Game Recaps: Golden Rams Split Games in ARCC Classic

The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team split their two games in the ARCC Classic, defeating Bismarck State College 91-86 on Friday before falling to Vermilion Community College 78-73 on Saturday.

Vs. Bismarck State

Facing the NJCAA Division I Mystics, the Golden Rams put together one of their finer shooting performances of the season to pull out the victory.

Anoka-Ramsey began the game outscoring the Mystics 12-3 in the first four minutes to take the early nine point lead.

After a Bismarck State basket, Brandon Hixson and Trenton Pollard would each connect inside the arc to push the lead to ten 16-6.

The lead would grow to 13 (26-13) with 10:48 to play in the half before Bismarck State would put on a run of their own.

The Mystics outscored the Golden Rams 13-2 over a two and half minute stretch to cut the deficit to two points with 7:53 to play.

Cameron Cummings would connect on a three-point shot, followed by a Kashif Hayes steal, and layup from Jerry Butler to push the lead back to seven, 35-28.

But the Mystics put together a 9-0 run to take a 37-35 lead, their first of the game, iwth 5:18 to play in the half.

Anoka-Ramsey responded by scoring the next five points to retake the lead at 40-37 before ending the half up 50-43.

The Golden Rams shot 55.6 percent in the opening period to Bismarck's 51.6 percent.  The Mystics connected on seven three-point field goals, and the Golden Rams knocked down six themselves.

The second half continued to see its share of scoring, however both teams cooled off from behind the arc.

Anoka-Ramsey built the lead to 13, 69-56, with 12:19 to play.

But once again the Mystics had an answer going on a 11-0 run to pull within 69-67.

The Golden Rams responded again to push the lead back to eleven (85-74) with four minutes to play but they couldn't put Bismarck State away.

A missed three and two turnovers by Anoka-Ramsey led to a two-point field goal and two three-point field goals from Bismarck to cut the lead to three (85-82) with 2:23 left.

A free throw from Pollard and field goal from Justin Casey gave the Golden Rams a six point cushion, followed by two Mystic free throws to cut it back to four.

Hayes would make one of two from the line, followed by another Mystic field goal to cut the lead to three with 18 seconds left.

Pollard would connect on two more free throws for the final 91-86 margin.

The Golden Rams shot 54.5 percent from the field and forced 16 turnovers.

The Mystics shot 51.6 percent, but only connected on three three-point shots in the second half.

Vs. Vermilion

In the final game of the ARCC Classic, the Golden Rams faced Vermilion, a rematch of the previous weekend's game which the Anoka-Ramsey won 86-79 in Ely.

The opening minutes featured a back-and-forth game as neither team could take control early.

The Ironmen would use an extended 16-3 run to take a ten point lead (20-10) with 12:10 to play in the half.

Over the next five minutes, the Golden Rams would chip away eventually using a 11-2 run to tie the score at 27 with 7:15 left in the half.  During that run, Kashif Hayes would knock down three consecutive three-point field goals to keep Anoka-Ramsey alive.

Another Hayes three at the 4:13 mark would give the Golden Rams a 30-29 lead and they would go into the break up 41-39.

Hayes scored 19 points in the half on five three-point field goals and a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line.

Anoka-Ramsey opened an eight point lead 52-44 early in the second half and would still lead by eight 65-57 with 11:31 to play before things began falling apart.

Vermilion scored seven straight points, and 15 of the next 17 total points to take a 72-67 lead with 5:08 to play.

Anoka-Ramsey would respond to tie the score at 72 with 2:38 to play, and forced a shot clock violation on the next Vermilion possession to give themselves a chance at the lead.

However, a costly turnover followed by two free throws from Vermilion, then another turnover and layup by the Ironmen would essentially seal the game.

Anoka-Ramsey shot 45 percent from the field and 10-of-20 from the three-point line, but Vermilion would outscore the Golden Rams 18-9 from the free throw line to pull out the win.

Hayes led all scorers with 25 points shooting 7-of-11 from the three-point line.

Pollard scored 17 points, and Casey chipped in with 12.

The Golden Rams are 6-5 overall and will host the ARCC Holiday Classic on January 2-3.

Anoka-Ramsey will face Dakota County Tech on January 2 at 7pm, and NDSCS on January 3 at 5pm.

Hayes Named Southern Division Player of the Week

Anoka-Ramsey Community College guard Kashif Hayes was named the MCAC Southern Division Player of the Week for his efforts in two Golden Ram wins this past weekend.

Hayes scored 16 points on 4-of-7 shooting including 3-of-6 from the three-point line in a defeat of Vermilion Community College.  Hayes also connected on 5-of-7 free throws.

In a win over Mesabi Range College, Hayes tallied a game-high 24 points on 7-of-11 shooting and 5-of-8 from behind the arc.  Hayes once again was 5-of-7 on free throws.

Combined for the two games Hayes averaged 20 points on 11-of-18 shooting and 8-of-14 from the three-point line.

Hayes is a freshman from St. Louis Park.

Anoka-Ramsey is 5-4 on the season and will face Bismarck State College on Friday, December 19 at 8:00pm.

#10 Kashif Hayes

Game Recap: Golden Rams Complete Sweep; Defeat Mesabi

The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team won their fourth straight game, completing a sweep of MCAC Northern Division opponents with a 70-69 win over Mesabi Range.

All four wins during the streak have come against teams from the MCAC Northern Division.

Mesabi took the first lead of the game with a three-point shot on their opening possession.

The Norsemen would connect on 7-of-14 shots from beyond the arc in the first half.

Anoka-Ramsey countered and took their first lead at 7-6 four minutes into the period.

Mesabi would retake the lead 10-9 with 14:17 to play and would maintain the lead for much of the half, eventually going ahead 19-13 following another three-point field goal.

The Golden Rams trimmed the deficit to one point on a post move from Joel McFall (freshman, Geelong, Australia).  Mesabi scored to push the lead back to three, followed by a layup by Tyler Matsen (freshman, Racine, Wisconsin) to cut it back to one.

