) were such program staples that Matte occasionally confuses the new set of siblings with their predecessors.

“Sometimes I forget that I don't know these guys yet as well as I got to know their brothers,” Matte said. “I'll yell at one of them and then I’ll stop and realize, ‘This is a different player.' ”

The new generation also has different skill sets and abilities than their older brothers.

The first group was filled with pure scorers who scored a combined 1,122 points during their junior and senior seasons. Save for Jake Woodward -- who through the Raiders' first four games this year has averaged 10.8 points per game, just 0.1 fewer than Robbie Woodward last year -- the new wave of brothers is less adept at shooting the ball then they are defending and running the floor. Brad Maxfield says his older brother's shooting ability still gives David the edge in most one-on-one pickup games, though Brad’s burly stature gives him a more physical presence.

Dylan McCarthy is a more prolific ballhandler than his older brother, but he likely won't come close to matching Tucker's 9.5 points per game as a senior in 2006-07.

Jason Martin likes to man the wing and set up easy baskets, while Justin made his living as a perimeter threat and occasional lane driver during his time at Lebanon.

Though the siblings' playing styles differ from one generation to the next, growing up with each other to learn the game from is probably the most valuable basketball attribute any of them possess.

“Playing pickup games out in the driveway, watching games together, then going to his games when he started playing, that's what got me into basketball,” said Dylan McCarthy, who played his first varsity game on opening night this year. “He's one of the best shooting guards I’ve seen. I’ve never really been one much for shooting, but he’s still influenced me a lot as a player.”

The Woodward brothers, sons of former Boston Red Sox pitcher Rob Woodward, maintain an air of sibling competition to this day and always pushed each other growing up, whether it be baseball or basketball.

“It wasn't really our dad that wanted us to keep playing basketball; it was our own decision to stick with it,” said Jake Woodward. “(Robbie) comes home from college every weekend and we still play. He's always willing to share constructive criticism.”

One varsity player with younger brothers in the Raiders' program is Zach Silver, a senior who has two freshmen brothers, Tyler and stepbrother Mark David, both on the jayvee team. Zach enjoys being on the older side of the sibling analogy, though he said all three brothers have been paying together for as long as any of them can remember.

“The best part of being older is just seeing how much they grow and get better,” Zach Silver said. “It's been great for me to have them to shoot around with and not be by myself. The fact that we've always played together has definitely made me better.”

Coach Matte's 11-year old son, K.J., is as much a product of Lebanon basketball as anyone else in the gym. The fifth-grader was born on Kieth's second season with the team and the youngster has attendedalmost every practice and game since he learned to walk.

“In a close-knit basketball community, he's about as close as it gets. He's been pretty much raised on the court with me since he got out of the hospital,” Kieth Matte said.

K.J. and the rest of the Raiders' supporters are hoping to see a strong season this year from a team that lost leading scorer Scott Faucher to graduation and has had to start the season without lone returning starter Brandon Kuhre, who is sidelined with a severe ankle injury.

Still, the early results have been promising. The Raiders showed an early knack for digging out tough victories by winning their first three games by an average of 2.3 points before losing by seven to Smithfield, R.I., on the final day of the Keene Holiday Tournament last week.

With Silver and Woodward helping to lead the offense, Lebanon hopes to have Kuhre back at full strength in time for the playoffs and seek its first postseason win since 2000.

“We haven't played great, but we've been up against some good teams and competed with them,” Matte said. “This team has a lot of room to grow, which is one good thing about coming into the season with guys who aren't already polished.”

The Raiders host rival Hanover tomorrow in their second league game and third for the Marauders.

Jared Pendak can be reached at jpendak@vnews.com or (603) 727-3306.