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2021 Frontier Conference Basketball Preview
Montana State University-Northern's Mascio McCadney, right, drives by a University of Providence defender during a Frontier Conference men's game last season in Great Falls. While the Lights are picked to finish fourth in the league this season, the Argos were picked to win the Frontier title. However, UP is getting a late start to the delayed basketball season, as the school was remote learning only for the first semester, meaning the Argos weren't practicing until the holiday break. Frontier Conference play is set to resume for good this week, while Northern returns to action next Monday with a home game against Carroll College.
COVID-19 has been and will continue to be the talk of Frontier Conference sports for some time. And yet, the time has come for men's basketball to finally take center stage.
With few games in the Frontier having been played, this week marks the full start of what should be an interesting 2021 season. And the season will be interesting for a number of reasons.
First, there's the schedule. Frontier teams are playing the old-school Frontier slate, with back-to-back games, mostly on Saturdays and Sundays or Mondays and Tuesdays. The league is also down to six teams with Lewis-Clark State returning to the Cascade Conference.
And then, of course, there's COVID. Almost all of December's Frontier games were postponed due to COVID issues, and now teams are coming back together after the holidays. Also, there will be no fans in attendance for the foreseeable future for Frontier games, so, make no mistake, it's going to be a much different season in the Frontier.
Still, the point is for there to be a season. For now, there is one, and league teams will take things one day at a time, one game at a time, as they try to navigate the next two months, and crown a Frontier champion in March.
Here's a team-by-team look at the upcoming Frontier season, in the predicted order of finish according to the Frontier Preseason Coaches Poll.
Providence Argos
2020-21: 0-0, 0-0
2019-20: 11-7, 24-8, 3rd in Frontier
Head Coach: Steve Keller
Arena: McLaughlin Center
Overview: The Argos are one of two teams in the Frontier yet to play a game. In fact, Providence didn't even return to campus until this month due to remote learning. Still, Keller is hoping the talent can overcome the late start. And that talent is led by returning Frontier MVP Zach Darko-Kelly, who poured in 23 ppg as a First-Team All-American last season. Jaxen Hashley is also back for UP, as is Dawson Fowler, and while the Argos did lose some key pieces to graduation last winter, they start the season ranked 14th in the NAIA and are hoping to repeat their run to the NAIA national tournament last year. With so much depth, and some great new additions, it's easy to see why they were picked as the favorite in the league this season.
Carroll College Fighting Saints
2020-21: 0-1, 3-2
2019-20: 13-5, 24-9, 2nd in Frontier
Head Coach: Kurt Paulson
Arena: P.E. Center
Overview: The last decade has been as good as it gets for Carroll men's basketball. But if the Saints want to keep it up, they have some work to do. Coming into the season, Carroll must replace two-time All-American Dane Warp, who averaged 19 ppg a season ago, as well as other key cogs. The Saints do return star forward Jovan Sljivancanin, who scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds per game, as well as point guard Shamrock Campbell and the talented Dennis Flowers, so they have plenty of firepower. Being well-coached and having so much experience is also a plus for Carroll, who, despite some bumps in the road, should no doubt contend for the Frontier crown.
Montana Tech Orediggers
2020-21: 1-0, 1-2
2019-20: 10-8, 18-14, 4th in Frontier
Head Coach: Adam Hiatt
Arena: HYPER
Overview: It didn't take veteran head coach Adam Hiatt long to turn the Orediggers around. They posted a winning season last year, were on the verge of a national tourney appearance, and they were a young team. So Tech could end up being the darling of this season. Veterans Taylor England and Sindou Diallo are back after combining to score 37 ppg last season, while Nate Ward and Drew Huse are also experienced returners. Add to that newcomer Markieth Brown and talented freshman Keely Bake, and Tech has the makings of a team that is not only going to be a force this season, but also a program that will be good for years to come.
MSU-Northern Lights
2020-21: 0-0, 1-0
2019-20: 9-9, 20-12
Head Coach: Shawn Huse
Arena: Armory Gymnasium
Overview: Under longtime head coach Shawn Huse, the Lights seem to win at least 20 games every year. And they can certainly do that again this season. To get there, though, Huse will have to blend a large group of newcomers with the returning trio of star guard Mascio McCadney, the high-scoring David Harris and workhorse forward Jesse Keltner. And Northern's newcomers are very talented, so if that group can not only blend but also quickly adapt to the challenges of Frontier basketball, don't expect the Lights to finish down in fourth place this season.
Rocky Mountain College Battlin' Bears
2020-21: 0-0, 0-0
2019-20: 1-17, 1-22, 7th in Frontier
Head Coach: Bill Dreikosen
Arena: Fortin Center
Overview: Rocky fell on hard times last season, and things will be tough again this winter. Not only are the Bears in a rebuild, but they also haven't played a game yet this season because they didn't schedule any non-conference games, and their only two league games in December were canceled. So RMC certainly has a hill to climb as 2021 begins. To meet those challenges, the Bears will lean heavily on returning guards Darius Henderson and Sam Vining, both of whom averaged double figures a season ago. Maxim Stephens and Kelson Eiselein will also step into expanded roles, while a bevy of newcomers will need to gel quickly in order for the Bears to move up in the Frontier standings.
Montana Western Bulldogs
2020-21: 0-0, 1-0
2019-20: 4-14, 11-19, 6th in Frontier
Head Coach: Mike Larsen
Arena: Straugh Gymnasium
Overview: Like Rocky, Western has had struggles of late. And the Bulldogs lost some star-power to graduation last spring. So they, too, will have an uphill battle in the Frontier. Transfer Jamal Stephenson will be a top scorer for Western, while Colter Miller, Max Clark and Tanner Haverfield are all players who will need to step up their games this season for a Western squad that is mostly comprised of new and young players.
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