Pirates looking to go 1 step farther this season
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The Pirates are poised to make another run at the Class A basketball state championship. A year after finishing second at the state tournament, the Pirates are looking to take the top prize this season.
Drama was the name of the game for the Pirates last season as they won, and lost, several close games on the way to a 14-10 overall record and a 5-3 mark in Northwest A Conference play.
Along the way, Polson compiled the numbers to lead the conference in several statistical categories, including 3-pointers made, free throw percentage and total scoring. The Pirates were also second in rebounding.
The Pirates earned a trip to Butte for the state tournament after finishing second to Columbia Falls at the Northwest A Conference Tournament.
Polson surprised Billings Central in the opening game at state with a 65-53 win before surviving to earn a 56-50 overtime win against Butte Central in the second round.
Polson came up against a speeding train in the championship game as they fell to the Locomotives of Laurel, 60-48.
The Pirates should be well set to make another run at the title this season as they graduated only two players from last year’s squad, Derrick Rathe and Tim Rausch (both of whom are currently playing collegiate baseball.)
Leading the charge for those returning to the floor for the Pirates this season will be Kyle Bagnell, who led the Northwest A Conference in scoring last season with 17.5 points per contest. Bagnell also led the conference in 3-point field goals made, total field goals, and steals-per-contest.
Also returning for the Pirates will be last year’s Class A State Tournament MVP, Louis Mohr.
Mohr missed most of the regular season last year but came on late to score nearly 200 points for the Pirates. The forward came very close to recording triple doubles several times last season and his play earned him high honors at the state level.
All-Conference First Team member Tyler Krell will return to the post for the Pirates in 2010-11. Krell was the second leading rebounder for the Pirates last season and their fourth leading scorer.
Junior Vince DiGiallonardo was an All-Conference Second Team guard last season and will once again lend his talents to the Pirate squad this year. DiGiallonardo was second in the conference in assists last season and was also second in 3-point shooting. He averaged 10 points-per-game last season, including scoring in double digits 12 times.
Senior guard Sheldon Fisher was another Pirate who was out at the beginning of last season but came on late in the year. A strong defender, Fisher also has the ability to make his presence known on the offensive side of the floor.
Junior forward Cody Fisher spent most of last season coming off the bench for the Pirates, but he did wind up scoring in double digits in one game and grabbing double-digit rebounds in another. With the couple of inches he has grown in the past year, he should play a bigger role for the team this season.
Junior Ian Laimbeer shot the second-highest percentage for the Pirates last season and will look to put in even more points as he plays on the post this season.
A trio of talented sophomores will also be looking to make names for themselves this season, Zach Camel, Will Davey and Riley Sampson.
The Pirate season gets underway Friday as Polson faces Frenchtown in the Northwestern vs Southwestern Tip-Off Tournament. The game is set for 4:15 p.m. at Corvallis.
