Coming back for his sophomore season will be Larry Krystkowiak.  The freshman proved last year that there are power forwards outside of the state of Louisiana.  Krystkowiak may be the best product this state has produced since fly-fishing.  Ultra tough, Krystkowiak lives in the paint rebounding and scoring.  The homegrown kid (he is from Missoula) can hit an open jumper but would rather earn his points.  At 6’9 220 Krysko loves to do the ‘little things’ because that usually means contact with the other team. He is almost as smart as he is competitive and knows not only what to do but what it takes to get the job done.  Krysto is not afraid to mix it up.  He so loves the physical game that others in the league (and out) avoid the key like the plague.  His clotheslines are infamous and his showdowns (brawls) with the likes of Jeff Cook and Mike Sojourner are already legendary.   He is not the most well-liked player on other campuses but he is respected.  The Grizz are in fine shape as long as they have this guy banging underneath for them.

As good as Krystkowiak is, the most talented player in Missoula is point guard Michael Ray Richardson.  Richardson is the best big point guard in the Northwest and is on the verge of becoming the next big thing.  A great ball handler and passer, Richardson cannot wait to play one more season and see how far that will move him up draft boards for the next level.  If his sophomore season was any indication then he has a long future.  Richardson is a phenomenal penetrator and really can harass the other team.  He led the conference in assists and steals and was a go to scorer.  He was one of a few guys in the country to average over 14 points, 5 boards and 6 assists.  ‘Sugar Ray’ really is the real deal and his connection with his teammates is awesome.  It is like he has a string from his hand to theirs.  At six five he also loves to use his strength to post up smaller guards and he is tough as they come on the defensive end.  The Denver protégé came up with his big brother to the vast lands of Montana with their blue skies and great fishing and this was a huge plus for this kid.  He is not tempted to get ‘off track’ as he has a reputation for chasing the high life.  News Flash: He did get into trouble after almost starting a riot on a trip to Italy this summer on an All-Star thing (he was AWOL for a day after that).  How long Heathcote suspends him if he even does will be of huge interest in these parts as the Grizzlies have quite the schedule in store especially early on.   Heathcote does not want his actions to go without consequences but he also knows his team cannot compete without this kid.  He has a chance to be special with all the tools to excel against anyone at any level.  He just needs to keep it together!  Senior Dan Balko is a solid backup who played next to Richardson at times (Richardson likes to guard two guards and can with his size being 6’5 189) and is a good player.  Balko is only 5’11 so this works well and he can pass and defend and began last year as the starter next to MRR.  He can score and is a solid leader but Heathcote knew the Grizz were more dangerous with Richardson running the show so Balko became his backup and he wants to take advantage of the unicorn he has in Richardson.  It does no good to have this guy playing point if you don’t match him up with bigger, athletic guards to give the Griz an edge.  Of course this puts Richardson guarding quick point guards which he can do but it is not his favorite thing.  Richardson is an outstanding defensive player who loves to put pressure on the ball and is a tremendous pickpocket but most coaches have had him guarding bigger guards.  Balko, from nearby Great Falls, accepted his new role though he came here to start and had some big games down the stretch off the bench especially in Missoula.  There is a plethora of candidates to fill the role next to MRR with both bigger wings and quicker water bug types in the mix. 

                With these two superstars the Grizzlies do not need much else but a few holes filled in. First up is finding a center who can defend the post, maybe block a shot and score a few buckets.  Canadian born Ken McKenzie fits most of the bill but is not exactly Marvin Webster guarding the rim   The six nine 225 pound junior can score around the basket and is a fan favorite due to the obvious nickname that comes with that last name. He teamed with Krysko to form the best post tandem in the league (with apologies to Mr. Hayes and Mr. Cook from Pokey who are moving up fast) and are perfect complements to each other.  McKenzie could easily score more but Heathcote will rotate in some others big guys especially after an ugly knee injury at the end of last year.  Most thought his career was over but he showed how tough this Canuck is and is ready for more.  Got to love modern medicine!  Twenty years ago his career would be in jeopardy but all indications is he will ready to begin the season when they take on Colorado State in Dahlberg in November.  Still, Heathcote has two other big men chomping at the bit to get their shot.  The three headed monster of Junior John Stroeder and Sophomores Wayne Tinkle and Larry McBride all played well after McKenzie’s injury but are nowhere near as good as the kid from Port Coquitlam British Columbia. In a strange anomaly, all three of these guys are 6’10 so they have good size but are a not a complete player alone.  They form a healthy support system to Krystkowiak and McKenzie underneath. Tinkle got the most minutes and is the best offensive threat and knows the game and how to play it especially as a big man. A native of Spokane Washington, which is closer to Missoula than you might think, (less than 3 hours on 1-90 across the Idaho panhandle) it is a wonder the Zags did not get him as they could use a big man in that up and coming program.  Stroeder is a heck of a defender but this project, also from the Evergreen State, does not have many moves around the basket. McBride, from Anchorage Alaska, does not have much offense either but is a terrific shot blocker and the Griz need that so he has a chance.  None of these guys are going to bump Krysto or ‘Spuds’ out of the lineup next year but they do give you solid minutes when called upon and they know their role!  Speaking of roles the Grizzlies do have some players coming back who will be battling for limited roles up front off the bench if they make the team at all.  Michael Ray’s brother Michael J (REALLY) joins fellow junior Ray Howard and seniors Russell Sheriff and Steve Lowry battling for spare minutes.  All of these kids are longshots to even get on the roster but Heathcote wants some open competition with these cats and the incoming freshmen for minutes.      