A made free throw from Kashif Hayes (freshman, St. Louis Park) would knot the game at 24 with 6:14 to play.

A 4-0 spurt by Mesabi pushed the lead to 28-24 before a Hayes three and a layup by Robert Ben (sophomore, Spring Lake Park) would allow the Golden Rams to take a 29-28 lead.

Mesabi would regain the lead and push it to four points before a buzzer-beating three from the corner by Hayes would settle the half at 39-38 in favor of the Norsemen.

Neither team was able to take control to start the second half until a layup by Brandon Hixson (freshman, Champlin Park) and another three from Hayes gave the Golden Rams a 54-49 lead.

The Golden Rams took their biggest lead of the game, 58-51 following a made free throw by Hixson with 9:20 to play, but back-to-back threes by Mesabi once again cut the deficit to one point at 58-57.

Empty possessions by both teams kept the score at 58-57 until Matsen knocked down his second three-point field goal of the game to push the lead back to four.

Two made free throws by Trenton Pollard (sophomore, Prairie Seeds Academy) with 6:22 to play gave the Golden Rams a six point lead 63-57.

But another 5-0 run by Mesabi cut it back to one 63-62.

Hixson made two free throws, and Hayes made one to re-establish a four point lead 66-62 with 2:46 left.

After trading baskets, Mesabi connected on another three-point field goal to again get within one, 68-67 with 1;18 to play.

Pollard made two free throws with 1:10 left to push the lead to 70-67, followed by a Mesabi layup to get within 70-69 with 49 seconds remaining.

With the shot clock winding down, Anoka-Ramsey committed a turnover with 16 seconds remaining to give Mesabi one last chance.

The Golden Rams had fouls to give and committed two in the front court, but 13 seconds had run off, giving Mesabi only three seconds to get a good look off a sideline inbounds play.

A contested three-point attempt fell wide as the Golden Rams held on for the win.

Anoka-Ramsey committed 25 turnovers, but their second half defense held Mesabi to just 33 percent shooting, including 16.7 percent from the three-point line in the half (3-18).

The Golden Rams shot 55.6 percent overall, 60 percent in the second half.

Hayes led the scoring with a career-high 24 points on 7-of-11 shooting and 5-of-8 from the three-point line.

Matsen scored a career-high 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting.

Ben pulled in a career-high 13 rebounds to go with eight points, while Hixson also recorded a career-high with ten rebounds.

Anoka-Ramsey improves to 5-4 on the season.

Next up is four straight home games before MCAC Southern Division play begins.

The Golden Rams host Bismarck State College on Friday, December 19 at 8pm, then have a rematch with Vermilion Community College on Saturday, December 20 at 5pm.

Game Recap: Golden Rams Earn Hard-Fought Road Win

The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team earned a hard-fought 86-79 road victory at Vermilion Community College on Friday evening.

This was the first true road win of the season for the Golden Rams as they evened their overall record to 4-4 on the season.

A back-and-forth first half saw both teams exchange the lead eight times as neither team was able to gain control early on.

Anoka-Ramsey lead 11-6 five minutes into the game before the Ironmen went on a 7-0 run to take a 13-11 lead.

After trading baskets, Vermilion would open a five point lead at 21-16.

The Golden Rams used a 8-2 run to regain the lead and extended it to six points, 34-28 with 4:51 left in the half.

The Ironmen would once again use a 7-0 run to take a 35-34 lead with three minutes to play, but Anoka-Ramsey would finish the half strong and take a 40-37 lead into the break.

After an opening basket from Vermilion, the Golden Rams would extend their lead to seven points at 51-44 just three and half minutes into the second half.

From that point forward the Golden Ram lead would never drop below six points.

A three-pointer by Trenton Pollard (sophomore, Prairie Seeds Academy) off an assist from Justin Casey (sophomore, Park Center) would extend the lead to 11, 62-51 with 12:47 to play.

Vermilion would keep hanging around, trimming the deficit back to six on four occasions over the next seven minutes before a decisive 10-4 run pushed the lead to 12 with two minutes to play.

Anoka-Ramsey was led by Pollard with 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting including 4-of-6 from the three-point line.

Kashif Hayes (freshman, St. Louis Park) scored 16 points on 4-of-7 from the field and 3-of-6 from the three-point line.

Brandon Hixson (freshman, Champlin Park) scored 14 points and pulled in a game-high eight rebounds.

Casey and Chris Byrgiotis (sophomore, Melbourne, Australia) chipped in seven points, and Jerry Butler (sophomore, Hill-Murray) knocked down two three-point field goals for six points.

The Golden Rams shot 51.8 percent for the game including 58.3 percent in the second half, and 9-of-21 overall from the three-point line.

Free throws were the difference as Anoka-Ramsey made 19 compared to just nine for Vermilion.

The Golden Rams will face Mesabi Range on Saturday at 3pm in Virginia, MN. 

Game Recaps: Defense Propels Golden Rams to Weekend Victories

Using a renewed commitment to the defensive end of the floor, the Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team swept a pair of games from MCAC Northern Division opponents on Friday and Saturday.

Friday vs. Central Lakes (W - 68-62)

Despite a poor night shooting the basketball, the Golden Rams were able to pull out the victory over the Raiders by relying on steady defense and rebounding.

Central Lakes opened the game on an 8-0 run behind a pair of three-point baskets only a minute into the game.  The lead extended to 13-2 before the Golden Rams began to slowly chip away.

Neither team was able to get much offense going as both defenses continued to force turnovers and contested shots.

With 10 minutes gone in the period the score was only 19-10 in favor of Central Lakes.

However, Anoka-Ramsey began to put together a run of their own with back-to-back three-point field goals from Jerry Butler (sophomore, Hill-Murray) and Kashif Hayes (freshman, St. Louis Park) as the Golden Rams outscored Central Lakes 18-10 over the final ten minutes of the half to pull within 29-28 at the break.

