Men's Hoops Season Tips off Friday in Missouri
Dallas College North Lake men's basketball team will open the season Friday and Saturday at the Three Rivers College Classic in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday against the host Raiders and 5 p.m. Saturday against Mineral Area College.
North Lake enters the season as the seventh-ranked team in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III rankings, following a year in which the Blazers went 25-8 overall, and finishing seventh at the national tournament.
The Blazers, behind returning guards Jakob Zenon (12.8 ppg, 4.2 reb, 1.0 stl), Randy Woolf (5.2 ppg, 2.2 apg, 2.4 reb) and forward Ring Deng (6.6 ppg, 5.1 reb, 1.6 apg), are coming off their second straight NJCAA Division III Tournament appearance, having won their junior college-leading fourth national title in 2021-22.
Three Rivers, an NJCAA Division I school, went 14-17 last year, falling to Mineral Area College in the district tournament semifinals. Caleb Young averaged seven points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game for the Raiders.
Mineral Area was 22-9, bowing out in the district championship game – a 66-62 loss to Moberly Area Community College. Amarion Dickerson averaged 7.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.
The Three Rivers College Classic marks the first of three tournaments North Lake will compete in this season – all in November. The Blazers will also compete in Blinn College's Blue Bell Classic next Friday and Saturday in Brenham, Texas, and South Plains College Texans Classic Nov. 17-18 in Levelland, Texas.
North Lake's home opener is Nov. 8 versus East Texas Baptist University Junior Varsity. The Blazers will host Texas Wesleyan Junior Varsity Nov. 14 on Community Day for a noon matinee. Local schools and community organizations will be in attendance.