Hibbing Basketball Seniors Want to Prove They’re Ready for the Big Stage

Now that last year's senior class has moved on, a new crop of Bluejackets are ready to defend their section crown.

HIBBING, Minn. – Last season, the Hibbing boys basketball team won their first section title since 1989.

The Bluejackets rode their success on the back of seven seniors who had been playing varsity basketball for several years in the program. And now that they’ve moved on, a new crop of ballers are ready to defend their section crown.

“You come in with a chip on your shoulder. We went down to Red Wing earlier. We had a target on our back for those guys. It’s definitely a big, big change. But it definitely does put a chip on our shoulder trying to get back to state with a different group,” said senior forward Zach Rusich.

“They played behind a group of guys that weren’t just last year’s team, they were the year before’s team, and even some of them were the year before that’s team. I think these guys are finally looking at this situation as ‘here’s my chance. I’ve got an opportunity to do something I didn’t get a chance to do before. And they’ve taken all of that very much in stride,” head coach Joel McDonald said.

Hibbing was able to bring back leading scorer and assist man Ayden McDonald, who will now take on a leadership role both on and off the court.

“Growing up, I was always the younger guy. But now us seniors are the older guys and we got to set the example for the younger guys coming up because most of these guys haven’t been on the varsity or JV level that are here now. Obviously, it takes all five of us out there and I enjoy every minute on the floor with those guys,” McDonald said.

Hibbing will host Hermantown on Thursday night.