2011-12 Winter Preview: New Life boys basketball team returns numerous key players

The New Life Academy boys basketball team returns seven players to the court this season that saw significant playing time last year.

Seniors Cody Linton and Alex Heiser will captain the Eagles in 2011-12.

Heiser and Linton were 1-2 in scoring, respectively, last winter. Heiser scored 13.7 points per game and Linton netted 10.5 points per game. Linton was also second on the team in rebounds.

Along with Linton and Heiser, key returning players include: senior Raleigh Becker, junior Cam Duffy, sophomore Kyle Linton and sophomore John Horner. Those players, and others, will look to fill the shoes of departed 2011 graduates Sam Berg, Michael Jensen, James Housworth and Joe Mann. Berg led the Eagles in rebounding and scored 5.9 points per game.

“We return players who saw a lot of minutes last year and we have a very good group of young kids coming up,” New Life head coach Doug Linton said. “We will need to improve on finishing games better this year and playing great team defense if we want to improve and challenge for a conference title.”

Last year, NLA went 9-15 overall and was 5-7 in the Minnesota Christian Athletic Association.

According to Linton, who is entering his 13th season at New Life Academy, teams to beat in the Minnesota Christian Athletic Association are Maranatha Christian and Trinity School at River Ridge.

Because the Minnesota State High School League adjusted its section placements, NLA was moved to Section 4A for this year and next, at the least, where Maranatha is believed to be the team to beat, according to Linton.

The Eagles open the season at home against Mahtomedi on Tuesday, Dec. 6.

Tags: winter preview 2011-12, sports, prep, updates