WINTER SPORTS PREVIEWS: BOYS’ BASKETBALL
After disappointing endings the last two years, TMB has eyes on a big season
The run-andgun Panther boys’ basketball team has enjoyed many highs and some excruciating lows under third-year head coach Ryan Kruse. Over the last couple of years, TMB has made its name with a potent offense that led to numerous 80- and even 90-point outbursts and a combined 38-17 overall record. But those last two solid seasons both ended in heartbreak in Worthington, as the Panthers lost section tournament games to Murray County Central in the final seconds each year.
“Two years ago, my first year, we felt like we could play for a while (in sections); MCC was a good team, so I don’t think that was a huge upset,” TMB head coach Ryan Kruse said. “We graduated only a few seniors that year and we knew we would have a good team coming back. To have it happen again … I just felt terrible for those seniors — that was their last chance. Sitting in that locker room after, that was tough.”
TMB — Camden Conference South champs a year ago with a 15-5 conference mark — graduated its two leading scorers, key rebounders and go-to ball handlers, as well as their big man in the middle. All in all, there are plenty of big shoes to fill this year.
“Every year presents a different challenge; sometimes, you lose a few (seniors), sometimes you lose a lot,” Kruse said. “If we averaged 75 points a game last year, we probably lost 60 points of that. And it’s not just the points, it’s rebounding, too. I felt like we had guys that we played that were younger and could’ve played a lot on other teams, but when you have 10 seniors — quality kids who can play — you just don’t have a lot of time for all of them to get in there. It will be a whole different team basically than we saw last year.”
Despite losing so many weapons from a season ago, the Panthers appear ready to bring a new version of their high-powered offense to the court.
While there is no such thing as a rebuilding year in high school sports, this year’s Panthers will look quite different from the 2024-25 version, which included 10 seniors — four of whom were starters. Griffin Zick, a starter last year, returns and will be joined by Connor Lanoue, Sy Sanders, Eli Lightfoot, Aiden Sanow, Emery Xiong, Parker Kline, Talon Brinkley, Carson Lanoue, Braden Morgan and Jackson Kruse as players who will be looked upon to have an impact this year.
With half of their starting backcourt in college now, some of this year’s players will have different roles, Kruse said and Zick, one of four seniors, is one of them.
GUARD CONNOR LANOUE is one of four seniors on this year’s TMB boys’ basketball team and will be help lead the Panthers’ backcourt.
“He’s going to be the guy that people are looking at to score, and they’re going to defend him with their best player probably,” said Kruse. “That’s going to be a challenge for him, but he’s a great competitor.”
Lanoue played a big role a year ago as well off the bench and will be another Panther relied to score from the outside.
“He can hit the three, but he also creates a lot of shots for other guys,” Kruse said. “But again, a totally different role; he’s going to have the ball in his hands a lot compared to what he did last year.”
Sanders played more early in the year last season while Aidan Swenhaugen was sidelined with an injury, and Kruse said despite a lack of experience, he’s another player who will be counted on. Lightfoot is the other senior this year, and Kruse said he has shown improvement every year.
“He gives us the only height we have,” Kruse said. “He’s really athletic, too, and has worked hard in the weight room the last few years. He’s really made himself a basketball player.”
Numbers are bit low for the Panthers, with just 19 players in grads 9-12, compared to 24 last year. They started practice on Nov. 17.
“This year’s senior class doesn’t have a lot of kids, so to have four seniors this year is pretty good for us,” Kruse said. “The sophomore class has always been pretty low for football and boys’ basketball. I thought going in, we might only have 16, but we had a few that came out that I wasn’t sure would.”
The numbers get much more robust in the lower grades, as there are 13 eighth-graders and eight seventh-graders out for boys’ basketball this year.
“We’re about a year away, and then we’ll be alright for numbers,” Kruse said.
2025-26 TMB BOYS’ BASKETBALL ROSTER
Seniors: Connor Lanoue, Eli Lightfoot, Sy Sanders, Griffin Zick Juniors: Talon Brinkley, Brody Hauger, Parker Kline, Aiden Snow, Emery Xiong Sophomores: Carson Lanoue, Braden Morgan, Alex Moua, Tyson Petersen, Khole Radke Freshmen: Nolan Carlson, Levi Duscher, Tason Facio, Levi Hauger, Myhlez Moua Eighth-grade: Jacob Boice, Maddox Eliason, Gavin Fischer, Brice Johnson, Cayden Lakings, Brayden Marron, Cameron Marten, Jaxyn Odom, Ethan Schreier, Chanse Swenhaugen, Perseus Trierweiler, Cassius Vang, Charles Xiong Seventh-graders: Devon Ankrum, Bennett Bangasser, Troy Beier, Kelton Brinkley, Jayvin Knott, Calvin Lanoue, Joseph Rocha, Jared Swenhaugen
