12/19/24: Moose Lake-Willow River

Varsity: L (53-74)

JV: L

C-Squad: L

Highlights: 

7th + 8th Grade Tournament

Memebers of our 7th and 8th graders who have been part of the optional C-Squad opportunity so far this season got to go up to Duluth East for a tournament over the weekend.  Pictured below are some of those members.  They got to play against much larger schools including Duluth East, Cloquet, and Cambridge-Isanti!

12/14/24: Youth Camp

 

12/14/24: Duluth Marshall

Varsity: L (73-67)

JV: L

C-Squad: L

Highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/2/421951/675f07d6f20bc0734c2a5036

Boys Basketball loses in close games

• By Heidi Burger
 
• Dec 18, 2024

Marshall 73, Pine City 67 

It again was a close game at the end. The Dragons knew they were up against a tough player as Marshall had a 6 foot 6 inch player who already has a full-ride to a Division II college. The defenders did a great job of guarding him. But again, the boys’ shooting percentage was low, which resulted in not enough baskets made to win the game. 

“Ostenson had a good game with six rebounds, four assists, and two huge charges,” said coach Allen. “We are still in the process of taking every game, and we’re giving it the right amount of respect.”

Ostenson contributed a whopping 28 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 2 charges. McDaniel earned 14 points for the team, along with 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. Wiener had 11 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal. Ausmus had 5 points, 5 rebounds and 1 assist.  Larson earned 5 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists. Skluzacek had 2 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist. Jace Peterson had 2 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist. Tanner Fix had 1 rebound. Fromm had 5 rebounds and 1 charge. Milliman had 2 rebounds and 1 steal. Johnson had 1 rebound. 

The boys will be playing at the Target Center on Friday, December 20. The game tickets can also be used to get into a future Timberwolves game!

There will be a PCHS Alumni boys game on Saturday, December 21 at 9 a.m. This is a great way to connect former alumni and current alumni/players! It’s free, and there will be pizza following the game.

Target Center Game + YOUTH HALFTIME

Exciting news!

On Friday, December 20th, the Pine City JV and Varsity teams will be playing at The Target Center.

ALL 3rd-6th grade youth hoops players are invited to come and play on The Target Center floor during halftime of the games!  We will plan on having the floor available for the JV and Varsity halftimes!

Want to participate?  Wear your hoops jersey and buy a ticket.  All people entering the facility need a ticket.  Ticket information is listed below.

On December 20th, Pine City will take on LILA at The Target Center.

JV @ 515PM and Varsity @ 7PM

Tickets must be purchased ahead of time through this link:

https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/youth-basketball/pine-city-lila

Tickets are $35 each.  Your ticket gets you into the Pine City games as well as a future Timberwolves game.

All players, coaches, managers, and fans must have a ticket.

12/12/24: @Rush City

Varsity: L (48-43)

JV: L

C-Squad: W

Highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/2/421951/675c8b97dc277025b41701fe

Boys Basketball loses in close games

• By Heidi Burger
 
• Dec 18, 2024

Rush City 49, Pine City 42

It was a close game for the Dragons, and although they racked up the rebounds, their shots were not falling. Allen said, “I thought the shots we took were good. Although it was a physical game, we continued to fight. But we put ourselves into a hole, and we didn’t have enough time to get ourselves out of that hole.”

Wiener contributed 12 points, along with 13 rebounds and 2 assists. Ostenson contributed 11 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 block. Willert had 5 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals. Skluzacek had 3 points and 1 rebound. McDaniel had 5 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist. Fromm contributed 4 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals. Milliman had 2 points, 1 rebound, and 3 steals. Larson had 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal. Ausmus had 1 rebound. 

12/10/24: Mora

Varsity: L (77-48)

JV: L

C-Squad: L

Highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/2/421951/675a0b30821590a5b8b80bed

Boys Basketball loses in close games

• By Heidi Burger
 
• Dec 18, 2024

“We did really well in the first half,” said Pine City Boys Varsity Basketball Coach Kyle Allen. “We showed that we could be on the floor and compete with them.” Despite the gap in the final score, there were good things seen on the court by the Dragons when they played the Mora Mustangs on December 10. The Mustansg came out with a win. 

