Winter came on like a fast break and means we're that much closer to everything that the hardwood will include! Every season has it's own flavor but with new additions to the local scene & significant turnover from last year to this one the 2022/2023 season will be a ride all it's own.
In preparation for the first games this edition comes courtesy of coach Kyle Card talking about Oak Grove boys hoops.
Before looking ahead, what are the best memories from last season?
"We made another good run at the Region Tournament by staying close with Enderlin in the Region Semi-Final game. It was a fun game to be a part of, but bittersweet for the coach. My last son graduated from OG, so for the first time in 12 years, I will not have a son in the program."
Did your team participate in any camps this past Summer? If so, how did your team benefit from that? Did any players surprise you with what they showed during the workouts?
Have you already had players in the gym working on their game this Fall?
"We participate in a lot of team camps in the summer. I try to get between 25-30 games for every year and try to include as many players as possible that I think may help us in the next year or two. We made tremendous progress from where we were at our first camp in June (Dickinson St.) to our last camp in July (Ada, MN). We had a couple players step up, but will need to see what they can do once regular season games start. We have done a few pre-season work-outs with Sanford Power for a little tune-up to the season."
Luke Johnson has been identified as a player to watch in the region, how have you seen him improve? How might he continue to progress?
"Luke improved quite a bit from where he was at last year. He really worked at his game and we saw a lot of good things out of him this summer. He still needs to improve his strength and become more confident on the floor."
Who are some of the players you anticipate will help fill-in for Trevon Rodriguez, Cody Card & the other departures? What do they bring to the roster?
"Trevon will be missed as he was our main ball-handler but having Rylee Bakkegard back to take over the point guard position will be huge. He has a lot of varsity experience and can help us in many different ways. Cody’s tenacity, leadership, and work ethic will be missed tremendously. A lot of things he gave to the BB team do not always get recognized, so we will need to find someone else to help in that category. He always guarded the opponent’s best player, no matter the size or position. Trey Hatfield has HUGE upside and he could be a fun player to watch. He has made big strides in areas of his game. We look for Trey to have a monster year for us!" Is there a certain aspect of the game that you think will be the strength of your team?
"If we can have come players step up and give us some good varsity minutes, our depth will be a positive for us. We have 5-6 solid guys that if they play up to their potential and accept their roles, so we should be competitive in Region 1."
To boil it down, what would make the upcoming season a successful one?
"We hope to make another run come tournament time in Region 1. As always, our region will be one of the tougher ones in the state, so for us to be successful we need everyone to be ready to contribute no matter what their role is. Rylee Bakkegard and Trey Hatfield will definitely be our leading scorers, and if we can get some consistency around them, it could be a fun year."