Bermuda Hogges coach Maurice Lowe expects new signing Drewonde Bascome to have a big impact this Premier Development League (PDL) season.The midfield schemer, the son of top local coach Andrew Bascome, is set to make his debut in tonight’s season curtain raiser against New Jersey Rangers at BAA Field.Bascome impressed for Premier Division side Robin Hood last term and Lowe believes the 20-year-old will add a touch more guile and creativity to the Hogges build-up play.“Drewonde Bascome is new to the league and I’m expecting good things to come from him,” said Lowe, whose side secured a mid-table position with their best ever points tally last season.“He’s committed himself to us this season and I expect him to bring some cleverness to our team. I think both Drewonde and Angelo Simmons can have big seasons for us.”Hogges will be without club captain Keishen Bean for tonight’s match because of overseas school commitments. Bean, last season’s top scorer with eight goals, is expected to join up with the squad later in the summer.Boston-based national team captain Khano Smith has made himself available for the team’s away matches, while ex-indoor professional John Barry Nusum returns to the Hogges fold after a four-year hiatus.Lowe has stressed the importance of making a winning start tonight and believes a successful season will be the perfect preparation for this summer’s Digicel Caribbean Cup.“You’re not going to win or lose the league in the first game but it does have a significance on how our season goes,” said the former Bermuda skipper. “I think if we had won the first game last season the whole season would have panned out differently.“We split the games against New Jersey Rangers last season, they beat us at home we beat them away. We’re two evenly matched teams so we’re definitely looking to get three points from the match. Bermuda is progressing as a football nation and I think our results this summer will reflect that.”Hogges owner Paul Scope is optimistic on Hogges’ chances of reaching the play-offs and hopes they can feed of the “feel-good factor” that gathered momentum during Bermuda’s World Cup qualifying campaign.“I’m very excited this year, more than I have been since the first season,” Scope said. “I think the last couple of seasons we’ve got a better measure of the PDL, which I definitely think is the level we can compete in.“I think there’s been a feel-good factor on the Island since the World Cup when most of the Hogges team were involved, so that should bode well for us.”Nusum’s inclusion in the Hogges squad should serve as a major boost, according to Scope, who believes the Wolves coach can become the “missing jigsaw” in the team’s backline.“I’m thrilled that John Barry Nusum is back, especially as a defender because he was outstanding in the World Cup qualifiers. Quite frankly, that’s been a missing piece of the team’s jigsaw throughout our brief history.“The only other time we’ve had a dominant centre back was when Kofi Dill had a good season for us in 2008. We’ve been always been a bit lacking in that department, which has been a real weakness for us because of the very direct way the American teams like to play.“I think John can be a key player for us because we have some talented young centre backs but they lack a bit of experience.”Rangers have played two games already this season. They drew 1-1 at Reading United in their opening game, before losing 4-1 at home against Brooklyn Knights.Hogges take on Rangers at BAA Field tonight. Kick-off is 7pm. On Sunday Hogges return to BAA Field to face Knights at 5pm.