The Hastings Raiders boys basketball team opened the 2025–26 season with confidence, stayed in the Metro East Conference race through the middle of the winter, and closed the year with a Section 3AAAA quarterfinal appearance behind a veteran core that provided steady leadership across the schedule.

Hastings set the tone early with back-to-back wins over New Prague and Red Wing, showing balance on offense and composure late in close situations. Senior Matthew Foss led the early surge with 65 points across the first two games, while Brady Hendrickson added 42 points in the same stretch as the Raiders jumped out to a 2-0 start.

Through December, Hastings continued to show offensive depth and the ability to respond after setbacks. The Raiders picked up road wins, battled through physical matchups, and steadily built chemistry across a rotation that featured contributions from Foss, Hendrickson, Landon Miska, Liam Bernatz, Carter Lundstrom, Caleb Gudissa, and others.

One of the season’s early milestones came during the Hastings Holiday Tournament, when Foss became the 10th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points. He followed that achievement with a dominant week that included back-to-back 30-point performances as the Raiders took third place in the tournament.

As conference play intensified in January, Hastings briefly moved into the top spot in the Metro East standings with a decisive 77-50 road win at North St. Paul. Balanced scoring and strong defensive pressure helped the Raiders control the game from the opening half and maintain momentum during the heart of the schedule.

The Raiders continued to show resilience against several of the strongest teams on the schedule. Close contests against programs such as Tartan and Hudson demonstrated Hastings’ ability to compete with top competition even when results did not fall their way.

Midseason adversity tested the group during a five-game losing streak against a difficult stretch of opponents, but Hastings responded with one of its most complete performances in a 72-63 win over Two Rivers. The victory highlighted the team’s defensive pressure, rebounding strength, and balanced scoring attack as the Raiders regained momentum entering the final weeks of the season.

The Raiders continued to build toward postseason play with several strong late-season efforts, including a comeback road win over South St. Paul and a 70-63 victory at St. Thomas Academy in the final week of the regular season. Those performances reflected the group’s ability to adjust and respond in tight situations while leaning on experienced leadership.

Hastings closed the regular season near the .500 mark and entered the Section 3AAAA tournament with a veteran lineup that had shown scoring balance and defensive consistency throughout the winter.

In the section quarterfinals, the Raiders traveled to face third-seeded Apple Valley. Hastings battled back after an early deficit and briefly pulled within four points midway through the first half before Apple Valley regained control and eventually secured an 89-63 victory to end the Raiders’ season.

Foss led Hastings with 25 points in the postseason matchup, while Hendrickson added 18 as the senior backcourt once again paced the offense.

Throughout the season, Hastings relied on balanced contributions across the roster. Foss provided consistent scoring and leadership, Hendrickson controlled tempo and perimeter play, and Miska anchored the interior presence. Support from Bernatz, Lundstrom, Gudissa, McVicker, and others helped the Raiders remain competitive across conference and nonconference play.

With a large senior class graduating, the Raiders close the season having built experience across the lineup while continuing to compete in one of the state’s deepest sections. The foundation established this winter gives the program a strong base as it prepares for the next chapter of Hastings boys basketball.