The Minnewaska Area boys basketball team is hoping for an improved season this winter after winning just seven total games over the last three seasons combined.

The Lakers went 4-23 in 2021-22, 1-25 in 2022-23 and 2-25 last season and also lost five players from last year’s team, including All-Conference pick Dylan Alexander and honorable mention choice Alex Panitzke, along with Austin Ballhagen, Jack Majerus and Ryland Martin.

However, the team does return a good nucleus of players, including seven players that saw significant action for the Lakers last year.

The Lakers are set to open up the season with a trio of road games at KMS, Tuesday, Dec. 3, at BBE, Thursday, Dec. 5 and at Redwood Valley, Saturday, Dec. 7, before coming home for the home opener, Tuesday, Dec. 10 to face NLS.

Back to coach the Lakers for is second-year head coach Zach Traphagen, who will be assisted by Brian Walker, Gabe Eisenbacher, Brian Gruber and Brett Thorfinnson.

Both of the wins last year for the Lakers came against Benson.  The season came to an end with a 56-49 loss to Montevideo in the opening round of the Section 3AA Tourney.

Minnewaska Area also had close losses to BBE (68-66), HLWW (55-47), Litchfield (58-50) and top-ranked Montevideo during the Section 3AA opener, 56-49.

The Lakers, who were seeded eighth in their sub-section, gave top-seeded Montevideo a run for its money before the Thunderhawks went on an 11-1 run over the game’s final 4:35 to rally for the win.

Montevideo fell to Morris Area in the next round and the Tigers went on to play Jackson County Central for the Section 3AA title, losing 67-52.  At state, JCC fell to Pequot Lakes in the Class AA consolation championship game.

West Central Area won last year’s WCC title with a 12-2 record, followed by Sauk Centre and Montevideo (both 10-4), Morris Area-CA (9-5), Melrose Area (8-6), BOLD (5-9), Minnewaska Area (2-12) and Benson (0-14).

WCA had four players named to the All-WCC team last winter, while Sauk Centre, Morris Area and Montevideo each had three, Melrose had two and BOLD and Minnewaska Area both had one.  This will be Benson’s last year in the WCC before it moves to a smaller conference.

2023-24 awards and stats

Senior Dylan Alexander earned the Most Valuable Player award for the 2023-24 season.  He averaged about 4.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while also leading the Lakers with 77 assists and 42 steals.

Alexander also earned the Defensive Player of the Year award, while senior Alex Panitzke won the Offensive Player of the Year honor.  Panitzke averaged 8.8 points and 3 rebounds per game and also had 61 assists and 37 steals.

In addition, junior Owen Meulebroeck earned the Most Improved Award last winter, while junior Carter Meyer won the Best Teammate honor and Alexander  was also named for the Hardest Worker Award.

•  The Lakers averaged 51.5 points per game last year, shooting 36 percent from the field, 27 percent on 3-pointers and 58 percent from the line.  The Lakers scored 60 or more points five times last year and  gave up 75 or more points six times.

•  Marc Gruber led the Lakers in scoring last year with 267 points (10.7 points per game), while Tenzin Dahl was next with 213, followed in the top five by Alex Panitzke with 210 points, Connor Frey with 190 and Dylan Alexander with 116 points.

That means the Lakers return three of their top five scorers this season.

Alexander led the Lakers in rebounding with 136 rebounds (5.2 rebounds per game), while Dahl had 118 boards, Gruber had 80, Panitzke had 71 and Owen Meulebroeck pulled down 68 rebounds.

Alexander also led the Lakers in assists with 77 and steals with 42, while Luke Danielson had a team-high eight blocked shots during the season with Meulebroeck rejecting six shots.

Panitzke was second in assists with 61, followed in the top five by Gruber with 38, Levi Johnson with 30 and Dahl with 23, while Panitzke was also second with 37 steals, followed by Dahl with 31, Connor Frey with 29 and Gruber with 22.

•  The Lakers had four 20-point games last season.  Dahl had a season-high 21 points for the Lakers during the first win against Benson, while Alex Panitzke had 26 points during the second win over the Braves, Gruber hit 21 pints during a loss to Barnesville and Owen Meulebroeck scored 20 points during a loss to NLS.

The top rebounding game was Meulebroeck’s 12 boards against Melrose, while Alexander had 10 rebounds during the second win over Benson.

Check out more photos in our photo gallery!