I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.
Nov. 14, 1998
By Devlyn Brooks
The Beaver's men's basketball team starts its season on the road today with a nonconference contest versus Minnesota State University, Mankato.
Mankato, a Northern Collegiate Conference team, will be a tough assignment for the Beavers who finished 11-16 a year ago.
Not only are the Mavericks a probable challenger in the NCC, but the Beavers are sporting several new faces, contributing to an early season lack of chemistry.
The 11-16 overall record the Beavers posted last year was a marked improvement for the program, and the 4-8 finish in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference was good enough for a tied for fourth.
The Beavers' leading scorer, B.J. LaVelle, returns this year as a starting small forward, and Ken Ponto, last year's rebounding leader, will fill the other forward position.
Seth Greenwald, who tore ligaments in his knee with six games remaining last year, is back at the two guard position. His injury contributed to the struggles the Beavers had at the end of last season.
Sophomore forward Mac Smith, who averaged 7.8 points per game last year, will start at center versus Mankato.
The newest member of the starting cast is junior Carlos Barnes, a junior college transfer from Gogebic Community College in Ironwood, Mich.
Barnes will be playing point guard, a position for which he beat out freshman standout Joey Riccio.
Mankato returns a tough all-conference point guard, who will be surrounded by experience at each position, Beaver coach Dave Gunther said.
"I think we can match up fairly well with them," Gunther said this week. "(But) our big guys are going to have to step up."
Gunther said he thinks there are three keys for the Beavers to have success tomorrow -- improved rebounding, decreased turnovers and good shot selection.
"We want to get a combination of an inside and outside game, and penetration," Gunther said. "(We want to) look to get the ball up court quick, look to get it inside. And then look to go outside with it."
The Beavers' next action will be their home opener Tuesday at 7 p.m. versus Mayville (N.D.) State University at BSU Gymnasium.
댓글