Anoka-Ramsey managed just 27.8 percent shooting in the opening period, but held Central Lakes to 32.4 percent.  The key difference in the half was made free throws as Anoka-Ramsey was 6 of 10 compared to just 1 of 4 for the Raiders.

Central Lakes used a 7-1 run in the opening three minutes to take a 36-29 lead.

A three-pointer from Hayes and one of two free throws from Trenton Pollard (sophomore, Prairie Seeds Academy) pulled the Golden Rams within 36-33. 

After a basket from the Raiders pushed the lead to five, the Golden Rams used a pair of three-point shots from Hayes and Pollard, along with a basket from Justin Casey (sophomore, Park Center) to go on a 8-0 run and take a 41-38 lead.

The Raiders used a timeout to regroup and proceeded to go on a 10-0 run to retake the lead 48-41 with 10:15 left to play.

Anoka-Ramsey still trailed by seven (52-45) with 8:44 left in the game before holding Central Lakes scoreless over a five minute stretch to take a 57-52 lead with 3:50 left to play.

The Golden Rams would not relinquish the lead over the last 3:50 of the game and hold on for the 68-62 win.

Anoka-Ramsey finished the game just 22 of 69 from the field (31.9 percent) including 8 of 26 from the three-point line (30.8 percent).  Central Lakes managed just 32.4 percent shooting including 7 of 28 from the three-point line.

Anoka-Ramsey held a 16-7 advantage in made free throws which proved to be the difference in the game.

Pollard finished with 20 points, nine rebounds, and three assists for the Golden Rams.

Casey recorded his third double-double of the season with 12 points and 15 rebounds.

Hayes came off the bench to score 10 points, while Chris Byrgiotis (sophomore, Melbourne, Australia) chipped in with nine points.

Anthony Brama (sophomore, St. Anthony Village) scored six points and pulled in eight rebounds as the Golden Rams controlled the glass 53-46.

Saturday vs. Fond du Lac (W - 78-55)

The Golden Rams opened the Saturday afternoon game scoring the first five points, and would never trail throughout the contest.

That doesn't mean it came easy against the Thunder.

While the Golden Rams were able to extend the lead in the opening period, Fond du Lac continued to have an answer to keep the game close.

Ten minutes into the game Anoka-Ramsey pulled ahead 22-13 after two made free throws from Cam Cummings (sophomore, St. Croix Lutheran). 

The lead extended to 13 points 28-15 with 5:08 to play in the period before things started going the Thunder's way.

A quick seven points cut the lead to six with 3:32 to play, but the Golden Rams answered and pushed to lead back to 11 (33-22) with 2 minutes remaining.

Some costly errors to end the half allowed Fond du Lac to score the final seven points and Anoka-Ramsey entered the break with a 33-29 lead.

Hayes scored the first basket of the second half, but Fond du Lac responded with the next two field goals to pull within two points at 35-33.

A Tyler Matsen field goal (freshman, Washington Park, Wisconsin), a putback by Casey, followed by a three-point field goal by Fond du Lac made it a three point game.

After a timeout by Fond du Lac, the Golden Rams came out with a renewed defensive energy and proceeded to put together a 9-0 run over the next four minutes to take their biggest lead at 50-36.

The teams traded baskets over the next few minutes before Anoka-Ramsey extended the lead to 18 points (63-45) with 6:50 remaining and the Thunder would not threaten again.

Anoka-Ramsey shot 55.2 percent in the second half to finish 29 of 63 from the field (46 percent).

Fond du Lac was held to just 21 off 66 shooting (31.8 percent) including just 6 of 26 from the three-point line (23.1 percent).

The Golden Rams committed a season-low seven turnovers.

Five players scored in double-figures for Anoka-Ramsey with Casey leading the way at 13 points. 

Byrgiotis and Pollard each scored 12 points. 

Joel McFall (freshman, Geelong, Australia) scored a career-high 11 points, and Brama chipped in with 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds.

The Golden Rams improve to 3-4 on the season.

Next up is a road trip against MCAC Northern Division foes Vermilion Community College (Friday, December 12 at 8:00pm) and Mesabi Range College (Saturday, December 13 at 3:00pm).

VIDEO: Highlights vs. Dakota College-Bottineau

Game Recap: Poor Shooting Dooms Golden Rams

The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team hit a cold spell in Wahpeton, ND on Sunday night, falling to NDSCS 84-64.

The normally hot shooting Golden Rams (50.8 percent FGs the previous game) had a reversal of fortune against the host Wildcats and only managed to connect on 30 percent of their field goals.

Anoka-Ramsey managed to keep the game tight throughout the opening period, trailing 25-24 with 6:36 left in the first half.  A 12-4 run by the Wildcats pushed the lead to 37-28 with 1:39 remaining.

Each team exchanged a fully of three-point field goals before the half ended with NDSCS ahead 43-36.

The Wildcats jumped on the Golden Rams to open the second half, scoring the first six points as part of a 13-5 run to open a 59-41 lead with 15:35 left in the game.

Anoka-Ramsey would continue to chip away at the deficit, eventually cutting the score to 68-58 with 7:22 remaining.

But some costly errors over the next four minutes on both ends of the floor allowed NDSCS to put on a 9-0 run and the Golden Rams never threatened again.

The Golden Rams had no answer for NDSCS sophomore shooting guard Johnny Woodard who dropped in 42 points on the night.

Kashif Hayes (Fr, St. Louis Park) scored a career-high 19 points.

Justin Casey (So, Park Center) scored 15 points.

Trenton Pollard (So, Prairie Seeds Academy) scored 13 to round out the double-figure scorers for Anoka-Ramsey.

The Golden Rams fall to 1-3 on the season and will travel to the St. Paul Salvation Army on Wednesday for a 7:00pm tip vs. Dakota County Tech.

Game Recap: Golden Rams Secure First Victory

The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team secured their first victory of the season 96-83 over NJCAA Division II opponent Dakota College-Bottineau on Day 1 of the Bayport Inn Classic in Wahpeton, ND.

