“It started out fine with the first game,” said Bill Anderson, head coach of the Agates boys basketball team. Since that time, injuries have slowed the team down a bit, but their coach knows that his team is capable of great things this season.
After a dominant 29-point victory over Chisholm on November 29th, the team’s momentum was interrupted when one of their key starters was injured during practice. Jace Ruberg has been sidelined ever since, joining Jason Tate who is also recovering from an injury.
Following their Chisolm game, the team lost their next four games against Duluth Marshall, Mesabi East, Deer River, and Moose Lake-Willow River. “We got hammered pretty good,” the coach said, speaking to the matchup against Deer River. “We were in it for a half and then it kind of went away from us.”
Despite the challenges, Anderson has faith that the team will have plenty of time to get their game back on track. “It’s a long season. You always get injuries but hopefully you don’t get them all at once,” he said. “The kids are working hard and getting after it. Younger guys are stepping up, as I would expect them to.”
The team steps up in many ways, including helping around the community. One recent example includes six team members helping out at the 6th grade boys basketball tournament. They’ve also been known to help citizens move and volunteer for the American Legion, joining other area teams for a good cause. “They’re a good group of kids, for sure,” said Anderson.
When I talked to the coach, it was Parents Night. Tradition calls for the student-athletes to write thank you letters to their parents or someone influential in their lives, an exercise they enjoy, and a special keepsake for their family.
There is a good number in that group. Fifty-eight kids, from 7th-12th grades, play on the junior and varsity teams. Six team members hail from Silver Bay, including two senior players.
“They have good energy, they’re athletic, we compete hard,” said the coach. “Those are the big things.”
The Agates’ first goal of the season, one they set their sights on every year, is to finish in the top half of the section and secure a first-round home game— an opportunity they narrowly missed last season. They ended up in 9th place out of 16 teams after losing in a double overtime game.
“Hopefully we right the ship here a little bit and get some momentum back, which I think we certainly can do,” said Anderson. “We have to work on our execution better and get some shots up there. Right now, we’re scrambling to score, we’re struggling at shooting and taking care of the ball. But I expect that will get better as we gain more experience.”
He went on to say, “As we get healthier, hopefully we stay that way. I think we can compete, and I think we’ll be a hard team to play against because I know what we’re capable of doing once we have our full arsenal back.”
The team will have played North Woods by the time this publication prints. An upcoming tournament in Ely at the end of December will provide an additional opportunity for the team to grow into the team that is, as the coach forecasts, hard to beat!
In other basketball news:
The Two Harbors girls basketball team recently secured a significant win against North Woods, dominating with a final score of 52-38. Junior varsity also picked up a victory that night. “The Agate girls worked very hard for their wins,” posted Coach Gavin Bopp. This triumph followed a loss to South Ridge earlier in the week, after which they played Cherry.
Senior Rachel Bopp was recently recognized in another sport, named to the 2024 Duluth News Tribune All-Area Volleyball team. The newspaper praised Bopp for leading a young squad, and she was also honored back in October for reaching 1,000 digs in her high school volleyball career.
The Silver Bay girls basketball team played against Duluth Denfeld, with the results to be reported later due to publication dates. They are still seeking their first win, a struggle also faced by Cook County’s team. The two local teams faced off in Silver Bay, results to be reported at a later time.
Since the last update on the Cook County boys basketball team, the Vikings won two more home games, defeating Carlton/ Wrenshall 78-56. However, they fell to Cromwell-Wright on an unlucky Friday the 13th.
