We haven’t checked on the MSU-Northern Lights basketball squad in a while. The team was in Phoenix for the Cactus Classic last week and came up short in all three games played. New Media Broadcasters caught up with coach Shawn Huse and he took away some positives from the trip, especially in the first game against Ottawa University-Arizona in which the Lights fell in overtime.
“I have to give (the players) credit,” Huse said. “We’re playing a tough Ottawa team in that first game shorthanded (and) the guys stepped up.”
“We had certain guys play great off the bench and literally had our chances to win an overtime game,” Huse continued. “That was honestly impressive. I don’t think people know how quite impressive that was with how banged up we are and how good that team is.”
Huse alluded to the fact that his team is not healthy at the moment. He said in his 22 seasons as Northern’s men’s basketball coach that he has never dealt with injuries to this magnitude.
“When you have starters out (and) banged up, what do you do?” Huse said. “We just have to fight through it (and) keep trying to heal up. I think the (Christmas) break comes at a good time.”
“We’ve certainly had key starters out over the years,” Huse continued. “I believe it’s only been one guy at a time that I can ever remember. You just hope you don’t have more than one at a time.”
The Lights will have a few more days off before resuming play on Thursday when the squad takes on Ambrose University at the Armory Gym. That game will tip off at 4pm and you can listen to live coverage on KPQX-92.5FM with Noah Friedman behind the mic.