Next is to have a small forward who can help out inside while still being able to run the court and score and defend on the perimeter.  That is easier said than done for all teams, not just the Griz.  Senior Bob Cope got first shot last year because, well, he is Bob Cope.  Heathcote did not want to bench the ‘legend’ who was this program’s first star but at 6’3 and with Krysko coming in was not going to play the post any longer.  This hometown kid is more popular here than Pearl Jam but he is no longer the main man on the Missoula Campus.  Cope used to go toe to toe with Cat Thompson for being the best player in the Treasure State and now will have to fight to keep his starting job.  That is how much basketball has changed over the recent past.  Cope can score in bunches but he does not have the game to defend or board with the big boys though he will give it the good old college try. More importantly however is can he hit long-range missiles (he is a solid mid-range shooter) and can he defend wings?  Sophomore Derrick Pope is more than likely to get the majority of minutes at the three.  He gives the team a nice wing at the other forward who at 6’6 207 can guard other good athletes.  Not spectacular, Pope is consistent and showed last year he can hang at this level.  He can light it up on occasion.  He is not overly quick but is solid and is adjusting to his role as a wing player like all high school studs over 6’5 have to do!   Pope traveled up from the south, Aurora Colorado to be exact, to play and though he did not get on the court often last year he is primed for a big season this year whether he starts or not.   He is developing a perimeter shot and was accurate from the three though he did not try many shots beyond the arc. There are many other upperclassmen competing for time up front as the Grizzly are known for having dominant big men.  Foremost of these is Alan Nielsen who is a true small forward.  At 6’6 from nearby Westby Nielsen has a nice set of tools in his bag including being a terrific passer.  If he is to get some minutes though he will have to beat out a legend in these parts who was once King of Missoula!  Ironically, the guy who set the template here as a dominant down low stud is now battling for playing time as a wing. 

Shooting guard is the biggest mystery for the team from Missoula.  Or in reality a combo guard depending on which direction Heathcote goes with Richardson?  Junior Eric Hays will get first shot at the two. At 6’3 200 from Junction City Oregon, a town 15 miles from Eugone and the U of O campus, Hays first enrolled at Washington State where he walked on the JV basketball team.  He was cut the next year when there was a coaching change and he followed assistant Jud Heathcote to Missoula.  He sat out a year as a transfer (boy how times have changed) and last year he earned some playing time with his hard work and determination.  A terrific athlete (he played QB in Junction City until he got hurt) Hays can do a little bit of just about everything.  He almost left for East Lansing when Heathcote went East but knew he would have literally no chance of playing with the guards on that roster.  This lefty has some weaknesses to his game as he has got to improve his outside shooting.  He might need some glasses but if Hays gets better from the perimeter the sky is the limit for the Grizz.  When he gets it going he is tough to stop especially running the floor and is terrific helping on the boards.  Heathcote will be looking to Hays for some consistency next year next to Richardson and someone who can guard both bigger wings and point guards.  Hays is that guy.  Sophomores Marc Glass, Craig Zanon and senior Charles ‘Chuck’ Davis are also in the mix. You would think Chuck has the inside lane but he neither tall enough (6’0) or athletic enough to guard modern wings.  The kid from Dillon was once a high scoring starter here but times have changed in Montana (and everywhere else).  Sophomore Craig Zanon got plenty of minutes last year on JV early but was just not a good enough shooter for the spot.  He is part of a legacy family in Missoula (his brother Scott was also a guard who actually played next to his brother the second half of the year on JV) and can play but not well enough even at the level.  There is some upside here with his size (6’5) and defense and the Zanons (from Kalispell) are almost as well known as the Duttons in these parts so he has that going for him.  This is a position Coach Heathcote needs to upgrade   That has been their Achilles heel for well forever now and in modern basketball you better be able to shoot the three if you are going to win.  Even in the Big Sky!   One kid did come on strong at the end of the year after showing the goods on the JV is Glass.  This kid can shoot and extends defenses from behind the arc.  This 6’3 182 pounder from Battleground Washington is not a great athlete either but he gives the Grizz something they lack and will be at least the designated shooter off the bench next year.  There is an Evergreen state connection here and Glass is the most recent product.  He is not only a great shooter but a gifted ballhandler who would take some pressure off Richardson.  But can he guard anyone?  If he can then the job is his!  The Zanon boys might be popular with the old school fans but the most popular player in the Zoo is Glass.  Well, at least with the ladies as he looks like he just came out of an 80’s John Hughes movie and he got the role of the stud jock.  Senior ‘Doc’ Holliday is also in the mix after a solid junior year after this Charlottesville Indiana kid transferred in from Allan Hancock JC in California.  John Madden, yes the coach not the actor, was the football coach there at the same time.  Holliday can flat stroke it but he might not be eligible after he redshirted a year at the JC.  Apparently that was not ok then but we shall see as like we said things have changed.  The Grizz could really use his shooting again (he put up 21 in the trip to Flagstaff last year) but it is not looking good especially since the Clantons are involved. 

The Montana Grizzlies had another fine season in the Big Sky conference last year.  The Grizzlies are well stocked with talent and will be ready for bear once the new season starts so watch out.  This could be their year and as long as their dynamic duo of Sugar Ray and Krysto are around the boys from Missoula will be competing for Big Sky crowns.  They, like all of their Big Sky competitors, know the road to the Big Dance goes through Ogden Utah where the Weber State Wildcats are prohibitive favorites to win another league title.  The Griz know they have some of the pieces in place to challenge the Wildcats and whoever else for the title but Coach Heathcote does not like one thing about the upcoming year.  The Big Sky tourney will be held in Boise Idaho, the home of the infamous blue turf and the BSU Broncos and to say the Grizz have not fared well in the City of Trees would be a vast understatement.   There is an entire season to play before we get there and Montana has a bunch of holes to fill to even be in the running for that title but there is hope in the Dahlberg Zoo!