by Charles Fletcher–This year the Mustang men’s basketball team is primed to make another run at a national title. They return many key players from a team that went 24-8 and made it to the Sweet 16 of the NAIA National Tournament.
The key pieces back are the big three of Ely Doble, Jack Dotzler, and Joey Skoff. All three were all–conference players last season and have worked hard all offseason in order to repeat this success.
“Although we saw some success last season, we aren’t satisfied,” said senior big man Ely Doble. Doble added that this offseason there was an emphasis on getting stronger in the weight room. He said that in order to compete with teams that are taller than them overall, they must be a strong group.
“Coach Zach does a great job with us in the weight room, and we know that as a group we need to bring energy in there every day,” Doble said.
Other key returners include senior Aiden Vanderloo, and juniors Brendan Buckley and Justin Sitti. All three were contributors on last year’s team and are eager to win this year.
There are open spots in the rotation this year, and head coach Trent Miller will have to decide who will fill those. Juniors Dylan Johnson and Tyson Gordon are options, along with sophomores Caleb Dreckman and Dan Brocaille.
The Mustangs have a few weeks of official practice under their belts, and Associate Coach Landon Graver says things are looking promising. “The talent is definitely there as well as the chemistry, but we still have a lot of work to do.”
Head coach Trent Miler had this to say about the upcoming season: “We have a lot of work to do, especially on the defensive end, but I’m excited to see what we can accomplish this year.”
The Mustangs will continue to work hard until their first official game, which is scheduled for October 27 at Waldorf College. The Mustangs then have back–to–back contests against Kansas Wesleyan and Bethany College in the “Coyote Classic”. When the Mustangs take on Kansas Wesleyan, it will be rematch of last year’s national tournament round of 32.
Morningside opens GPAC play at Concordia, which is historically a very tough place to play. The Mustangs are ranked 13th nationally. Northwestern, no. 21, is the only other GPAC team in the top 25. Dordt and Jamestown will also compete for top spots.
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