Mora 77, Pine City 48

Grant Skluzacek was leading scorer with 9 points and contributed 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal. Bryer Willert contributed 6 points, 4 rebounds and 1 charge. Jace Peterson had 6 points and 1 steal. AJ Ostenson had 5 points, 1 rebound and 1 steal. Colson Berglund earned 5 points, along with 4 rebounds and 1 block. Austin Wiener also contributed 4 points, along with 3 rebounds and 1 assist. Sawyer McDaniel had 3 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steals. Charlie Ausmus had 3 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 1 charge. Eli Fromm had 3 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist. Grant Larson had 2 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Kevon Williams put up 2 points. Daniel Milliman had 2 assists and 3 steals. And Samuel Johnson had 2 rebounds. 

12/7/24: Youth Camp

 

12/15/24: Youth Basketball (7th and 8th Grade) @Duluth East

 Information for the upcoming youth 7th and 8th grade basketball tournament on Sunday Dec. 15th at Duluth East High School.

All 7th graders will be on the "7th grade team".

All 7th and 8th graders will be on the "8th grade team".

12/6/24: Aitkin

Varsity: W (74-56)

JV: W

C-Squad: W

Highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/2/421951/6754940d1c6c21aab9801991

Dragon Boys Basketball starts season off with big wins!

• By Heidi Burger Pine City Pioneer
 
• Dec 11, 2024

The Dragon Boys Varsity team traveled to Ogilvie on Tuesday, December 3 for their first game of the season. It was a great game to start the season with all the eligible varsity players able to see equal court time. 

Coach Kyle Allen has been talking the last year or so about rebuilding,  about going back to the foundation of the program. Last season was a reset season, a chance for the boys players to take a step back and focus on the foundation, to make mistakes not often seen in a varsity game, and to correct those mistakes for the future of the program. Those steps backwards, as Coach Allen said, were made so this season’s Dragons could develop players to play at the varsity level. 

Pine City 74, Aitkin 58

The boys then hosted the Aitkin Gobblers on Friday, December 6. Allen was proud of the team for sticking to the system and what the system calls for. “The boys continued to really focus on that and I think they were rewarded for it as the game progressed,” reported Allen. 

Going into half-time, it was a one point game. The first half was a grind, with the Gobblers being bigger in size than the Dragons. So the Dragons knew they would have to work extremely hard against those bigger players. Coming out the second half, the Dragons took a step ahead and went on a 10-0 run. From there, they were able to capitalize and take it away.  They ended the game with a final score of 74-58. 

The Dragon Boys Varsity Basketball team will also have a busy week this week. They hosted Mora on Tuesday, December 10 (no score available as of press time). Then on Thursday, they will travel to Rush City to play the Tigers. The boys will finish out their week with a game on Saturday at home against Duluth Marshall at 1:30 p.m.

12/3/24: @Ogilvie

Varsity: W (104-16)

JV: W

Highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/2/421951/675033a93738464375308e13

Dragon Boys Basketball starts season off with big wins!

• By Heidi Burger Pine City Pioneer
 
• Dec 11, 2024

The Dragon Boys Varsity team traveled to Ogilvie on Tuesday, December 3 for their first game of the season. It was a great game to start the season with all the eligible varsity players able to see equal court time. 

Coach Kyle Allen has been talking the last year or so about rebuilding,  about going back to the foundation of the program. Last season was a reset season, a chance for the boys players to take a step back and focus on the foundation, to make mistakes not often seen in a varsity game, and to correct those mistakes for the future of the program. Those steps backwards, as Coach Allen said, were made so this season’s Dragons could develop players to play at the varsity level. 

Pine City 104, Ogilvie 16

“The standards were changed, in the hope that we would see success and more consistency,” said Allen. The Ogilvie game was a good starting point. The boys came out ready to play, and they played through their errors, staying up. “I really liked how the boys stayed with the principles in this game.”  

The majority of the team was able to see playing time and even see double-digits for playing time which was a great game for experience. Coach Allen also commented on how “everyone really played well in terms of the execution of what we were asking them to do.” Sophomore Grant Larson had a great game, senior Austin Wiener led the team with 12 rebounds and senior Eli Fromm showed his tenacity on both sides of the court.

