The boys basketball team began the season on Friday Nov. 28 with a complete dismantling of Benilde St. Margarets in the season opener, a game in which 11 different Royals scored. The team was led by Amir Coffey, junior, who recorded a double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds. John Warren, senior, tallied 22 points in the win.

In the championship game of the Early Bird Tournament, the Royals faced a much tougher opponent, the ninth-ranked Champlin Park Patriots. This game exposed the weaknesses the team will have this season: lack of depth and big men.

Ever since Mike Broghammer, the 6’9’’ center of the Fab Five in 2008, the Royals haven’t had a traditional center on their roster. In past years, due to an excess of talent, the Royals could easily dance around the problem. This year, not only is there no traditional center, but the team’s talent isn’t where it has been in years past.

That brings us to the team’s other issue, lack of depth. The Royals’ starting lineup consists of two returning starters, Amir Coffey, junior, and John Warren, senior, and newcomers Graham Hutson, senior, Vinnie Shahid, junior, and Simon Wright, sophomore. Neither of the three have played significant minutes for varsity until this season.

Don’t get me wrong, these Royals are still among the best in the state and should contend for another state title. However, they will have to rely heavily upon Coffey and Warren, who averaged 30 and 18 points per game throughout the tournament. Especially with a tougher-than-usual Lake Conference, Coffey and Warren cannot afford ‘off days’ this season.

Up next for the Royals is the first true home game of the season on Tuesday, Dec. 2 against Burnsville. After that, they will travel to Shakopee on Thursday, Dec. 4 in a rematch of the state semi-final game most famously known for the 60-foot buzzer-beater by Coffey to send the Royals to the state championship game.