Going into this season, the Austin boys basketball team didn’t have the look of a team that was destined for a third place finish in the Minnesota Class AAA State Boys Basketball Tournament.

Austin featured a lineup with very little varsity experience and very little size. The Packers were forced to grow up quick as they took small ball to a new level — often having four players on the court who would ideally play guard at a time. Those guards would fill in at center, forward, or wherever the team needed them.

Austin was out-rebounded on a regular basis, but it was never outworked or out-hustled. The undersized Packers scratched and clawed for every loose ball they could this season and they made things difficult for much larger opponents on a regular basis.

Austin head coach Kris Fadness did a fantastic job of shuffling lineups and putting players in places where they could succeed. He, and the team, also had a knack for figuring out who had the hot hand on a given night, and making sure they got the ball as often as they could.

The Packers have done a lot of great things over the past eight years, but I feel this was one of Fadness’s greatest coaching jobs of any season. Austin was able to win a share of the Big Nine and make another deep run in state without a player over 6-feet, three-inches tall in the mix.

Despite their lack of size, the Packers didn’t back down from attacking the rim this year. They were relentless and fearless in every game I saw them play and that’s how I’ll remember this group.

They have a lot to be proud of.