The Pine City Basketball team is coming off one of the best seasons the Dragons have had in a long time. Pine City posted a 23-6 record and won a co-championship with Hinckley-Finlayson. They earned a home playoff game where they defeated Holdingford handily. Then the went to St. John's and knocked off the #1 seed Annandale 56-52 before losing a very close game to Eden Valley-Watkins.
The Dragons have set similar goals for the 2018-19 season and look to get things started on a bright note tonight against Zimmerman.
Pine City Boys Basketball Preview with Kyle Allen:
What are you most excited for this year?
I love the process and the grind; how a team comes together. Every season is a new lifetime. This year will be no different. We have some big pieces that were a big part of what we did for a long time graduate. But we are excited about what is coming in this year. We feel like we are no longer in rebuilding mode, but in reloading phase. You never know what players are going to step up into new roles. These boys put in so much time, are so dedicated to our process, our culture, and our system. We feel we have created a recipe for success and these boys are bought in and enjoying it!
How is the roster shaping up? Do you have a lot of new players? Are you returning a lot of players? Younger? Older? Etc. We return four boys with a lot of varsity experience in Jake Adams, Nick Hansmann, Seth Logan, and Konnor Jusczak. They will be pushed by players that were apart of the only two 20-win JV seasons in school history including: Koleman Lind (Jr.), Christian Fromm (Jr.), Tanner Wicktor (Jr.), Caleb Fromm (So.), Duke Waxberg (Jr.), Chris Trudeau (Jr.), and Kameron Jusczak (Fr.).
Who are a couple athletes that will stand out?
Jake Adams, Senior: Jake is coming back with a lot of experience and had a phenomenal offseason. He was unstoppable at times this summer when we played other competition. He is really going to turn some heads around the state. He has turned into a complete basketball player.
Nick Hansmann, Senior: Nick has been with me the longest up on varsity. He is one of the best shooters in the state. However, as elite as a shooter as he is, his greatest trait is still his talking, energy, and communication. It is second to none. The more kids that try to emulate him in practice in games in that, the better we will be!
Seth Logan, Junior: Seth has played in some big moments over the last two years. He has really grown into himself as a player and within our system. His skill set coupled with his size makes him a mismatch nightmare for every team we play.
Konnor Jusczak, Junior: Konnor got a ton of great experience last year as a sophomore. He is a natural leader who has a ton of tools in his toolbox. His development will be crucial for our team, but should be very fun to watch. I have full faith in Konnor to reach his potential.
What are your goals?
Win Conference. Home Playoff Game. Make a run at State
Anything Else?
The pure amount of time and dedication these boys put into our program is second to none. We ask a lot of them, and they continue to answer the call. What you get to see on a game night is countless hours of blood, sweat, and tears. We believe in the family model and our boys are bought into what we are selling. It is a really fun process!
