Broncos ride with experience into 2022-2023 season

RITZVILLE — The Lind-Ritzville boy’s basketball team will be full of familiar faces. With the Broncos not having any seniors on the roster last year, much of the team will remain the same when they take the court for the 2022-2023 campaign.

“We have everyone returning from last year; as a varsity team we didn’t graduate any seniors,” Head Coach Dustan Arlt said. “So we have all those kids back, plus we have a pretty big freshman class.”

Having veteran experience on the court will help out the Broncos, as they hope to improve this season after finishing fourth in the Northeast 2B League last season.

“It’s a pretty strong league, but we’re going to be right there,” Arlt said. “Last year we got fourth in districts, one game short. So, we’re looking to make that next jump.”

The team traveled over to Washington’s west side for a camp on the coast. Arlt said that summer is where he can first look at the team, though isn’t always a true testament to the team’s performance once the regular season comes around.

“Sometimes summer is a great indicator, and sometimes I’ve had summers where we don’t do that well and do really well in the season, and vice versa,” Arlt said. “With everyone back, though, this summer was about getting better. Little areas we needed to improve on and areas that maybe we came up short last year, improvement in those areas.

With a strong veteran core, summer ball allows incooming players to get familiar with the game that Lind-Ritzville plays and Arlt’s coaching. Camps also allow the boys to create chemistry off the court.

“It gives me a chance, with a bunch of new freshman, to see those guys for a month before the season starts in the winter,” Arlt said. “Going over to the camp on the west side, we stayed three nights together in the classroom. So you’re getting a lot of basketball, but you’re also getting a lot of team camaraderie built and the social part of it.”

An early end to Lind-Ritzvlle’s football season allowed the entire team to be at practices with each other, since a significant majority of the team also suits up for the Broncos on the gridiron. Now, instead of joining practices a week or two late, this year’s varsity squad has extra time to gel together and get into basketball shape.

“It’s really getting them into basketball shape, getting some of the kinks out and just getting used to the touch and feel of a basketball game after football,” Arlt said. “But, I’m pretty confident we’ll be ready to roll in and do most things that we want to do.”

A blend of athleticism and experience will be the strength of the Broncos this season according to Arlt, having an athletic group that can defend and shoot the ball as well as many returning players.

“We came up one game short of moving on to regionals last year, doing that without any seniors last year,” Arlt said. “Now we have five seniors and some other young kids to mix in with that, so I’m hoping that experience helps push us over that edge.”

Fans can prepare to watch fast-paced game when Lind-Ritzville comes into town.

“I like to play up-tempo and push the ball,” Arlt said. “Obviously having everyone back and the depth we have, we have to tools to do what I want to do. We have a good mixture, we can go inside, we’ve got a couple of strong posts. We’e also got a lot of shooters, too.”

To be able make it through the Northeast 2B League tournament and qualify for state, Arlt said the Broncos will need to work on free throws and three-point shooting.

“In the end, we’re going to play some good teams and we’re not going to be able to just push the ball always, drive by people and get lay-ins,” Arlt said. “We’re going to have to be able to knock down shots and then come up big at the free throw line. That kind of hurt us at times last year.”

Key returners are senior Chase Galbreath, who averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds a year ago; sophomore Jayce Kelly, who averaged 14 points and eight rebounds while starting every game as a freshman; senior Hunter Dinkins, the team’s third-leading scorer from 2021-2022 and a team captain.

Lind-Ritzville tips off its season at home against Almira/Coulee-Hartline on Dec. 3.

Lind-Ritzville Schedule:

Dec. 3 - vs ACH - 6 p.m.

Dec. 7 - vs Asotin - 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 9 - @ Medical Lake - 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 13 - @ Liberty (Spangle) - 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 17 - @ Colfax - 6 p.m.

Dec. 20 - @ Columbia (Burbank) - 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 21 - vs Tri-Cities Prep - 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 3 - @ Warden - 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 6 - @ Northwest Christian (Colbert) - 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 7 - vs Chewelah - 6 p.m.

Jan. 11 - vs Upper Columbia Academy - 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 13 - @ St. George’s - 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 14 - vs Davenport - 6 p.m.

Jan. 17 - vs Reardan - 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 20 - @ Kettle Falls - 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 24 - vs Liberty (Spangle) - 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 27 - vs Colfax - 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 28 - @ Asotin - 6 p.m.

Jan. 31 - vs Kittitas - 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 2 - @ Upper Columbia Academy - 7:30 p.m.