The Golden Rams trailed 14-11 early in the game but took their first lead at 19-18 and would never trail again.

Anoka-Ramsey pushed their first half lead to 44-29 with 2:49 left in the half, but a series of turnovers and missed shots allowed the Lumberjacks to end the period on a 8-0 run, trailing the Golden Rams 44-37 at the break.

Bottineau scored the first five points of the second, extending their run, to close within 44-42.

After trading baskets with the Lumberjacks, the Golden Rams hit consecutive three-point shots; one by Chris Byrgiotis and the other by Trenton Pollard to take a 52-44 lead.

Pollard would also score the next five points (a layup and another three-point field goal), pushing the lead to 57-44 with the 11-0 run.

The Golden Rams still lead 67-52 when Bottineau began to chip away at the deficit.

A 22-9 run over the next eight minutes cut the margin to 76-74 in favor of Anoka-Ramsey.

After two free throws by Pollard, and a basket by Bottineau, and Justin Casey would score and get fouled, converting the free throw, to push the lead back to 81-76.

The Lumberjacks would convert their own three-point play to make the score 81-79 with 5:36 left in the game.

A mini 8-2 run by the Golden Rams would stretch the lead to 89-81, and the game would be sealed by another Pollard three-point field goal, and a driving layup by Kashif Hayes with just over a minute left to play.

Anoka-Ramsey finished the game shooting 50.8 percent from the field including a 59.3 percent mark in the second half.  The Golden Rams knocked down seven of their 17 three-point field goal attempts (41.2 percent) and held the Lumberjacks to just two of 15 from beyond the arc.

Anoka-Ramsey held a 51-34 edge in rebounds; hauling in 17 offensive rebounds to offset committing 21 turnovers.  The Golden Rams converted 25 free throws to just 13 for the Lumberjacks.

Anoka-Ramsey was lead by Trenton Pollard's 32 points, 27 of which came in the second half.  Pollard finished the game shooting nine of 18 from the field, three of six from the three-point line and making 11 of 12 free throws.

Justin Casey recorded his second straight double-double with 19 points and ten rebounds.

Chris Byrgiotis and Kashif Hayes each scored 14 points on a combined nine of 16 shooting from the field.  Hayes also had five rebounds.

Robert Ben hauled in ten rebounds, while Brandon Hixson cleaned the glass with eight rebounds.

The Golden Rams are now 1-2 on the season and face host North Dakota State College of Science at 6:00pm Sunday.

The game will be live-streamed at www.NJCAATV.com

VIDEO: Highlights vs. Milwaukee Area Tech

VIDEO: Highlights vs. Madison College

Game Recaps: Golden Rams Drop Two in Opening Weekend

The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team dropped their first two games of the season last weekend at the Tri-State Classic in Ironwood, Michigan.

On Friday afternoon, the Golden Rams faced Madison College and took an 34-20 lead with about seven minutes remaining in the opening half.

The Wolfpack went on a 19-7 run to close within two 41-39 at the break.

The second half saw seven lead changes and six ties as both teams fought back and forth for control, however neither team was able to pull away with Madison ultimately prevailing 85-80.

The Golden Rams were lead in scoring by Kashif Hayes (Fr, St. Louis Park) who came off the bench with 18 points on 4 of 7 shooting and a perfect 7 of 7 from the free throw line.

Anthony Brama (So, St. Anthony Village) chipped in with 17 points and a team-high eight rebounds.

Trenton Pollard (So, Prairie Seeds Academy) scored 16 points to go with four assists, and Chris Byrgiotis (So, Melbourne, Australia) scored 13 points, pulled in seven rebounds, and chipped in five assists.

Justin Casey (So, Park Center) rounded out the double-figure scorers with 11 points.

Overall, the Golden Rams shot 45.8 percent from the field but committed 19 turnovers.

On Saturday afternoon, Anoka-Ramsey looked to bounce back against Milwaukee Area Tech.

The Golden Rams struggled shooting the ball in the opening period, while Milwaukee was able to establish a tough inside game.  Anoka-Ramsey shot just 39.3 percent in the opening period to Milwaukee's 53.8 percent, however the Golden Rams only trailed by nine 40-31 after the first 20 minutes.

Anoka-Ramsey quickly scored the first six points of the second half to close within three, but Milwaukee was able to keep the Golden Rams at bay throughout the second half and held on to win 82-77.

Anoka-Ramsey finished the game shooting 47.5 percent, but allowed 52.7 percent shooting from the Stormers.

Chris Byrgiotis (So, Melbourne, Australia) finished with a team-high 16 points on 6 of 9 shooting from the field.

Justin Casey (So, Park Center) recorded his first double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Trenton Pollard (So, Prairie Seeds Academy) scored 15 points, and Brandon Hixson (Fr, Champlin Park) chipped in with 11 points.

The Golden Rams are 0-2 and will travel to Wahpeton, ND this Saturday and Sunday to face Dakota College-Bottineau (Saturday 4:00pm) and North Dakota State College of Science (Sunday 6:00pm).

Golden Rams Open Season Friday

The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team will open their season on Friday, November 7th and Saturday, November 8th at the Tri-State Classic.

Games will be held on the campus of Gogebic Community College in Ironwood, Michigan.

The Golden Rams will face Madison College at 4:00pm Friday, and Milwaukee Area Technical College at 12:00pm Saturday.

This is the third year of the Tri-State Classic with the Golden Rams holding a 4-0 record overall.  They enter the opening weekend ranked #7 in the first NJCAA Division III National Poll of the season.

Anoka-Ramsey finished the 2013-2014 campaign with a 24-10 overall record, a Region XIII championship, and a sixth place finish in the NJCAA Division III National Tournament.

Golden Rams Debut at #7 in National Poll

The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team debuted at #7 in the NJCAA Division III Preseason Poll, released on October 27.

The Golden Rams are coming off their first Region XIII championship in over a decade.  The 2013-2014 season included a school-record 24 wins and a sixth place finish in the NJCAA Division III National Tournament.

