New-look Red Deer Polytechnic Kings Basketball team opens 2025-26 season against NAIT

With two returning student-athletes, the Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) Kings Basketball team enters the 2025-26 season as a youthful but determined squad, ready to make its mark. 

"We're a very young and athletic group—eager to learn and committed to getting better every day," says Jedell Foster, Head Coach of the RDP Kings Basketball team.  

Leading the charge are third-year Lado Lodo (Bachelor of Arts) and second-year Felix Webb (Business Diploma). 

"We'll be leaning on our returning student-athletes," notes Foster. "They bring experience from last year and are ready to step into leadership roles. We're confident they'll lead by example and help guide our younger players." 

Joining the Kings this season are 10 first-year student-athletes: Garret Cates, Blaine Cabay, Sharaya Aamir, Isiah Capicio, Abdul Mustafe, Corban Andres, Josh Neilson, William Tcherkachine, Marvellous Adepoju and Donovan Snider. They bring fresh energy and potential to the roster.  

"Our new recruits bring a lot of athleticism and a wide range of skills," adds Foster. "They've added depth and versatility to the roster and they're showing a lot of promise." 

In addition to the first-year student-athletes, the RDP Kings have welcomed two Calgarians who transferred from other post-secondary institutions: Noah Simon (Okanagan College) and Tong Akol (Olds College), both of whom are expected to make an impact.  

Simon (6)

During pre-season action, the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings have experienced several successes, including wins over the University of Alberta Augustana Vikings and The King's University Eagles.  

"We've seen some positives so far from the group. Our energy, effort and willingness to compete have been strong," Foster explains. "That said, we need to continue growing our team chemistry, focusing on moving the basketball more effectively, taking high-percentage shots and improving our defensive communication." 

Last season, the RDP Kings (7-14) finished seventh in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Men's Basketball South Division and missed the playoffs. This year, the team is focused on turning that page and building a stronger campaign. 

This journey begins on Friday, October 17, when the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings open their season against the NAIT Ooks at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre on RDP's main campus. 

"To be successful, we need to move the ball effectively and be aggressive in attacking NAIT's defence while focusing on taking smart, high-percentage shots," says Foster. "Defensively, we need strong communication throughout the game."