For Linn-Benton athletics, November is the busiest time of the year.
As the volleyball team prepares to embark on their postseason journey, the men’s and women’s basketball programs at Linn-Benton prepare to tip off their seasons.
Last year, the men’s basketball team finished with an overall record of 15-14, earning them a spot in the NWAC postseason tournament. The playoff berth marked back-to-back seasons with a playoffs appearance for the Roadrunners, an impressive feat for a program that endured a 4-19 overall record in 2021.
For the Roadrunners to clinch a third consecutive season with a playoff spot, they must fight through a contentious NWAC South Region. Portland and Southwestern Oregon will be stiff competition for the South Region title, while Lane, Chemeketa, and Clackamas will each vie for the region’s four playoff spots.
Despite their competition, Linn-Benton will fancy their chances. The NWAC South Region has had four different champions in the last four seasons, and fellow South Region program Umpqua will be ineligible for playoff contention due to noncompliance with NWAC standards.
The Roadrunners will also have seven returning players from last season’s squad to fuel their ambitions: guards Mesziah Ford, Michael Lundy, Liam Spencer, and Micah Young, forwards Cedric Barnes and Zach Donahoo, and winger Cade Smith.
In addition to the sophomores, the team brought in seven first-year players from around the state: guards Diego Aguilar and Eli Lerman, forwards Jackson Oglesby and Gabe Townsend, and wingers Kenyon Jones, Trey Kim, and Mykah Mendoza. The additions of Kim, Oglesby, and Townsend strengthened the size of the team, with each player standing above 6’4.
The Roadrunners’ impressive record at home last season will also boost the team’s confidence. The team had an 11-2 record in Albany last season, earning them their first season with ten or more home wins since 2018. If the Roadrunners can replicate their home court success this year, a spot in the NWAC postseason tournament will likely be theirs.
At the helm for Linn-Benton is third-year head coach Todd Zimmermann. Zimmermann was an associate head coach for the Roadrunners from 2016-2019 before returning to the program as head coach in the spring of 2022. With 30 wins compiled over his two seasons in charge, Zimmermann has brought life back to a program that saw little success during his time away.
So far in the leadup to the season, Zimmermann has been impressed with some of the qualities his players have displayed.
“This team has a lot of depth and a lot of guys that are willing to put in the time to develop their individual skills and their ability to communicate on the court.” said Zimmermann
Last season was a special one for Zimmermann. Besides the winning record and postseason appearance, Zimmermann also got to coach his son, T.J. Zimmermann. T.J. played a crucial role in the team’s success, averaging 21 points and 10 rebounds per game, earning him a spot on the NABC NWAC All-American Team.
With T.J. moving on to Oregon State to pursue football, the Roadrunners will have to work hard to match their offensive efficiency from last year. The NWAC’s preseason coaches poll revealed that every team in the South Region had received votes; however, Linn-Benton received the least votes among teams in the South Region.
Despite the doubts, Todd Zimmermann remains confident in his team’s offensive ability and overall potential.
“We are working hard to be a dynamic offensive team that can really get up and down the court,” he said. “Obviously, losing 21 points and 10 boards per game is a massive hole, but we’re not concerned about that. We’re going to be different.”
The men’s basketball team started their season by going 1-1 at the Columbia Basin Invitational, losing to Walla Walla 112-100 but defeating Columbia Basin 84-77.
The Roadrunners next take the court at 7 p.m. on Nov. 26 at Lower Columbia.
