Beyond the Playbook: Superior boys’ basketball looks to continue success in Deadrick’s second season

Prep basketball is days away in the Northland and the Superior Spartans boys team, after winning their first playoff game in nearly six years a season ago, is looking to pick up right where they left off.

In head coach Kory Deadrick’s first season behind the Spartans bench last winter, he led the team to the regional finals falling just short to Appleton East 64-60.

Now in his second season Deadrick’s bar is even higher for the team. Although the challenge now is to create the same success after the loss of 10 seniors this season.

“We bring back some returners, but no one who’s started any varsity games in their career, so relatively inexperienced. I think that’ll be our hurdle we’ve got to get over. But these guys have been working. They’ve been in the gym. I thought our summer and fall were very good,” said Deadrick.

Still this new senior class is ready to get back to that same level and defend their Lake Superior Conference title.

“The regional finals loss was tough. All the guys back there wanted to win that and go to state, you know what team doesn’t. We should be really good this year. Hopefully the goal is to make it back to regionals, if not make it farther in regionals,” added senior forward Daynen Lull.

The team had an overall record of 17-9 last year, winning five of their last six games.

“We have a lot of great players we can if we just work together and work through the entire team, listen to our coach and work hard. We can get back to where we were,” added senior guard Carter Lambert.

“Now the schedule we play, the conference and things we’re in is very challenging. So these guys get tested every night, there’s no gimmes. So, you know, it’ll be good for them,” concluded Deadrick.

The march for the Spartans begins with their home and season opener November 29 against Ashland.