Six players return from last season's roster including Region XIII Tournament MVP Trenton Pollard (G, 18.4 points per game).

The Golden Rams open their season on November 7 and 8 as they travel to Ironwood, Michigan for the Tri-State Classic on the campus of Gogebic Community College.

The entire October 27 poll can be found here.

Anoka-Ramsey Jamboree

The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team will be hosting an eight team Jamboree on Saturday, October 11th.

College coaches are invited to attend to get an early start on evaluating area JUCO talent for the 2014-2015 season.

Schedule of Games

Performance Gym (G100)

11:00 am - Dakota County Tech vs. Central Lakes

12:00 pm - Anoka-Ramsey vs. Lake Region

1:00 pm - Dakota County Tech vs. Rochester

2:00 pm - Anoka-Ramsey vs. Northland

3:00 pm - Dakota County Tech vs. St. Cloud Tech

4:00 pm - Anoka-Ramsey vs. Minnesota West

Field House (G118)

11:00 am - Rochester vs. St. Cloud Tech

12:00 pm - Minnesota West vs. Northland

1:00 pm - Central Lakes vs. St. Cloud Tech

2:00 pm - Lake Region vs. Minnesota West

3:00 pm - Rochester vs. Central Lakes

4:00 pm - Northland vs. Lake Region

2014 Men's Basketball Information Meeting and Tryouts

See details below if you are interested in participating in Men's Basketball for the 2014-2015 season

It is highly recommended that those intending to Tryout on September 3rd also attend the Information Meeting on September 2nd

INFORMATION MEETING

Tuesday, September 2nd

3:00 PM

G213

TRYOUTS

Wednesday, September 3rd

3:00 PM

G100 Performance Gym

**Most basketball practices occur sometime between 2pm and 6pm. If you intend to tryout for the team with the hope of making the roster or practice squad, your schedule will need to be free of conflicts during this time frame.

Contact Rory Larson with questions (763-232-5257; Rory.Larson@anokaramsey.edu ; Office G209)

Spring Open Gyms

Anoka-Ramsey Men's Basketball will be hosting open gyms on the dates below.

Sunday, April 27 - 5pm - 7pm

Wed, April 30 - 5pm - 7pm

Sunday, May 4 - 5pm - 7pm

Wed, May 7 - 5pm - 7pm

Sunday, May 11 - 5pm - 7pm

Wed, May 14 - 5pm - 7pm

Sunday, May 18 - 5pm - 7pm


Open Gym will be held on the Coon Rapids campus in either the Field House or Performance Gym depending on availability.

Additional dates will be added during the summer.

Golden Rams Finish Sixth in National Tourney

The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team finished sixth in the NJCAA Division III National Tournament this past weekend at Sullivan County Community College in Loch Sheldrake, NY.

This was only the second National Tournament appearance for the Golden Rams in Men's Basketball history (2000), and the first under head coach Ron Larson.

The Golden Rams lost their opening game 88-73 to Eastfield College who went on to finish fifth in the tournament.

The second game saw the Golden Rams scorch the nets by connecting on 18 of 32 three-point field goal attempts (13-20 in the first half alone) to defeat Herkimer College 91-87.  Herkimer would finish the tournament in seventh place.

In their final game of the season, Anoka-Ramsey fell to Nassau Community College 85-73.  Nassau finished in fourth place with the win.

Lemuel Doe was named to the National Tournament All-Tournament Team for his efforts in the Golden Rams' three games.

Head Coach Ron Larson was named the Region XIII and District 4 Coach of the Year.

Anoka-Ramsey concludes their season with a 24-10 overall record, and a NJCAA Region XIII Championship.

2014 NJCAA Division III National Tournament Team

Anoka-Ramsey To Face Eastfield College in National Quarterfinals

The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team will face the Eastfield College Harvesters in their opening round game of the 2014 NJCAA Division III National Tournament at 11:00am CST on Thursday, March 13.

The Harvesters, of Mesquite, Texas, enter the tournament as champions of Region V, District 3 and hold a 26-6 record.

Eastfield finished the 2013 season as the NJCAA Division III National Runners-Up.

The Golden Rams qualified for the National Tournament with a thrilling 88-85 overtime victory over Rochester Community and Technical College.

They will enter the tournament with a 23-8 overall record.

Tournament information can be found at www.championships-sullivan.com

Golden Rams Win MCAC/Region XIII Tournament!

The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team knocked off three higher-seeded teams in winning the MCAC/Region XIII Tournament this past weekend to earn a trip to the eight-team NJCAA Division III National Tournament March 13-15 in Loch Sheldrake, NY.

On Friday, February 28 the Golden Rams, seeded #4 in the Southern Division, defeated Vermilion Community College who was seeded #1 in the Northern Division and ranked #3 in the nation coming into the game.  Anoka-Ramsey won 80-76.

Then on Saturday, March 1 the Golden Rams faced the #3 seeded team from the Northern Division, Mesabi Range and won 73-70 to advance to Sunday's Championship game.

On Sunday, March 2 the Golden Rams squared off against Southern Division foe Rochester Community and Technical College who was the #1 seed from the Southern Division and ranked #2 in the nation by a score of 88-85 in overtime.

Rochester had won the two regular season contests between the two teams and was undefeated in Southern Division play during the regular season.

Lemuel Doe, Trent Pollard, and Anthony Brama were named to the MCAC All-Tournament Team with Pollard earning Tournament Most Valuable Player honors.

Head Coach Ron Larson was named the Region XIII Coach of the Year.

This is only the second time in school history that the Men's Basketball team has reached the NJCAA Division III National Tournament.  The previous trip came in 2000.

Additional information about the National Tournament can be found by clicking here or by visiting the official tournament website www.championships-sullivan.com

Quarterfinal games will be announced on Wednesday, March 5.

2014 MCAC and Region XIII Champions (photo courtesy David McLane)

Doe, Pollard, Weldon Named All-Division, All-MCAC

Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball players Lemuel Doe, Trent Pollard, and Joey Weldon were named to the 2013-2014 MCAC All-Southern Division and All-MCAC teams.

