New faces, same goals for Keyano Huskies Men's Basketball team in 2025-26
In the span of 230 days, a lot can change.
That distance in days for the Keyano Huskies Men’s Basketball team takes them from March 1 and the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Men’s Basketball Championship game against the Briercrest College Clippers to the date of their home opener.
On the roster now are 10 new faces and a new Head Coach in Anthony Skepple who got his start in his ACAC coaching career with those same Clippers and now heads into his first season as the Head Coach of Keyano’s program.
“Vibes are good,” said Skepple. “Energy with the team is good. Our execution is coming along, but our energy is really good.
“Execution will take time; that always comes with a new coach, a new program, new players. I’m excited about [our energy] because that plays a big part in how we’re going to play.”
In facing the Medicine Hat College Rattlers Friday and Clippers Saturday, there will no easing into the season for the Huskies. Friday is a matchup that has always brought the best out of both programs while Saturday’s championship game rematch needs no introduction either.
“It’s going to be a grind both nights,” Skepple continued. “We’ve got to be prepared to grind them and same thing with Briercrest.
“They’re going to play very fast and shoot the ball like crazy. It’s going to be two tough games for us.”
In the changing environment there are questions and strong goals for the Huskies to tackle as well.
Can they top the ACAC North Division for a fifth-straight season? After an exceptional 2024-25, can Player of the Year Keenan Miller deliver more for the Huskies? Will the Huskies retain their title as the top three-point shooting team from last year that guidedthem to the win column 17 times last season?
The one question that’s already been answered is about talent and the Huskies have plenty of it, bringing in 2023-24 ACAC Rookie of the Year Deandre Rowe among others to complement the returning likes of Miller, DJ Haynes, Efosa Omorogbe, and Tafari Carefoote-Jones.
Still, Skepple has been working to put his own stamp on the team.
“The big thing that I’ve been trying to instill in them is just ball movement,” he said. “We have such good players on our team, that sometimes we can get into a habit of taking on the world on our shoulders.
“For us, it’s going to be a constant theme of us moving the ball and use the advantages that we have with the skill that we have to take advantage of defensive matchups and find out where team weaknesses are.”
Huskies and Clippers to clash Saturday
Skepple conceded that he was thankful the regular season’s lone matchup against the Clippers was coming in the opening weekend. He’ll face-off against coaching colleague Shane Sowden Saturday.
“It’s a big game for all of us; with the team with the guys,” Skepple continued. “There’s a lot of high emotion there for myself obviously in seeing my old team and watching the girls game is going to be emotional. I’m really excited about it.
“We’re really excited about the weekend to start off strong with two really tough opponents.”
The Huskies open the 2025-26 season at the Syncrude Sport & Wellness Centre Friday, October 17 against the Medicine Hat Rattlers. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00pm. The Huskies will then take on the Clippers Saturday with a same tip-off time.