Nov 4, 2010

Basketball team fifth in nation

The Central Lakes College men's basketball team is ranked fifth in the pre-season National Junior College Athletic Association Division III poll. The Raiders are coming off a 24-6 season in which they shared the Northern Division regular-season leadership with Northland at 12-2. This season the CLC men and women will compete in the Southern Division due to Minneapolis dropping its basketball program. The Raiders open the 2010-11 campaign on Tuesday, Nov. 9 at Fond Du Lac (Cloquet), with the wome playing at 5 and the men at 7. First home action is Nov. 12 and 13 in the CLC Classic as the Raiders host squads from Ridgewater, Vermilion (Ely), and Western Tech (Wis.). They also are at home on Tues., Nov. 16 vs. Itasca (Grand Rapids), for games at 6 and 8. Favorites in the women's Southern Division are nationally ranked Anoka-Ramsey and Rochester, with Northern Division favorites to include nationally ranked Mesabi Range and Itasca. In men's basketball, Rochester is ranked eighth and Northland of Thief River Falls (Northern Division team) 19th among pre-season national favorites.