11/26/24: Todd Dufault

On Tuesday, after our scrimmgae with NLA, Coach Todd Dufault met with and spoke to the varsity team.  His message dealt with "buy in", understanding how to reach your potential, and protecting the culture.

https://www.todddufaultleadership.com/

Winter Sports Preview: Boys basketball sets forth with strong group of seniors

 Winter Sports Preview: Boys basketball sets forth with strong group of seniors

• By Heidi Burger
 
• Nov 27, 2024

The Dragon Boys Basketball team is ready and running for the upcoming season. Coach Kyle Allen is in his 14th year as the head coach for the Dragons. Last season, Coach Allen was transparent about the condition of the program and commented on the program having “cracks in the foundation.” He said last season was a time to reset and fix those cracks.  

The coaches’ hope is that, as a group, they take advantage of last season and have grown and learned. “If everything goes according to plan, we should have a lot of depth with contributors across multiple grade levels,” said Allen. “As we take the next step to return to relevancy as a program, players will be asked to perform the concepts of the program on a night in and night out basis.”  The incoming boys varsity group will get an opportunity again this year to showcase that they can compete and play at this level. It could be the team’s biggest challenge this season, or their greatest accomplishment – to keep the foundation strong and the program relevant.  

Coach Allen added, “As we work our way back to where the program once was, we know the obstacles that we must overcome; we have traveled down this road before. Being consistent in both our buy-in and preparation will create the model the next groups need to carry the torch.”

Last season, the boys finished the season with an overall record of 6-21. Allen is hoping to be much more competitive this year. He also commented on the loss of the lone senior last year, Matthew Blake. Blake took on a role that is not asked of many, and his leadership was a big piece to the program. The coaches are looking to the returning varsity players to continue that leadership role and continue the growth mindset of the program.

It is a senior-loaded team this year, and each one has their contributions. Charlie Ausmus is a returning all-conference/all-section player. He is a shooter with an unlimited motor. Bryer Willert, also a returning all-conference/honorable mention player, has grit on both sides of the court. Sawyer McDaniel is the “long and lanky” returning captain. AJ Ostenson has the potential to be a lead guard with his shooting skills. Austin Wiener has the chance to be a top inside/out guy on both sides of the court. Jace Peterson will show off his athleticism both on offense and defense.  Eli Fromm also has a high endurance level and is a work-horse. Daniel Milliman is a solid defender that has the potential to lead in the creator position. Kevon Williams has an excellent attitude and mindset while playing the game. Daimien Lord will also bring his athleticism to the court. And finally, Colson Berglund is given the “Schwab Role” this year on the team with his high IQ.

Other players of note are sophomore Grant Larson, sophomore Grant Skluzacek, sophomore Tanner Fix, junior Sam Johnson, and junior Ashton Moore.

Allen is assisted by Dylan Kringstad (JV coach, 3rd year), Wayne Hansmann (C-Squad coach, 11th year), Adam Jensen (8th grade coach, 10th year), Ben Bloomquist (7th grade coach, 8th year).

The boys season can be followed online at: www.pinecityboysbasketball.blogspot.com.

Week of Thanksgiving Schedule

 

Dragons @ The Target Center Tickets: 12/20/24

On December 20th, Pine City will take on LILA at The Target Center.

JV @ 515PM and Varsity @ 7PM

Tickets must be purchased ahead of time through this link:

https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/youth-basketball/pine-city-lila

Tickets are $35 each.  Your ticket gets you into the Pine City games as well as a future Timberwolves game.

All players, coaches, managers, and fans must have a ticket.

11/23/24: Preseason Scrimmage

On Saturday, the Pine City JV and Varsity teams traveled up to Esko, MN for their annual preseason Scrimmage.  Pine City took on Duluth Denfeld, Esko, Superior (WI), and Cloquet throughout the day.

Pre-1st Day Information

Basketball begins on November 18th for all athletes in grades 9-12 AND for any 7th or 8th graders that are choosing to tryout before their official season begins on Jan. 2nd.

There will be a 7th and 8th grade tournament on December 15th (Duluth) for all 7th and 8th graders who participate in the early season.

If you are a 7th/8th grade athlete not participating in the optional first half, your first practice will be on Jan. 2nd.

The first events are on Monday: 6AM - 730AM and 3PM-5:30PM.

All ATHLETLETC PHYSICALS must be on file with the school to participate.

