(Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, the production staff at the Citizen-Tribune inadvertantly failed to feature the boys basketball team in last week’s coverage. Staff at the newspaper regret this mistake and thus we are running the feature as it was supposed to have been displayed last week).
Head basketball Coach Josh Ihrke will be shuffling his varsity lineup out of 42 boys in the Becker basketball system for grades nine through 12. Currently, he has 13 assigned to the varsity roster.
Josh Fobbe, an integral part of the success of the Becker football and basketball teams over the years, will be sidelined for the season with a knee injury he sustained during the football campaign.
Ihrke has four assistants he is working with for the 42 boys — including Tony Miller (JV,A), Ryan Seavert (JV,B), Ajay Pizza (JV,B) and Marqus McGlothlan (ninth grade). The only rule change for this upcoming season is the MSHSL instituted the new “restricted arc rule” patterned after the NCAA.
The rule states, “A secondary defender cannot establish initial legal guarding position in the restricted area for the purpose of drawing a player control foul/charge when defending a player who is in control of the ball (i.e. dribbling or shooting) or who has released the ball for a pass or try.
The restricted-area arc will be a solid single-colored two-inch line formed by a semicircle measured from the center of the basket to the inside edge with a radius of four feet and extending in a straight line to the front face of the backboard.
Ihrke returns starters Brandon Gustafson, Sam Ricker and Cade Callahan, who he expects to be his team leaders. Others Ihrke is looking for solid production and leadership from are Nick Mittelstaedt, Gabe Lindbom, Carter Hietala, and Sam Koubsky.
“We are better sized at the guard position this year,” said Ihrke. “We are athletic and strong here. We are not as deep at the forward position with the amount of size.”
With skyscrapers Gustafson and Callahan in the middle, Ihrke expects his team to match up well with their opponents. He also expects his team to be one of the top in the conference as well as section playoffs.
“We have a tough schedule. We expect to finish at the top of the conference and hope to be a top seed in the section,” he said.
In the Granite Ridge, Albany and St. Cloud Cathedral will again be their toughest foes. In section play, Delano (who won the state title last year), Big Lake and Willmar will be formidable opponents.
“We also face Princeton, STMA, Mpls. Roosevelt and Rogers,” Ihrke said.
With the boys basketball program at BHS holding a bright future, Ihrke encourages the youngsters who are interested in starting on varsity someday to follow some simple mandates:
“Improve your the skills of ball handling with vision, be able to catch and hit jump shots, and create your own shots are great skills to improve on as a basketball player,” he says.
Ihrke’s goal — besides winning a state title — is to have his players develop relationships that help each other improve as people and as basketball players. Also, to improve from start to finish of the season. He feels his strengths as a coach are developing bonds with each player and communicating well to what is expected of each player and the team.
The varsity lineup includes Sam Ricker, Nick Mittelsteadt, Carter Hietala, James Schafer, Sam Koubsky, Basil Ricker, Gabe Lindbom, Cade Callahan and Brandon Gustafson. The student managers are Brooke Tierney and Shaylyn Quernemoen.
The boys kicked off their season Dec. 6 at Big Lake.
