Bemidji State University men’s basketball Head Coach Mike Boschee announced seniors Sharif Black and Christian Pekarek, along with sophomore Kyle Sorenson, as the team’s captains for the 2017-18. Black and Pekarek are the Beavers’ only two upperclassmen while Sorenson is coming off an injury that held him out of all games last season.

Black, a senior guard from Detroit, Mich., ranked second on the team last season with 12.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 30.7 minutes per game after starting 25 of 27 games. In his first season after transferring from Chadron State College, he shot 40.6 percent from the field, 30.0 percent from the 3-point arc and 77.6 percent from the free throw line. Black created scoring opportunities for others while leading the team with 3.2 assists per game and 87 total.

Pekarek, a senior guard from Little Falls, Minn., started 18 of 28 games in his third season with the Beavers. He finished the 2016-17 campaign with 7.4 points per game on 38.4 percent shooting from the floor and 38.0 percent from beyond the arc. Pekarek led the squad with 27 and ranked second on the team to Black with 3.0 assists per game.

Sorenson, a sophomore forward from Caledonia, Minn., will make his first appearance on the court for the Beavers after redshirting his freshman season and sitting out last season due to injury.

Bemidji State tips off the regular season Friday, Nov. 10 against Lindenwood University at the NSIC/MIAA Classic in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. The Beavers open the two-game weekend Friday at 5:30 p.m. against the Lions before playing the Mules of University of Central Missouri Saturday at 5 p.m.