Men's basketball team faces a tough schedule
11/6/2009
By Travis Dedina
Staff Writer
With an experienced starting five returning for the Yellowjacket Men’s Basketball team, the 2009-2010 basketball season has many different aspects of excitement available.
The five starters include junior forward Jake Smith and senior guard Dwight Hill, who both received WIAC All-Conference Honorable Mention Awards last year.
Joining Smith and Hill are junior guard Dan Culy, the team’s second leading scorer in 2008-2009, and second-year starter junior center Greg Roeder.
The team also added junior forward Marcus Helland, a transfer from University of Minnesota-Duluth.
“I think our team is an exciting group, they have a lot of potential. We want to push the ball and dictate the tempo of the game,” said Interim Head Coach Logan Flora, who spent last year as an assistant under Dave Buchanan and replaced him after he resigned this summer.
The Yellowjackets will get a chance to prepare for their opening game with an exhibition game against the University of Wisconsin Badgers in Madison on November 11.
The ‘Jackets then open their regular season on November 21 as they host Martin Luther College in Mertz Mortorelli Gym.
The ‘Jackets then face Division II neighbor University of Minnesota-Duluth before they begin their conference schedule against UW-River Falls on December 2.
“We’d really like to make a move in the top half of our conference,” said Flora. “Our biggest challenge will be doing something that hasn’t been done here before. These guys are all very motivated and would like to put their own stamp on this program, and winning a conference championship we feel would do that.”
The five starters include junior forward Jake Smith and senior guard Dwight Hill, who both received WIAC All-Conference Honorable Mention Awards last year.
Joining Smith and Hill are junior guard Dan Culy, the team’s second leading scorer in 2008-2009, and second-year starter junior center Greg Roeder.
The team also added junior forward Marcus Helland, a transfer from University of Minnesota-Duluth.
“I think our team is an exciting group, they have a lot of potential. We want to push the ball and dictate the tempo of the game,” said Interim Head Coach Logan Flora, who spent last year as an assistant under Dave Buchanan and replaced him after he resigned this summer.
The Yellowjackets will get a chance to prepare for their opening game with an exhibition game against the University of Wisconsin Badgers in Madison on November 11.
The ‘Jackets then open their regular season on November 21 as they host Martin Luther College in Mertz Mortorelli Gym.
The ‘Jackets then face Division II neighbor University of Minnesota-Duluth before they begin their conference schedule against UW-River Falls on December 2.
“We’d really like to make a move in the top half of our conference,” said Flora. “Our biggest challenge will be doing something that hasn’t been done here before. These guys are all very motivated and would like to put their own stamp on this program, and winning a conference championship we feel would do that.”
