Evelyn Perkins, sports editor

As the snow continues to melt away, winter sports are wrapping up, and for the Augsburg men’s basketball team, their season came to an official end on Feb. 26, when they came up short to the No. 1 seed Gustavus in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) playoff semifinals, losing 68-84. However, just two days earlier, the Auggies pulled off a thrilling win against St. Olaf. With less than five seconds left, first-year JJ Semanko stepped up to the free throw line and sank both free throws to give the Auggies the 69-68 win in the quarterfinals. When I asked head coach Aaron Griess about how he helps his players battle through adversity during tough games, he explained that the focus on perseverance starts at the very beginning of each season. “We put them in adverse situations in practice, and we communicate a lot with how to handle issues on and off the court,” Griess said. He went on to explain that adversity is not basketball-specific. “Everyone goes through challenges and setbacks; that isn’t anything special. What sets the winners and losers apart is how you deal with the adversity.” 

The team’s ability to handle difficult situations helped earn them a 17-10 record, a five-win increase from their previous year’s 12-14 record. When I asked junior Elias Batala for one word to describe this year’s team, he said: “Cohesiveness. We have a very strong bond on and off the court. It never felt like we were just teammates; these guys are my brothers,” Sophomore David Perkins added, “I think that we really created that culture where everybody felt safe. Nobody felt like they were being judged or left out.” As I sat down with the teammates, the care they felt for each other was palpable. 

Three Augsburg players received All-MIAC honors. Semanko was named MIAC Rookie of the Year and to the MIAC All-Playoff team. Batala also received All-MIAC team selection. Finally, sophomore Hanif Muhammad was named All-MIAC honorable mention. When I asked Griess about those who received All-MIAC honors, he explained, “They were really important to our success. They all have unique skill sets that were pieces of the puzzle.” Even with all the success this season brought, the team continues to strive for more. When talking about how the team will grow in the offseason, Semanko emphasized the importance of “being focused, even in open gyms. Focusing on our team principles and the little details to keep and build habits for next year.” Griess added that he is most excited about continuing to build team chemistry. “Two of our award recipients just finished their first year with us. We can continue to get to know each other better, including each other’s strengths, weaknesses and how we can be better teammates.” 

The 2025-2026 season set the standard for the Auggies, but as they continue to improve, the bar will keep rising as they strive to become a championship team.