Alvin Payne/Photo via LRSC
Both of Lake Region State College’s basketball teams traveled to Hamline University in St. Paul this past weekend for a duo of games each. All four games were close, with no margin of more than eight points in any individual contest, but LRSC combined to go 1-3. The men (6-4) split their two games while the women (5-5) lost both of theirs.
The Royals’ men started with a win on Friday, 86-81 over Minnesota West Community and Technical College. Poet Davis continued his early-season surge with 26 points, and Akok Ajou put up 20. Davis and Ginuwine Tropnas each had 11 rebounds. LRSC led by 12 at halftime and held on to win.
The victory was the 1,000th in the history of LRSC men’s basketball. Jared Marshall, who’s been the head coach since 2015, has led 139 of those wins. The program goes back to 1965.
“What a special achievement for our program,” Marshall said, per a press release. “I am honored to have played a part in it. A big congratulations to all our current/former players and coaches for this achievement. This is a testament to everyone’s hard work and the continued success of our program. Now let’s keep adding to it!”
But that was the last Royals win of the weekend. The men’s team lost 86-80 the next day to Bay College. It trailed by 14 at halftime and couldn’t quite claw back to win it, despite a worthy attempt. Davis was held to six points, while Ron Lee, Tropnas, Remy Davis Warington and Bronson Chambers all reached double figures.
The LRSC women’s team lost 69-65 to Minnesota West Community College on Friday. Sydney Schwabe led the Royals’ scoring with 18, while Jenna Tierney had 17 and Nicole Lillard had 12.
Morgan Leas, who had a delayed start to the season due to injury, got her first action of the season. She played 16 minutes and had three points and two rebounds. Elizabeth Kisolo, who’s been working her way back from an ACL injury, didn’t play in either game. Brinly Gregory, a freshman from Devils Lake, still hasn’t appeared in a game. So LRSC is still operating with only seven active players.
The Royals lost on Saturday, 75-67, to Bay College. They led 20-17 at the end of the first quarter, but got outscored by 14 in the second quarter and could never come all the way back. Kiara Holweger led LRSC with 16 points, while Schwabe and Arden Faulkner each had 13. Leas played 10 minutes.
The LRSC women’s team, now 5-5, is yet to lose a game by more than nine points. The Royals have outscored their opponents 694-625.
The men’s and women’s teams are back at it on the road this weekend with Friday and Saturday games. This time, they’re heading all the way to Wyoming for the Casper Thanksgiving Classic.
The women play at 2 p.m. on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. The men play at 8 p.m.
These are the last road games for both teams before they return home on Dec. 4 to play Jamestown JV. Conference play will begin on Jan. 5.
