Photo via lrscroyals.com
After back-to-back disappointing seasons, the Royals wanted a change.
They got that. Last year, the Lake Region State College men’s basketball team brought in a ton of new talent. The Royals went on to finish third in the Mon-Dak and win a playoff game. They collected 16 wins after just 12 over the previous two seasons combined.
But now they want to keep going.
“I think these guys have a chance to be competitive,” LRSC head coach Jared Marshall said. “The biggest challenge for us is going to be when we gel, and we’re gonna hit some rough patches. … We’ve had some injuries, and we’re not gonna be great right away. Just sticking together through the tough stuff.”
This year’s roster has 16 players, including 11 who are new to the program. There are five North Dakotans, two of whom went to high schools in the Lake Region. There’s also a Division-I transfer and five international players.
Marshall said he’s pleased with how quickly the guys from different backgrounds have come together.
“I think our relationship with one another, our team camaraderie, is really high,” he said. “We’ve got a great group of guys. Great attitudes. They really have bonded together off the court. So that’s fun to watch, and fun to see that happen so fast, so early.”
In scrimmages, though, they’re still trying to find a way to gel.
“On the court, we are still a work in progress,” Marshall said. “Still trying to find the right lineups for us. Still trying to find the right things for each of the guys that’s gonna make us the best team that we can be. So we’re definitely not a finished product going into this weekend.”
The Royals open their season with a tournament in New Town on Friday through Sunday. They’ll be without Alvin Payne, their top returning offensive player. Marshall said Payne was having a great offseason but suffered an injury in a recent scrimmage against Minnesota Crookston.
Payne hurt his MCL and will miss at least a few weeks.
“Tough blow for us heading into a big weekend to start the season,” Marshall said. “Hopefully we can get him back sooner rather than later, but not something you want to rush and linger throughout the year.”
The team is also recovering from a brief scare, after a handful of its players were involved in a crash on Highway 2. No major injuries were reported. But Marshall said some of the guys are still dealing with bumps and bruises from the incident.
Akok Ajou, one of the other top returners, is out with a concussion but should be able to play in New Town.
“Nothing crazy, and it could have been a lot, lot worse,” Marshall said. “We’re very thankful for Preston Sundeen, the driver of that vehicle, for keeping it on the road and keeping those guys safe. He was a godsend to our team, and I’m forever grateful for that.”
Despite Payne and Ajou’s early-season dings, they’ll be two of the most important players on the team.
Payne, Ajou and Remy Davis Warrington are the Royals’ captains.
“Those are three guys that we rely on heavy to carry out my message amongst the guys in what we are,” Marshall said, “and tell the new guys, ‘Hey, that’s not what we do’ and ‘That’s not how we do it.’ Really reinforce the culture on the day-to-day stuff. And those three guys do a wonderful job of that.”
Ajou, like he did last year, will help lead a “small ball five” style of play. Marshall named freshman bigs Ikhuoria “OJ” Osezojie and Brennan Johnson in helping fill that out.
OJ and Johnson are each listed at 6-foot-8.
Marshall said the team is really missing the presence of 6-foot-10 Ginuwine Tropnas, who was a two-year starter for the Royals.
“We’re giving up a lot of paint points, because we’re a smaller team and we’re not protecting the rim as well,” Marshall said. “Having a guy like Ginuwine, your school’s all-time leader in blocks — and who knows how many shots he altered over his time here — that’s not an easy thing to replace. And so we need to be a better perimeter-guarding team. But OJ’s gonna do a good job keeping the boards going for us and playing defense.”
OJ was a late addition to the roster. The Royals had three other bigs on the roster entering the school year, but two of them had their international visas denied. Another just stopped responding.
“So that was a disappointing thing for us to lose that kind of size,” Marshall said. “We’re fortunate we were able to bring OJ in to replace that. He’s a long, athletic, hyperactive player. Rebounds very well. Still raw. But he’s gonna play for us and see minutes.”
