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Father-Son Coaching Combo Leads No. 1-Ranked Anoka-Ramsey Basketball Team

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- This weekend is the annual State Community College Basketball Championships at Anoka-Ramsey.

The host school is ranked No. 1 in the country, and they are doing it with a father-son coaching combination. It's one that is a near perfect match.

Anoka-Ramsey is 24-3 heading into the State Tournament. Ranked No. 1 Division III junior college basketball, Anoka-Ramsey is a melting pot of talent.

"We've been able to have some local kids that have had some success on our team and we've been able to recruit nationwide because of the Internet and YouTube and some of those types of things," coach Ron Larson said.

Ron Larson understands this game. Coached 30 years in high school, came here nine years ago and was joined by one of his three college basketball playing sons as his assistant, Rory.

"Overall it's been a very positive experience. I can probably get away with challenging some things that I wouldn't if I was working with somebody else," Rory Larson said.

All the winning helps everything. It's hard to question a combination like this when the ball keeps going in the basket.

This is their program, their team, with some differences in approach.

"He brought a great deal of Xs and Os from the college level. I brought a lot of Xs and Os from the high school level. It's worked out great," Ron Larson said.

That's what makes this season so special, doing it with each other and doing it at a high level.

"We have different styles, we have different personalities. We have different philosophies from his experience and from my experience and I think we've done a good job of blending those things together to have a successful basketball program here," Rory Larson said.

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