The All-Southern Division team consists of the top 14 players in the MCAC Southern Division as voted on by the Southern Division coaches.

The All-MCAC team consists of the top 14 players from the MCAC Northern and Southern Divisions combined as voted on by the coaches in both divisions.

Doe (sophomore, Worcester, MA) averaged 16.6 points per game during the regular season, 18 points per game in Southern Division games.  He also averaged 5.2 rebounds (6.7 in Southern Division games), and 3.5 assists (3.2 in Southern Division games) while shooting 49.2 percent from the field and 46.7 percent from the three-point line.  Doe lead the Golden Rams with 105 made free throws in 24 games.  He was named the MCAC Southern Division Player of the Week once this season.  He was also an All-Division and All-MCAC recipient during his freshman season in 2011-2012.

Lemuel Doe

Pollard (freshman, Minneapolis) averaged 18 points per game, 3.3 assists, and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 42.3 percent from the field and 41.5 percent from the three-point line during the regular season.  He lead the team with 76 made three-point field goals while also shooting 75.8 percent from the free-throw line.  Pollard also lead the team in steals with 41.  He was named the MCAC Southern Division Player of the Week once this season.

Trent Pollard

Weldon (freshman, St. Paul) averaged 18.8 points and 14.2 rebounds while shooting 68.4 percent from the field during the regular season.  His rebounding average and field goal percentage lead the entire nation in NJCAA Division III.  Weldon recorded 19 double-doubles (points and rebounds) in 25 games played.  He was named the MCAC Southern Division Player of the Week four times and the NJCAA Division III National Player of the Week once this season.

Joey Weldon

MCAC/Region 13 Tournament Pairings Set

The 2014 MCAC/Region 13 Men's Basketball pairings have been set.  The tournament will be held February 28 - March 2 on the Coon Rapids campus of Anoka-Ramsey Community College.

The tournament champion will represent Region 13 in the NJCAA Division III National Tournament March 13-15 in Loch Sheldrake, NY.

Friday, February 28

1:00pm - #1S Rochester (24-3) 85 vs. #4N Northland (13-15) 65
3:00pm - #2N Central Lakes (16-11) 78 vs. #3S Minnesota West (18-9) 63
5:00pm - #1N Vermilion (23-4) 76 vs. #4S Anoka-Ramsey (20-8) 80
7:00pm - #2S St. Cloud Tech (22-5) 67 vs. #3N Mesabi Range (19-8) 68

Saturday, March 1

10:00am - Northland 68 vs. Minnesota West 89
12:00pm - Vermilion 90 vs. St. Cloud Tech 82
2:00pm - Rochester 104 vs. Central Lakes 92
4:00pm - Anoka-Ramsey 73 vs. Mesabi Range 70

Sunday, March 2

10:00am - MN West 99 vs Vermilion 100
12:00pm - Central Lakes 70 vs Mesabi 73
2:00pm - Rochester 85 vs Anoka-Ramsey 88 - OT

Anoka-Ramsey wins the 2014 Region XIII Championship and advances to the NJCAA Division III National Tournament.

Admission Prices

Adults - $8
College Students (w/ID) - $5
Students Age 6-17 - $5
Seniors Age 62+ - $5
Children Age 5 and under - Free

3-Day Tournament Passes will be sold on Friday for $20 (Adults) and $12 (Students and Seniors)

Lemuel Doe Named MCAC Southern Division Player of the Week

Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball player Lemuel Doe was named the MCAC Southern Division Player of the Week for his efforts in two Golden Ram games.

In a 96-86 victory over M-State Fergus Falls, Doe scored 33 points and pulled in 12 rebounds.  He shot 10 of 16 from the field including 3 of 5 from the three-point line and 10 of 12 from the free throw line.

In a 76-65 loss to St. Cloud Tech, Doe finished with 17 points and four rebounds.

For the week he averaged 25 points and 7.5 rebounds.

Anoka-Ramsey is 16-7 on the season, 5-5 in the MCAC.

They host Minnesota West on Wednesday, February 12 at 8:00pm.

Weldon Named MCAC Southern Division Player of the Week

In what has become a pattern the last few weeks, Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball player Joey Weldon was named the MCAC Southern Division Player of the Week for his efforts in the Golden Rams two games last week.

Weldon has won the award four of the past six weeks.

Against #4 ranked Rochester Community and Technical College, Weldon scored 29 points and pulled in 19 rebounds as the Golden Rams fell 105-99.

Three nights later, Weldon tallied 24 points and 20 rebounds in a 70-57 victory over Ridgewater. 

It was the fourth time this season that Weldon has pulled in 20 or more rebounds in a game, and the third time he has recoded at least 20 points and 20 rebounds in the same game.

Weldon is averaging 19 points and 15.1 rebounds per game while shooting 68 percent from the field.  He leads the nation in total rebounds, rebounds per game, and defensive rebounds, while ranking second in field goal percentage.

Anoka-Ramsey is 14-5 on the season, 3-3 in the MCAC Southern Division.  They will travel to La Crosse, WI to face Western Tech on Wednesday, January 29 at 8:00pm.

Game Recap: Golden Rams Drop Second Straight

The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team dropped their second straight game by falling to Minnesota West 83-77 on Sunday afternoon.

The Golden Rams jumped out to a 17-10 lead early in the game behind the three-point shooting of Joe Lyons and Lemuel Doe. 

But Anoka-Ramsey cooled off and Minnesota West was able to trim the deficit as the lead changed hands five times in the half before settling on a 31-31 halftime score. 

Neither team shot the ball particularly well in the opening period with Minnesota West managing just 36.7 percent to Anoka-Ramsey's 41.7 percent. 

Ten turnovers by the Golden Rams and six offensive rebounds for Minnesota West (to just three for Anoka-Ramsey) made up the difference in shooting. 