As to how to pronounce OJ’s full name?
“I’ve asked him to say it for me about seven times, and I still can’t say it right,” Marshall said.
Johnson, meanwhile, joins the team from Tioga, N.D. He led Class B in scoring and rebounding last season.
“A guy that has had to adjust a little bit to this level — the speed, the talent, things like that,” Marshall said. “But he’s made the adjustment pretty quick.”
Marshall described Johnson as a “bull in the china shop” who complements what OJ brings.
“Really bullies you,” Marshall said of Johnson. “Bruiser. Strong in the paint. Physical guy. So having that kind of difference between the two has been very helpful.”
Last year, LRSC only shot 28% from behind the arc. Marshall mentioned players like Lance Bradley, Little Hail Perkins and Cooper Adams as those who could spread the floor this season.
“We’re gonna play fast, just like we did last year,” Marshall said. “Honestly, I think we’re playing a lot faster than we did last year. We’re getting up and down in a hurry, and I think we’re gonna be a better shooting team this year.”
The Royals should also be bolstered by the addition of Derrick Lee Jr., who transferred after redshirting at Division-I Kent State University.
Marshall has had a few wins in the portal over recent years. Clarence Daniels and Bronson Chambers were some of the success stories to precede Lee.
“Staying active in that stuff has led to us being able to farm some of those guys, and have access to those guys maybe more than we would have in the past,” Marshall said.
A 6-foot-5 guard, Lee plays an all-around game that should help out the Royals in multiple areas.
“I love it, man,” Lee said. “Everyone’s getting along, and I feel like we’re gonna be good this year, man. … I just feel like our team has a great connection and chemistry.”
This year’s squad also has more of a North Dakota flavor than past years’. Marshall got a pair of sophomores, Dalen Leftbear and Dane Hagler, to transfer closer to home after beginning their college careers elsewhere. Leftbear is a Four Winds alum, while Hagler is from Cando.
“Those are two guys where we developed the relationships throughout high school,” Marshall said. “And you don’t want to burn bridges. They’re more than welcome to come back home and play for us.”
Hagler actually played baseball for the Royals last spring, where he was one of the best pitchers and hitters on the team. He hasn’t played basketball since leading North Star to the Class B state championship game in March 2024.
Despite the time off, Marshall said Hagler didn’t show much rust during practice.
“He came in right away and was doing some things that I didn’t even see him doing in high school,” Marshall said. “So he kind of hit the ground running in that aspect.”
In the first couple scrimmages, the pace caught up to him. But Hagler has gotten more comfortable at the college level through the rest of the preseason schedule, Marshall said.
Leftbear and Hagler are joined by Johnson, Hail Perkins and Bradley as in-state additions.
“All North Dakota guys that are gonna be contributing in some way, shape or form,” Marshall said. “And hopefully with those guys, and the other talent we have around them, we can expect a good crowd this year.”
With so many guys to choose from, Marshall has started a different five in every scrimmage. Certain guys have established their spots to start this Friday.
“But moving forward, it can change,” Marshall said. “And it’s week-to-week on, ‘What have you done for me lately?’ And I think that helps our practices be more competitive, when guys are still fighting for roles and fighting for spots.”
Marshall also indicated that he might throw in a new line of guys more often during games.
“We want to be more aggressive defensively and keep guys fresh,” Marshall said. “By having a deeper bench that’s capable of playing, we’re gonna utilize that.”
Marshall is entering his 11th year as head coach of the Royals. The last time they won a conference championship was before his tenure. But he’s bringing the same goals that he aspires to with every team: Win 20 games, finish in the top half of the Mon-Dak and play for the region title.
It all starts Friday with a 5:15 p.m. tip-off against Dakota County Technical College.
“We’re gonna be a little bit of a roller coaster early,” Marshall said. “If we can kind of weather the storm and stick together, we’ll be all right.”
