New Faces, Same Expectations
Men's basketball gearing up for season.
When the Royals take the court for the first time this season there will be a lot of new faces. Twelve of them to be exact. With Sophomore Forward Gage Pollestad from Drayton, ND as the lone returner.
Despite all the new faces the expectations remain the same according to Head Coach Jared Marshall. Win 20 games, compete for the MonDak Conference Championship & play for the Region XIII Championship. “Those are the goals every year,” according to Marshall. It doesn’t matter if everyone is returning or everyone is new, with winning seasons in 7 of the last 8 years under Marshall including two 20+ win seasons & two 19 win seasons, expectations are always high.
“We have a rich tradition here at LRSC and a built in consistency with our program.”
While there may be a lot of new faces to the Royals faithful, there are a few that are familiar with the college game. Mayson Brown, Ja’Vion Byers & Sam Faraday are all Junior College transfers who Marshall expects to bring valuable experience to the team this year. “Those are guys we are going to lean on heavy this year, I am going to expect a lot out of them,” says Marshall.
Expectations will also be high for the freshman according to Marshall. “This is junior college basketball, we expect freshman to come in, contribute and play right away.”
Size will be an advantage for the Royals this year with 7 players listed at 6’5 or above on the roster. LRSC will look to get the ball inside and establish themselves early.
“Overall, I am looking forward to what I think could be another great season for us. I think we have a lot of talent and skill in place. Now it is just going to come down to toughness & execution. If we play Royals basketball, I think we will find a lot of success,” says Marshall.
The Royals are coming off a season where they went 20-12, lost to the eventual Region Champions in Dawson CC in the Semi-Finals. They will open up the season on the road in Jamestown on Nov. 1st vs. UJJV. The first chance to see them in home action will be Friday Nov. 11th at the Sportscenter. Opponent and time TBD based off of their finish at the Buster Gillis MonDak Pre-Conference Tournament in New Town, ND the weekend prior.