(Lewiston, ID) Head Coach Austin Johnson begins his seventh season at the helm of Lewis-Clark State Men’s Basketball on Saturday when the No. 25 Warriors open the 2024-25 season. Though LC State enters the year primarily with fresh faces, pillars of the program return to help lead the young squad.
The Warriors are coming off a 2023-24 season that ended in Kansas City with the NAIA Round of 16. After a slow start, Austin Johnson’s team overcame adversity throughout the season to earn a spot in the national tournament. LC State was sent to Butte, Mont., to face Hope International (Calif.) and top-10 ranked Montana Tech. The Warriors lost to both early in the season and avenged both losses with upset victories to punch the ticket to Kansas City. Austin Johnson was named the Cascade Conference Coach of the Year and Alton Hamilton was voted the Freshman of the Year.
“We’re excited for another season to represent our school and community. We are grateful to the many great people and families that generously support us with their time, encouragement and resources,” Austin Johnson said. “This is a group of young men worth cheering for. We hope to make the community proud.”
CJ Johnson returns to the bench for his sixth season, but first as the team’s Associate Head Coach. Kevin Warren joins the staff in his first season assisting the Warriors.
“Well-deserved promotion for an elite coach,” Austin Johnson said of CJ Johnson. “Great loyalty to our players and our department. CJ is a brilliant coach on the court and an incredible relationship builder off the court. He keeps this program headed in the right direction more than anyone.”
THE ROSTER
The Warriors return the last two CCC Freshmen of the Year in Hamilton and John Lustig. The pair are the top returning scorers for LC State and Hamilton brings back the most rebounds from the 2023-24 team. Hamilton led the Warriors with 210 boards for 6.4 per game to go with 11 points per contest. He was voted All-CCC Honorable Mention for his work and took on a new leadership role this season as the Vice President of the LC State Association of Student-Athletes. Lustig, who averaged 9.3 points her game with a .498 shooting percentage, also serves as a member of the group.
“John and Alton have been great leaders thus far,” Austin Johnson said. “They have an increasing sense of urgency and ownership within our program. Alton has taken a big step in terms of understanding the raised expectations for him. John has grown as a competitor by leaps and bounds during his time in our program. His desire to win and to be coached hard has been impressive and there’s no doubt it will help us as the season goes on.”
Hamilton is one of two returning players that appeared in all 33 games last season. The other is senior Gorden Boykins who played key minutes for LC State off the bench. The Long Beach, Calif., native saw time at nearly every position and was able to score in various ways in the clutch. Pullman’s Grayson Hunt battled injuries throughout last season and returns with Lustig as the two longest tenured on the team.
Three true freshmen and three transfers make up the newcomers group for the Warriors this season. Taden King brings four-year collegiate experience after competing at NCAA Division II Nebraska-Kearney, while Kasen Carpenter (College of Southern Idaho) and Peyton Nordland (Green River CC) bring junior college experience. Nordland helped Green River CC to the NWAC title last season.
“Taden King and Peyton Nordland will help us on the perimeter right away,” Austin Johnson explained. “Taden has shown to be a capable shooter and floor spacer. His experience definitely helps. Nordland is as high motor of a player as we have and always seems to impact the game with his hustle and toughness.”
LC State will also see contributions from Logan, Utah’s Peyton Knowles, Spokane’s Dylan Skaife and Alaska Gatorade Player of the Year Kellen Jedlicka.
THE SCHEDULE
The season opens on Saturday when LC State takes on Haskell Indian Nations (Kan.) to conclude Tribal Nations Weekend, presented by the Clearwater River Casino & Lodge. The Warriors hit the road for a pair of non-conference tournaments in Caldwell and Butte. LC State will face Dickinson State (N.D.) and Providence (Mont.) at College of Idaho’s Taco Bell Shootout before taking on Carroll (Mont.) and No. 9 Montana Tech at Montana Tech’s Comfort Inn Fall Classic. The Warriors will also face Florida College in La Grande in December as the final non-conference test in the regular season.
“The non-conference schedule is incredibly important as we try and develop trust and consistency in our rotation,” Austin Johnson said. “It’s hard for us to get home games so being on the road is added adversity and experience that I believe will pay off as the season goes forward even if there are some bumps in the road early on.”
The Cascade Conference is stacked once again heading into the new season. 2022-23 NAIA National Champion College of Idaho. The Yotes are the favorite to win the CCC and start the season ranked No. 2 in the NAIA. Conference tournament champion Oregon Tech was picked second in the CCC and ranks No. 16 in the NAIA. The Warriors were picked to finish third by CCC coaches.
“Our expectations are the same every year regardless of what our roster looks like; be the best version of ourselves and be playing our best basketball late in the season,” Austin Johnson said. “In the last six years, there is no doubt that has been an identity and value for us. By doing that it can help achieve any on-court goal we may discuss as a program.”
CCC action starts on Nov. 26 when the Warriors host Walla Walla (Wash.). LC State hits the road for three CCC contests, as well as the non-conference tilt with Florida College, before returning home to host Eastern Oregon on Dec. 20 and in-state rival College of Idaho on Dec. 21. The Warriors host OIT and Southern Oregon to close out the home portion of the regular season Feb. 14-15.
The Cascade Conference Tournament starts on Feb. 26 with the title game set for March 4. The national tournament will start with the NAIA First and Second Rounds March 14-15 and action at the final site in Kansas City, Mo., will run March 20-25.
UP NEXT