The second half started out well for the Golden Rams as they managed to retake the lead early on. But three consecutive threes by Minnesota West forward Cody Harris turned a one point Anoka-Ramsey advantage into an eight point deficit. 

Minnesota West continued their run after a timeout eventually taking their largest lead 71-58 with over eight minutes remaining. 

But the Golden Rams had another run in them as they cut the deficit to four points a couple time late in the game. Free throws sealed the win for Minnesota West. 

Anoka-Ramsey falls to 13-4 on the season, 2-2 in the MCAC.

Game Recap: Golden Rams Fall in Double Overtime Thriller

The #7 ranked Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team lost a nail-biting thriller 93-92 in double overtime to #2 ranked St. Cloud Technical and Community College on Wednesday evening.

SCTCC guard Riley West made one of two free throws with 2.4 seconds remaining for the final margin after both teams traded leads throughout the last six minutes of regulation and both overtime periods.

Overall there were 12 ties and 11 lead changes in the game.

After falling behind 33-30 at halftime, the Golden Rams came out sluggish in the second half, allowing St. Cloud to build their largest lead 49-35 with 15 minutes left in regulation.

From there the Golden Rams began to chip away at the deficit behind the inside play of Joey Weldon, and the perimeter shooting and drives to the basket by Lemuel Doe.

Anoka-Ramsey held brief leads late in the game, but St. Cloud was able to answer with timely baskets of their own as well as free throws.

With 7.2 seconds remaining in regulation, Golden Ram guard Joe Lyons drilled a corner three-point shot to send the game to the first overtime period.

Weldon fouled out early in the first overtime, finishing with 29 points on 10 of 14 shooting and 9 of 12 from the free throw line, along with 18 rebounds and three steals.

Anoka-Ramsey held an 87-84 lead with 30 seconds left, when St. Cloud made two free throws to cut the lead to one.  The Golden Rams turned the ball over on the ensuing inbounds, resulting in a foul by Lemuel Doe (his fifth), and St. Cloud make two more free throws to take a 88-87 lead.

Doe fouled out with 19 points and a career-high 14 rebounds.

Anthony Brama pulled down an offensive rebound and got fouled with 8.7 second remaining, making one of two free throws to tie the game at 88.  St. Cloud Tech turned the ball over with 2.3 seconds remaining, but Anoka-Ramsey was unable to score, sending the game to a second overtime.

A three-point play one minute into the second overtime gave St. Cloud Tech the lead, followed by a layup by Anoka-Ramsey's Trent Pollard to cut the deficit back to one.

After a St. Cloud Tech turnover, the Golden Rams couldn't convert on two layup attempts nor a three-point shot to retake the lead.

Both teams traded empty possessions before Lyons was fouled on a defensive rebound attempt with 1:42 remaining.

Lyons converted both free throws to take a 92-91 lead.  He would finish the game with 17 points and four assists.

St. Cloud Tech was called for an offensive foul on their next possession.

With the shot clock winding down, Trent Pollard missed a three-point attempt, but Brandon Johnson pulled in the offensive rebound allowing the Golden Rams another possession with just under a minute to play.

The Golden Rams were fouled with 47.5 seconds left but missed both free throw attempts.  On the second miss, the Golden Rams were called for a foul on the rebound, sending St. Cloud Tech to the line on the other end where they tied the game with one of two free throws.

Anoka-Ramsey was unable to score and St. Cloud Tech called a timeout with 10.7 seconds remaining.

After another St. Cloud Tech timeout, the Golden Rams were called for a hand check on a drive the basket, setting up the final free throw.

Anoka-Ramsey's inbound pass was deflected, and they were not able to get a shot off before time expired.

The Golden Rams fall to 13-3 overall, 2-1 in the MCAC Southern Division.

Anoka-Ramsey will next travel to Minnesota West on Sunday, January 19th for a 3:00pm game.

Golden Rams Ranked #7 in Latest NJCAA Poll

The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team came in at #7 in the latest NJCAA Division III national poll released Tuesday.

The Golden Rams were ranked #9 in last week's poll, and #10 in the poll before that.

Anoka-Ramsey is 13-2 on the season, 2-0 in MCAC Southern Division play.

They will host #2 ranked St. Cloud Technical and Community College on Wednesday, January 15 at 7:00pm.

The full national poll can be found here.

Weldon Named Player of the Week for Third Time

Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball player Joey Weldon was named the MCAC Southern Division Player of the Week for the third time this season.

Weldon earned the award by posting per game averages of 20.5 points, 15 rebounds, 4.5 steals, and 2 assists while shooting 16 of 23 from the field in two Golden Ram victories last week.

In a 79-49 win over Riverland Weldon scored 19 points, hauled in 15 rebounds, and recorded six steals.

In the Golden Rams 83-71 victory over MSCTC-Fergus Falls Weldon scored 22 points and again pulled down 15 rebounds.

Weldon leads the nation in rebounding with 14.9 per game.

This is the second consecutive week that Weldon has earned the award.

The Golden Rams have had the last four Southern Division Players of the Week with Trent Pollard earning the award two weeks ago.

Anoka-Ramsey is 13-2 on the season and was #9 in the country last week; a new poll will be released tomorrow by the NJCAA.

The Golden Rams will face #2 ranked St. Cloud Technical and Community College (14-1) on Wednesday, January 15th at 7:00pm on the Coon Rapids campus.

Game Recap: Golden Rams Start MCAC Play 2-0

The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team started conference play 2-0 this week, defeating Riverland 79-49 on Wednesday night and MSCTC-Fergus Falls 83-71 on Saturday afternoon. 

On Wednesday the Golden Rams jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, leading by 20 at halftime and building a 33 point lead in the 2nd half. 

Riverland shot just 29.2% from the field including 3 of 22 from the three-point line. 

Anoka-Ramsey forced 18 turnovers and committed just six. 

Joey Weldon lead the way with 22 points and 15 rebounds. 

Trent Pollard scored 17 points. 

Joe Lyons finished with 14 points. 

