The RDP Kings Basketball team. (Supplied)

By RDP Athletics

PRESEASON ENDING

RDP Kings Basketball prioritizes daily growth and team cohesion to achieve success

Oct 22, 2024 | 1:00 PM

As the preseason wraps up, Jedell Foster, Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) Kings Basketball Head Coach, is excited about the progress his team has made, particularly with the new recruits stepping up to the challenge.

“Preseason training has been going great,” says Foster. “The new group of guys is really gelling well together and improving every day.”

With a focus on building for the future, Coach Foster has been particularly impressed with the five first-year student-athletes. He has seen consistent progress from his recruits—Payton Green (Calgary), Felix Webb (Open Studies), Zayne Vernon (Hamilton, Ont.), Samuel Idemudia (Open Studies) and Iwinosa Idemudia (Leduc). According to Foster, they are improving each day and that’s all he can ask for from his recruits.

In addition to the rookies, the head coach was able to bring back Cole Wicker (Bachelor of Education) and Payton Baltzer (Rocky Mountain House), both of whom last played during the 2022/2023 season.

The Kings Basketball program welcomed back five student-athletes from last year’s squad – Bernardo Moller (Sao Paulo, Brazil), Lucas Kuprowski (Bachelor of Kinesiology), Jose Mauro (Sao Paulo), MacGregor Manyluk (Bachelor of Business Administration) and Lado Lodo (Edmonton). Mauro was named to the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) South Second All-Conference team after finishing the season second in field-goal percentage (57.4) and fourth in rebounds per game (11.3). Moller ranked fourth in threepoint percentage (41.8) in the ACAC.

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Last year, the RDP Kings (12-9) finished fifth in the South Division and then were downed by the St. Mary’s University Lightning in the divisional playoffs.

As he enters his second year at RDP, Foster emphasized the importance of daily growth and team cohesion. His focus is on ensuring the team improves every day and grows together through each practice and game.

Looking ahead, one of the season’s anticipated matchups will be against Lakeland College where Coach Foster will face off against a familiar adversary.

“I always enjoy playing against the Lakeland College Rustlers and coaching against a good mentor and friend, Coach Sheray Thomas,” Foster shares, adding a personal element to the competitive spirit of the upcoming game that will take place on November 1 at Lakeland College.

With the preseason ending, the focus shifts to continuing this momentum into the regular season where the team will look to translate their hard work into success on the court.

The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings will hit the road to kick off the 2024/2025 season, facing the Ambrose University Lions on Friday, October 25 at 6 p.m. The home opener will take place the following day.

For more information about RDP Kings Basketball, please visit: rdpolytechathletics.ca.