Other items that need to be turned in:

MSHSL State Form and Athletic Fee (To The School)

Basketball Acknolwedgment Form and Preseason Questionnaire (To Coach Allen)

Junior High Move Up Form, Meal Form, and Rideshare (For those who this applies to - To Coach Allen)

Please see Google Classroom for your updated checklist (0=Not turned in, 1=Turned in and/or not needed).

Grease

Over the weekend, Pine City Public Schools preformed the musical Grease!

Pictured here at boys basketball players Luke Mangan and James Mangan, girls basketball players Mallory Clepper and Brooke Boland, and boys basketball anagner Amber Norton.

7th + 8th Grade Tournament

For the 7th and 8th graders who are deciding to particiapte in the optional 1st half of the season with C-Squad starting November 18th, there will be a tournament that they will be invited to particiapte in.

Dec. 15th @ Duluth, MN

More information to come.

Want to play in the tournament?  It will be availabel to all 7th and 8th graders who play with the C-Squad before the Junior High season starts!

Preseason Parent/Player Meeting

The preseason parent/player meeting can be found using the following link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zMFYyzR5MfGdNMTD5vk2pJCV2UStUc_r/view?usp=sharing

Hoops And Halloween

Grant Skluzacek, Grant Haverhals, and Tanner Fix volunteered to hand out candy and give information about basketball (k-12) during the snowy Halloween trick or treater's time on Thursday!

Alumni Game 2024

 

Captain's Practice

Open for grades 7-12

3-5 PM

T: Oct. 29

TH: Oct. 31

T: Nov. 5

TH: Nov. 7

F: Nov. 8

Week of November 11-15: TBD

Preseason Player Only Basketball Meeting

 

Fan Gear: 2024-25

 Lee's Pro Shop: www.tinyurl.com/leesbasketball2024

Order in Person @ Lee's Pro Shop using card, check, or cash

Or

Order online with website above

BSN: www.bsnteamsports.com

Access Code: 1pinbbb24

Online ordering only

Team Shoes Option 2024-25

 

3rd Grade T-Shirts

On Thursday, as part of celebrating Homecoming Week, seniors Piper Mettling and Eli Fromm visited 3rd Grade classes and handed out T-shirts to each student!

Kindergarten Basketballs

On Tuesday, as part of celebrating Homecoming Week, seniors Piper Mettling and Sawyer McDaniel visited Kindergarten classes and handed out basketballs to each student!

Parade 2024

Calling ALL Pine City Boys Basketball Players!

Come walk in the parade with us!

Saturday August 3rd

We are in spot #24 (Pine Tech Parking Lot)

Walkers should plan to meet there by 3:30 PM

Just wear a PC basketball shirt or jersey and walking shoes!

Open Weight Room

The weight room will be open every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning throughout August for ALL athletes (7th-12th) to continue their weight Room program.

Start Date: August 5th

End Date: September 2nd

Time: 7-8:15 AM

Summer League Hours Update

If there are any questions, please see Coach Allen

If a player works 10 hours, they do not pay for summer league. 

As of July 1:

InitialsGrade: Hours

GM8: 1 Hour

MM8: 0 Hours

MS8: 10+ Hours

GH9: 0 Hours

DR10: 0 Hours

DK10: 4 Hours

JM10: 2 Hours

LO10: 0 Hours

KM10: 0 Hours

GH10: 0 Hours

GS10: 10+ Hours

TF10: 1 Hour

GL10: 10+ Hours

NM11: 3 Hours

TJ11: 3 Hours

AM11: 0 Hours

SJ11: 10+ Hours

KW12: 4 Hours

CB12: 3 Hours

DM12: 4 Hours

EF12: 4 Hours

AO12: 3 Hours

AW12: 0 Hours

BW12: 8 Hours

CA12: 1 Hour

JP12: 0 Hours

SM12: 1 Hour

KJ7: 10+ Hours

ES7: 3 Hours

HM7: 6 Hours

BK7: 1 Hour

LM7: 5 Hours

MC7: 0 Hours

SL7: 10+ Hours

JF7: 3 Hours

GE8: 5 Hours

Mouse House Sign Up

Please consider signing up to volunteer/help run the Mouse House at the fair.

Two to Three people per slot.  Juniors/Seniors do not need a partent/guardian with them.   Younger athletes need a parent/guardian with them.

Mouse House Scheduling Link

2024 Boys Basketball Offseason Competitions