Putting a 2021-2022 season behind them that saw the team go 7-14, the Des Lacs-Burlington Lakers look to turn the tide and right the ship via anticipated contributions by seniors Rylan Olson and Carson Yale.

Standing at 6’3″ tall, Olson enters the year focused on building upon the success of a junior season that saw him earn District 12 and All-Region 6 honors.

For the 6’8″ Minot State-commit Yale, he returns from a season-ending injury that derailed the entirety of his junior campaign to help the Lakers make a run at a state title before he heads off for the next chapter of his basketball career as a Beaver.

Along with hoping Olson and Yale take on the mantle of serving as the Lakers’ leaders, head coach Chris Brown emphasized his desire to be a team where Des Lacs-Burlington’s opponents cannot focus on shutting down just one or two players.

Brown stated, “We were a very young team last year. This year, we return all letter winners and our guys put in a lot of work over the summer to get better individually and as a team.”

He would add, “I think we are a team that could have a different leading scorer each night.”

Elaborating on the Lakers’ strengths, Brown explained, “We will lean on our defense and rebounding, and hope to get out and get some easy points in transition. Last year we were in a lot of close games ending with a loss, so we hope that experience will help us be on the other side of the coin this year.”

Buying fully into taking Lakers basketball to the next level, the Des Lacs-Burlington players have put in countless hours in the weight room this summer with a goal of doing whatever it takes to get better and put the team in the best position to win on a night-to-night basis.

The Lakers will open the 2022-2023 season at home on Dec. 9 against Stanley.