Men's basketball: Ridgewater ready to run and gun

WILLMAR Nate Thooft believes he has the personnel to do it.

His players are up-beat about the prospects.

Expect the Ridgewater men's basketball team to go fast and ask questions later.

The Warriors are off to a 2-0 start and averaging 108 points per game.

Their propensity to run and gun is backed by one of the top sophomore guards in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference and a talented freshman class, which includes some key west central area players.

Expect a lot of points for Ridgewater this season.

"We're excited about this group," said Thooft, who begins has 12th season at Ridgewater, including 10 as head coach.

"The league, especially the South Division, is going to be really tough again.

"I think we've improved and the guys are really competing and have really good attitudes and high character.

If we keep improving every week we should do well." The Warriors were 13-13 last season, but return four sophomores, including all-conference point guard Aiden Wichmann.

The 6-foot-3 Russell-Tyler-Ruthton alum has bulked up to 195 pounds after averaging a team-best 15.1 points per game last season.

He's at 20.5 ppg with 4.0 assists per game so far this season.

"He's worked hard in the weight room," said Thooft, who expects Wichmann to receive scholarship offers from four-year schools.

"I think he's a scholarship kid.

If you watch us on film from a year ago, you'll definitely notice that he's matured and gotten bigger." Also back is Keagen Shrider, a 6-0 guard from Cambridge-Isanti who averaged 6.0 ppg in '23-24.

Shrider is averaging 13.0 ppg this season.

Khalid Muhumed, a 6-3 swing man from Willmar, also is back after averaging 4.0 ppg.

He's recovering from a stress fracture in his tibia and will miss the first part of the season.

Zeq Munoz, a 6-2, 220-pounder from Santa Fe Catholic High School in Lakeland, Florida, also is back after averaging 7.0 ppg.

And, the Warriors have added Michael Henderson, a transfer from Riverland Community College in Austin.

Henderson is a 6-3 guard from Mankato West averaging 7.0 ppg.

"I'm really pleased with our sophomore group overall," Thooft said.

"It's a high-character group.

There is a nice reliability factor with them." The freshman class includes a number of area athletes, led by DeAndre Holloway.

The 6-foot-7 center from Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg already has emerged as one of the Warriors' top players.

He is averaging 19.5 ppg, 11.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game.

Area freshman on the squad include Isaac Post and Matt Wadsworth, both from MACCRAY.

"I want a base of local guys," Thooft said.

Four other freshmen, Tyrese Mayo and Jovohn Davis, Steven Nzimi and Willie Wilson, already are making impacts.

Mayo, a 5-11 freshman guard from Winter Haven, Florida, averages 16.0 ppg.

Davis, a 6-6 forward from Davenport, Iowa, is averaging 8.0 ppg.

Nzimi, a 6-4 forward from Brooklyn Center, is at 3.0 ppg and 7.0 rpg.

Wilson, a 6-2 guard from Haines City, Florida, averages 8.0 ppg.

"Tyrese is a great kid who really works hard and really fits into what we're trying to accomplish here," Thooft said.

All involved played roles in the Warriors' opening victories at Worthington over the weekend.

They beat Northwestern University of St.

Paul's JV 109-104 and then knocked off the Dordt University of Iowa JV 107-86.

Eleven players on the 20-player roster played in both games.

Thooft said he can see some freshmen making more an impact as the season wears on as they transition to the college level.

"Everybody was the No.

1 or No.

2 player on their high school teams," Thooft said.

"Our character is real high.

The foundation for all these guys is good and skill-wise, we're there.

It's just a matter of responding to our system and getting adjusted to the pace and physicality at this level." Ridgewater's home-opener is 7:30 p.m.

Friday against the Gustavus Adolphus JV.

The Warriors then are host to the Concordia-Moorhead JV at 5 p.m.

Monday before taking on Central Lakes College of Brainerd on Friday, Feb.

22.

Expect the Warriors to keep running.

"Everybody talks about how fun it is to play fast until you get to practice," Thooft said.

"It's hard work.".

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