Voyageurs open 2009-10 season with split at Mesabi Range Tournament
Long-time Rainy River Community College coach Dieter Humbert finished only 13-33 in his first two seasons running the men’s basketball program, but the 2009-10 season is bringing plenty of optimism.
“I’m really excited about this group,” Humbert said. “I think we have an excellent pool of talent. Excellent sophomore leadership.”
RRCC’s top two scorers return from a season ago — Bentley Hylton and Dylan Clarke-Knaeble — and will captain this year’s squad. The Voyageurs also added 29-year-old sophomore Antonio White, who played for Hibbing in 2005 and led the Northern Division in scoring at over 25 points a contest. White was living in Cincinnati.
“(White) will be an excellent sophomore leader and talent, as well,” Humbert said.
Humbert contacted White back in 2007 about playing, White said, and the sophomore reconnected this summer interested in helping out.
“I was just calling to talk to him. He’s a nice guy,” White said about Humbert.
White is just one of a number of new players splashed all over the 14-member roster.
“We got people that can do some stuff this year,” Hylton said. “We got people that can slash. We got people who can shoot. A lot of athletic people this year.”
Out of the 10 freshman, two are from local schools — Mason Imhof from Littlefork-Big Falls and Zack Olson from International Falls — and three more are from Minnesota. Evan Ziegler is from Sartell, Ray Walker is from Bemidji and Jack Phetsanghane hails from Warroad.
Ziegler put up double figures in the first two games over the weekend, while fellow freshman Brandon Bradley scored 17 points and grabbed six rebounds in a win over Hibbing in the season-opener.
The Voyageurs trumped Hibbing 81-70 on Friday in the opener before losing Saturday 77-75 in overtime to Mesabi Range in the Mesabi Tournament.
Ziegler scored a team-high 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the opener, while Clarke-Knaeble added a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Smith had 11 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
Saturday, Clarke-Knaeble posted 23 points and 15 rebounds, Smith and Hylton tallied 14 points apiece and Ziegler finished with 11 points and eight rebounds. Hylton added eight rebounds and six assists.
“The teams we’ve seen, they’re decent, but we can come out on top,” Clarke-Knaeble said.
The Voyageurs also added freshman Antoine Smith, Chris Sanders, Javon Swinnie and Xavere Rogers, all from Chicago. St. Paul Johnson’s Brandon Bell will be eligible in the second semester.
The only big and unexpected loss is with sophomore Derek Scully. Scully, a freshman captain a season ago, tore his labrum in his shoulder and had surgery in April. He didn’t rule out coming back after Christmas, but he won’t decide until the break.
The Voyageurs return to action this weekend in the Vermilion Tournament.
“I’m looking for a winning season. That’s my first goal. Then state. Then nationals,” Hylton said.
2009-10 RRCC Men’s Basketball Schedule
DATE OPPONENT TIME
11/20 vs. TBD @ Vermilion Tournament TBA
11/21 vs. TBD @ Vermilion Tournament TBA
12/4 at Fergus Falls 8 p.m.
12/5 at St. Cloud Tech 3 p.m.
12/11 HOME vs. Minneapolis 8 p.m.
12/12 HOME vs. Anoka-Ramsey 3 p.m.
12/18-19 @ Central Lakes Tournament TBA
1/2-3 @ Minn-Dak Classic in Bottineau, ND TBA
1/6 HOME vs. Mesabi Range 8 p.m.
1/9 at Northland 4 p.m.
1/15 at Central Lakes 8 p.m.
1/16 at Itasca 3 p.m.
1/20 HOME vs. Vermilion 8 p.m.
1/23 at Fond Du Lac 3 p.m.
1/27 at Hibbing 8 p.m.
1/30 HOME vs. Itasca 3 p.m.
2/5 HOME vs. Fond Du Lac 8 p.m.
2/6 HOME vs. Northland 3 p.m.
2/10 at Vermilion 8 p.m.
2/13 HOME vs. Central Lakes 3 p.m.
2/17 HOME vs. Hibbing 8 p.m.
2/20 at Mesabi Range 3 p.m.
