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From Wildcats to Lumberjacks

As members of the Alpena High School basketball team, Nick Skiba and Dylan Tucker were entrusted to make the offense hum and put their teammates in position to be successful.

Now the duo will team up again at the next level

Skiba and Tucker will join the Alpena Community College men’s basketball team next season and both said they are thrilled to continue their basketball careers.

“It’ll be a very different experience from high school. Obviously it’s a step up and college basketball, it’s a faster pace. I’m just ready to step up and have a good season this year,” Skiba said. “It’s a great feeling. I can’t wait to get out there and support our Alpena Lumberjacks.”

In signing with ACC, Tucker follows in the footsteps of his older brother Cody, who recently completed two years with the Lumberjacks earlier this year.

“It’s really exciting to play two more of basketball with Nick especially. It’ll just be fun to continue my basketball career,” Tucker said. “I guess it’s just cool to follow in his (Cody’s) footsteps and continue playing basketball.”

For the past two seasons, ACC relied on the efforts of another former Alpena High duo-Andy Marwede and Cody Tucker-and now ACC coach Frank McCourt has another pair of former Wildcats to lead his offense.

Skiba was the elder statesman on a transitioning Alpena team last year and averaged 9.7 points and 6.2 points. During his Alpena career, Skiba was part of two Big North title teams and played a key role as Alpena’s sixth man during his junior year when the Wildcats went 19-3.

Tucker appeared in all of Alpena’s 21 games last season and averaged 6.9 points and 4.3 rebounds as one of the Wildcats top players in the front court.

“Quickness and defensive intensity and if they shoot well, that’s a bonus. The reason I like them is they’re both very quick and they’re both intense,” McCourt said. “I had Andy Marwede and his (Dylan’s) brother Cody last year and now I have two more from Alpena High School now. That’s a plus.”

As ACC attempts to bounce back from a 4-20 record in the winter, McCourt is counting on Skiba and Tucker to lead the Lumberjacks in the back court. The Lumberjacks lacked size last season, but McCourt said ACC’s lineup will feature several big men next year for Skiba and Tucker to feed the ball inside to.

“It definitely helps a lot when you’ve got some bigger guys on the court to obviously get rebounds and score the points when we need them,” Skiba said.

James Andersen can be reached via email at sports@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5694. Follow James on Twitter @ja_alpenanews.

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