BISMARCK, ND (KFYR) — If you compare last year’s roster to this year’s roster, the Century Patriots are nearly identical.
Isaiah Schafer: “Same group. Same guys. I’m delighted to be back with them and now is the time to do it if we want to get started. Darin Mattern: “I think we’re more advanced than previous years, and we should be with the experience we have back in the gym, it’s exciting and like I said, we’re just looking at ourselves to improve.”
Century returns its top four scorers from last winter, three of them with Division One basketball commitments. Schafer: “I think the selflessness is huge. We know when the hot hand is hot and we pass it on to them. It could be Ryan (Erikson) a possession on the block. It could be him scoring a couple when they double up, or kicking me or Anthony (Doppler). He could really go anywhere.
The Patriots enter the season as the number two team in the state, behind defending champion Minot Magicians. With sky-high expectations, coach Mattern loves the way his veteran team handles pressure. Mattern: “Our mindset has been good in practice. I think with a veteran team that they understand, it comes down to a game or two in tournament time. We talk about that all the time, the importance of playing every possession on both sides of the court. …and one end of the floor, is the focal point of this year’s band.
Mattern: “The backbone of our team is going to be our team defence, and we talk about it all the time, there are going to be nights when you don’t shoot the ball particularly well, and when you don’t, you gotta have something to hang our hat on. We think that’s going to be our team defense.
William Ware: “We are very athletic, we are very long and we work our conditioning every day so we are able to do it. When it comes to matches, it’s going to be very easy, and we can just make those big plays on the edge.
The main storyline is the return of talent, but overall depth is a major element of this year’s schedule. Mattern: “Over 80 kids have tried out basketball, so from grades nine through 12, we think we’ve established some depth in our program. Specifically at the college level, we feel very comfortable playing with a lot of kids, and we have quite a few kids who can contribute throughout a season.
Century begins its season this weekend in the East. Regardless of confidence, there is always emotion in starting a new year. Schafer: “I think it’s a mix of nervousness and impatience. You’re always nervous no matter how many games you’ve played, but once you’re comfortable in the first few minutes, it’s always very exciting.
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