Lakers' Late-Season Struggles Rock the Ship, but Program Sees Growth with Tougher Schedule

Despite a rough February, Detroit Lakes boys basketball team gained valuable experience in second year of Central Lakes Conference play.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 6:08pm

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The Detroit Lakes boys basketball team had a strong start to the 2025-2026 season, but struggled in the final month, going 3-7 in February. Head coach Brett Maass said the team plateaued a bit and the tough late-season schedule, including games against the eventual section champions, took a toll. However, the Lakers' two standout guards, Damarion Moss and Dawson VonRuden, delivered in the section quarterfinals, showcasing the growth of the program's young talent. With six seniors graduating, Maass is excited about the upcoming season and the opportunity for players like Davian Bower, Ben Buboltz, and Kayden Chadbourne to step into larger roles.

Why it matters

The Lakers' late-season struggles highlight the challenges of transitioning to a tougher conference schedule, but the program's overall growth and development of young talent bodes well for the future. Playing against top competition will better prepare Detroit Lakes for postseason success, even if the regular season win total dipped this year.

The details

The Lakers started the season 10-5 with wins over Bemidji, Perham, and St. Cloud Tech, as well as a sweep of eventual 8AAA runner-up Fergus Falls. But a rough February, including three straight losses to Sartell, Willmar, and Alexandria, saw Detroit Lakes finish the regular season 3-7. Coach Maass said the team plateaued a bit and the tough late-season schedule, including two games against the Section 8AAA champion Sartell, took a toll. However, the Lakers' standout guards Damarion Moss and Dawson VonRuden delivered in the section quarterfinals, with Moss scoring 31 points and VonRuden adding 23 points and four 3-pointers.

  • The Lakers were 10-5 through the first couple months of the season.
  • In February, the Lakers lost three straight games to Sartell, Willmar, and Alexandria.
  • The Lakers finished the final month of the regular season with a 3-7 record.

The players

Brett Maass

The head coach of the Detroit Lakes boys basketball team, now in his fifth season.

Damarion Moss

One of the Lakers' standout guards who scored 31 points in the section quarterfinals.

Dawson VonRuden

The other standout guard for Detroit Lakes who scored 23 points and hit four 3-pointers in the section quarterfinals.

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What they’re saying

“We were clicking pretty well. We talked about most of the year that we're going to go as far as our role guys take us. Those guys were knocking down shots, playing their roles really well, and defending at a high level. When we did that, we were at our best.”

— Brett Maass, Head Coach

“February was a rough patch for us at the end. You want to be playing your best basketball at the end of the year. I felt like we plateaued a little bit.”

— Brett Maass, Head Coach

“One thing about those two is they played at every level. They played on the freshman team, moved up to JV as sophomores, and then played varsity as juniors and seniors. Each year, they improved a lot.”

— Brett Maass, Head Coach

What’s next

With six seniors graduating, including key contributors Mason Eastman, Eli Hatch, Brock Jones and Brenden Severson, the upcoming season will see a number of new players step into larger roles. Sophomores like Davian Bower and juniors Ben Buboltz and Kayden Chadbourne will be vital to the Lakers' success next year as they look to build on the experience gained this season.

The takeaway

Despite the late-season struggles, the Detroit Lakes boys basketball program is in a strong position moving forward. Playing a tougher schedule in the Central Lakes Conference has better prepared the Lakers for postseason play, even if the regular season win total dipped. With young talent ready to step up, the future looks bright for a Lakers team that has embraced an up-tempo, pressure-focused style of play under coach Brett Maass.