Lemuel Doe recorded seven points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. 

On Saturday afternoon the Golden Rams shot 52.6%, holding Fergus Falls to 37.9%. 

The Golden Rams also connected on 12 of 22 three-point attempts. 

Trent Pollard scored 17 of his 27 points in the first half, finishing 9 of 14 from the field and 7 of 10 from the three point line. 

Lemuel Doe scored 19 points to go with six assists. 

Joey Weldon scored 19 points and hauled in 15 rebounds. 

Anoka-Ramsey is now 13-2 overall. 

Next up is a home showdown with #2 ranked St. Cloud Technical and Community College on Wednesday, January 15 at 7:00pm. 

Weldon Named MCAC Southern Division Player of the Week

Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball player Joey Weldon was named the MCAC Southern Division Player of the Week for his efforts in games between December 20, 2013 and January 4th, 2014.

In four games during that span Weldon averaged 19 points and 17.5 rebounds while shooting 75% from the field, helping the Golden Rams go 3-1.

In their win over Dakota County Tech Weldon recorded 22 points and a career-high 27 rebounds.

This is the second time Weldon has earned the award and the third straight week a member of the Golden Rams has been MCAC Southern Division Player of the Week.

Anoka-Ramsey is 11-2 on the season and ranked #9 in the nation.

They'll face Riverland Community College on Wednesday, January 8th at 8:00pm in Austin, MN.

Golden Rams Move Up to #9 in Latest NJCAA Poll

The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team moved up to #9 in the latest NJCAA Division III poll following their 3-1 performance since the last rankings were released in mid-December.

The Golden Rams defeated Bismarck State, Vermilion, and Dakota County Tech before falling to North Dakota State College of Science.

The Golden Rams are 11-2 on the season with their only two losses coming to NJCAA Division I North Dakota State College of Science.

Conference play begins this week as Anoka-Ramsey travels to Riverland Community College on Wednesday, January 8th for an 8:00pm game, followed by a home contest versus Minnesota State-Fergus Falls on Saturday, January 11th at 3:00pm.

The full national poll can be found by clicking here.

First Half Season Recap

A quick rundown of the non-conference season for the Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team.

Team

• Started the season 4-0, lost to NDSCS, then won 7 straight before again falling to NDSCS.  Those are the only two losses on the season.
• Defeated NJCAA Division I Bismarck State.
• Defeated NJCAA Division II Dakota County Tech twice.
• 8-1 home record; 3-1 road record
• 47.8% overall field goal percentage which ranks 15th nationally
• 37.5% three-point field goal percentage which ranks 13th nationally
• Positive assist to turnover ratio (213 assists to 188 turnovers)
• Shot 50% or better in five games
• Shot 36% or better from the three-point line in eight games
• Averaging 8.6 made three-point field goals per game which ranks 7th nationally
• Have won games scoring in the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, and 100's

Individuals who appear in national statistical rankings

• Trent Pollard - 19.9 points per game - 30th
• Trent Pollard - 84.7% FTs -18th
• Joey Weldon - 14.9 rebounds per game - 1st
• Joey Weldon - 70.4% FGs - 2nd
• Joey Weldon - 64 total offensive rebounds - 6th
• Lemuel Doe - 48.4% 3FGs - 18th

Game Recap: Seven Game Winning Streak Snapped

The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team saw their seven game winning streak snapped, by the same team to hand them their only other loss this season, North Dakota State College of Science 90-72 on Saturday evening.

The Golden Rams had their worst shooting performance of the season, struggling to connect on shots they had typically made through their first 12 games.  They shot just 29% in falling behind 47-24 at halftime, and finished the game making just 26 of 73 shots (35.6%).

On the other end, NDSCS was having a hard time missing shots.  The Wildcats seemed to do no wrong in the first half as they shot 60.6% in building their lead.

The start of the second half wasn't much better as NDSCS scored the first nine points, eventually settling into a 33 point lead (59-26).

On the positive side, the Golden Rams shot a season-high 81.3% from the free throw line (13-16).

Trent Pollard lead the Golden Rams with 17 points and five steals.

Joey Weldon scored 13 points and pulled in 11 rebounds.

Lemuel Doe was the only other Golden Ram in double figures with 11 points.

Chris Kpahn and Chris Byrgiotis each tallied eight points.

Anoka-Ramsey finishes the non-conference portion of their schedule with a 11-2 record including wins over NJCAA Division I Bismarck State and two wins over NJCAA Division II Dakota County Tech.

The Golden Rams begin MCAC Southern Division play on Wednesday, January 8th as they travel to Riverland Community College for an 8:00pm game.

Game Recap: Golden Rams defeat DCTC 86-74

The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team returned from their holiday break with a 86-74 win over Dakota County Technical College on Friday evening.

It is the seventh straight win for the Golden Rams.

Neither team could do much wrong in the first half with both teams shooting at a high level, trading three-point baskets throughout the start of the game.

Dakota County Tech shot 57.1% from the field including 8 of 12 from the three-point line, compared with 50% from the Golden Rams on 10 of 15 from the three-point line as Anoka-Ramsey took a slim 50-49 lead into the break.

The second half started much the same way with neither team able to take control.

DCTC put together a 11-0 run midway through the half to take a 68-62 lead on Anoka-Ramsey.

The Golden Rams countered with a 19-3 run of their own to retake the lead and pull out the win.

Trent Pollard lead all scorers with 23 points for Anoka-Ramsey.

Joey Weldon scored 22 points and pulled down a career-high 27 rebounds, eight on the offensive end.  Weldon accounted for 18 of the 21 rebounds Anoka-Ramsey grabbed in the second half.

Lemuel Doe scored 18 points and dished out four assists, and Joe Lyons contributed 17 points on 5 of 10 shooting from the three-point line.

Anoka-Ramsey held DCTC to just 30.8% shooting in the second half.

The Golden Rams are now 11-1 on the season.  They'll get a chance to avenge their only loss in a rematch with North Dakota State College of Science on Saturday at 5:00pm.