The 2021-22 BEA boys basketball team is preparing for the upcoming season. Members of the squad are pictured above, first row left to right: Maxton Loge, Luca Bucksch, Austin Skaden, Waylen Douglas, Gabe Torres, Nick Barke, Blake Sonnek. Back row, left to right: Blake Ripley, Ashton Lloyd, Abram Kokos, Anthony Carr, Luke Norman, Jack Norman, Noah Dahl. The Bucs begin the season with four games in eight days.

Last year the Blue Earth Area boys basketball team finished the season 15-5, their best season in a number of years. BEA’s season ended with a loss in the Sub-Section finals to eventual State champion Waseca.

But, that was last year and now the Bucs must replace five seniors who started the majority of the games last year.

Ashton Lloyd and Gabe Torres are the only returning lettermen with a great deal of varsity experience as the team prepares for the upcoming season.

The biggest challenge for the team, according to BEA head coach Colby Swanson, will be his team’s defense.

“How well we are able to defend as a team will ultimately determine how successful we will be this year,” Swanson says.

The team did not play their first game of last season until Jan. 16 because of delays caused by COVID-19. This year the schedule for winter sports has returned to normal and the boys will open their season with four games in eight days starting on Dec. 7 with a home game against the St. Peter Saints. The team heads to New Ulm to take on Minnesota Valley Lutheran on Dec. 9 and then plays in the Big South Conference Showcase Tournament in Windom on Dec. 11. The Bucs will travel to Wells on Dec. 14 to take on the United South Central Rebels.

Talking about the Big South Conference, Swanson notes there is a lot of parity among the member schools.

“Waseca is the defending State champions so I do not know how much they can improve,” Swanson says smiling. “I do think, however, that all of the other opponents in the Big South will be greatly improved.”

If Swanson had to pick a team that might stand out in the conference this year, he says it would be New Ulm.

When it comes to Section play, he lists one team who looks to be the favorite this year.

“Maple River only had two losses last year and they return nearly every player this year,” Swanson notes. “I expect them to be very good.”

This year’s BEA squad has five seniors. They are Blake Ripley, Anthony Carr, Luke Norman, Waylen Douglas and Torres.

There are also five juniors on the team. In addition to Lloyd, the other juniors are Abe Kokos, Jack Norman, Austin Skaden and Nick Barke.

The three sophomores on the squad are Noah Dahl, Max Loge and Blake Sonnek.

Luca Bucksch, a foreign exchange student from Germany, is also on the team.