Anamosa boys’ basketball rolling since break

ANAMOSA - To become great, you must go through adversity.

That is exactly what the 2015-16 Anamosa boys' basketball team gone through, and now is thriving.

In a scrimmage against Dubuque Hempstead a week before the season, Senior super-star Tyler Zumbach suffered a broken fibula and received the news he would be out for at least six weeks. To a returning All-State player who loves the game more than anything - and has worked his entire life for this season - nothing could have been more devastating.

But he would respond, and his team followed his footsteps with incredible perseverance.

After a 4-4 start without Zumbach, the Blue Raiders have shown they can be one of the top teams in Class 2A. Since Zumbach has returned, the Raiders have gone 7-1, including five in a row before a 64-53 loss at Mount Vernon.

The Raiders have averaged 76 points since the Christmas break, and had an average margin of victory in the win streak of 16.6. This wonderful offensive play has a lot to do with return of Zumbach, and the dazzling ball movement and unselfishness this team shows.

But it also has to do with Kolin Schulte being flat out great. Schulte is averaging 22.5 points per game and 26 points per contest since returning from break.

There is no doubt Anamosa is playing its best ball of the season, and are light years ahead of where they were at the beginning of the season. But the Raiders know all too well there is a long way to go, and they have not even come close to achieving their goals.

All five starters were on the football team this past fall that came up one win short from a trip to the UNI-Dome. They want nothing more than a trip to Wells Fargo Arena to make up for that loss.