It's not big, and it's not easily noticeable, but the reminder is hanging there.

In white letters on a blue background it reads: 1976-77.

That was the last time Elizabethtown won a section championship in boys basketball. The banner, posted on a Daubert Gymnasium wall among a cluster of identical banners for other sports, serves as evidence of E-town's mostly futile hoops history.

"We definitely talk about it," senior guard Chad Styer said. "I don't think we pay as much attention to it as we should. I look up there a lot. I see 1977. That was a while ago."

No member of E-town's senior-laden roster was within 10 years of being born the last time the Bears finished on top of the standings.

Some decent teams have represented the school recently. E-town has qualified for the league playoffs five times since 1997, including three second-place finishes in Section Two.

But there have been zero titles.

It makes this season, which tips off for most Lancaster-Lebanon League teams tonight, all the more exciting for E-town. The Bears have what looks like a championship caliber roster.

E-town's rise began quietly in January. After a slow 2-7 start, it won 15 of 18 games at one point to finish second in Section Two and reach the District Three playoffs.

The Bears shocked everyone by advancing to the Class AAAA semifinals and earning a berth in the state tournament.

Three senior starters return: Styer, a 6-3 sharpshooter, 6-2 swingman Quinn Cozzens and 6-3 forward Kyle McNeil.

They are E-town's foundation. Their presence has momentarily changed the way the Bears are perceived.

"It's interesting because traditionally E-town doesn't have a lot of success," Cozzens said. "It's kind of new for everybody here. I think we're handling it pretty well. We're working hard and trying to do our best."

If returning three starters from a state playoff qualifier wasn't enough to create some buzz, E-town is also boosted by two talented transfers.

Jeremi Jones, a 6-1 senior guard, comes from Mount Calvary, where he was a 1,000-point scorer. Andrew Placeres, a 5-10 senior, moves in from Middletown and will take over the point guard duties.

Those newcomers along with returning role players Jordan Hoover and Brad Garber give E-town unusual depth.

On the surface it looks like an embarrassment of riches, but adding new players to a group of established seniors can lead to problems.

"It creates some challenges," coach Kevin Dolan said. "These guys that we have as seniors have all played together for a lot of years. Now all of a sudden we have two other guys in the mix. Is that going to affect chemistry? And is it going to affect playing time, which ultimately affects chemistry?"

Those questions are yet to be answered.

E-town has some other issues. Its star players are almost all perimeter-oriented guards and the team lacks a true center. It also remains to be seen how well the Bears handle being perceived as a frontrunner. Wearing the bull's-eye isn't easy.

E-town and Conestoga Valley, the defending champ, are the favorites in Section Two. They'll be joined by perennial powers Hempfield, McCaskey and Lancaster Catholic in the fight for league supremacy.

Just being on that list is a nice change for E-town. After getting a taste of the big-time last season, they want another sip.

"It's a lot of fun winning," said McNeil, who played for the school's section championship football team in 2007.

"It's fun to be on top. I think it's something the rest of our team should experience before they graduate. I've been through it and I loved it."

Dolan, an Elizabethtown-based attorney who has coached for 12 seasons with both the boys and girls programs at the school, finds himself in an unexpectedly plum position.

The E-town alum has been given the keys to the kind of team that doesn't come to town very often.

"It is a rare opportunity," Dolan said. "I consider myself a very lucky person to have stepped into a situation where there are such good kids. I'm not talking about basketball. These are good kids."

They're pretty good on the court as well. During their playoff run in February and March, they showed that E-town could stand alongside the elite.

Now they try to take their success a step further.

"There's a banner up there that shows section championships," Dolan said. "There aren't many up there for basketball."

In fact, there's only one.

E-town's goal this season is to finally add to that list.

E-mail: jguarente@lnpnews.com