Adam Walker is the new coach for the USC Rebel boys this year. The team is pictured above, left to right: Jorge Martinez, Blake Schroeder, Wyatt Meyer, Johnny Martinez, Trevor Brekken. Back row, left to right: Hunter Bruckhoff, Nick Bushlack, Colten Quade, Zale Bushlack, Tabor Conley, A.J. Bullerman, Luke Pederson. Missing from the picture are Nathaniel Clore and Bryten Loe.

The United South Central boys and girls basketball teams both have a new head coach this season.

For the boys it is Adam Walker. And while he is new to the Rebels boys team, he has been a basketball coach for the past 11 years.

“I coached at Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Martin Luther/Truman the last couple of years,” Walker says. “I was a new teacher at USC last year, but I still coached at Granada-Huntley.”

Walker has coached high school basketball as well as youth basketball and even was an assistant college coach.

He comes from a family of basketball coaches.

“My dad coached at St. James for many years,” Walker says. “My uncle Dave was a coach at Maple River and my uncle Brian is the coach at Red Rock Central. I have a lot of family and friends and colleagues who are coaching.”

Now his full attention is focused on the USC Rebels.

“I believe we lost in the first round of the playoffs, to Springfield, last year,” he says. “We were the eighth seed.”

But that was last year’s COVID delayed start and shortened season. Walker is looking for a fresh start for this season.

“We have a nice balance of seniors and juniors, and sophomores, too,” he says. “We have a total of 31 guys out for basketball, grades nine through 12.”

Seniors Colten Quade, and Luke Pederson, and junior Nick Bushlack, are team captains and expected to lead the team.

Also helping on the team are senior Blake Schroeder and juniors Zale Bushlack and Taybor Conley.

“Senior Johnny Martinez and junior Jorge Martinez are also going to get a lot of minutes,” the coach adds.

One issue the team has is a lack of size and that concerns the coach. They don’t have a lot of height, the coach explains.

“We are a bit guard heavy,” he says, “but maybe we can work that to our advantage.”

The team’s first game was this past Thursday, Dec. 2, at Madelia. The coach expects Madelia to be a top opponent.

“Our first conference game is against Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton, here at USC,” Walker says. “It is an important game, a game we should win, but win or lose it will tell us a lot.”

The team has a tough few opening games, including playing in the Blue Earth Area Holiday Tournament.

“I like this tournament,” the coach says. “It is just the right time, after Christmas but before New Years. And there is always good competition.”

Walker and his assistant coaches, Steve Voigt, Ryan Crabtree and Adam Rajtar, as well as all the players, are looking forward to the start of the season and having a “normal” year.

“This is really a group of guys, and they really work hard,” coach Walker says. “And, they are hungry. They have had good football and baseball seasons, now they want a good basketball season.”

He adds that the seniors say they have not won a basketball playoff game, so that is one of their goals for this year. That and getting a top five seed in the playoffs.

It should be an exciting and interesting season of basketball at USC, with a new coach at the helm.