Getting to know: Tea Area vs. Dakota Valley
Both teams are coming off pretty successful seasons. Both Dakota Valley and Tea Area made the state tournament last season and look to make it again this season.
As in recent years, this is both teams first game of the season. In past years Tea Area has dominated the series. Dakota Valley looks to end that streak this year but will have to do that on the road.
Tea Area plays host to Dakota Valley at 7:45 p.m. tonight.
BREAKING DOWN DAKOTA VALLEY & TEA AREA
TOP PLAYER DAKOTA VALLEY
No. 3 G Charlie Cox | 6-4, Sr.
As the leading returning scorer, Cox will be one of the go-to guys for the Panthers this year. He averaged about 11.6 points a game on 48 percent shooting. His game was more of a bruiser drive to basket type last year, which he benefited from going 75 percent from the line and making 62-of-83. He also returns as the team’s best defender and rebounder as he pulled down about 6 boards a contest, had a team-high 17 blocks and forced nine charges.
TOP PLAYER TEA AREA
No. 15 G/F Noah Freidel | 6-4, Sr.
It’s no secret that Freidel is the team’s top player and will receive the majority of the game planning this year. The Wright State signee averaged a team-high 25 points a game last year on 48 percent from the field. He is a huge factor for the Titans as evident in their losing streak in the middle of the season last year when he was out with a knee injury. He’s the team leader in almost every offensive category there is and is usually matched up against the opposing teams best player. The main question coming into this season is how healthy is the knee?
SUPPORTING CAST DAKOTA VALLEY
No. 23 G Paul Bruns | 6-2, So.
Bruns ranked as one of the best freshmen in Class A last season. He averaged 11 points a game on 51 percent from the field. He was a big threat from deep as he hit a team-high 39 three-pointers and was nearly automatic from the charity stripe going 35-of-39. Expect him to pick up where he left off last year.
No. 20 G Nathan Rice | 5-11, Sr.
Rice is a solid role player returning for the Panthers this year. He averaged 5.6 points a game last year in 23 games of action. He returns as the second-best three-point shooter behind Bruns. He shot 47 percent from the field and 37 percent from deep.
SUPPORTING CAST TEA AREA
No. 11 G Justin Hohn | 6-1, Sr.
The UC-Irvine commit has been one of the best point guards Class A and even the state the past three years. He is a pest on the defensive side with his quick hands and feet. On the offensive side, he makes it look like the defender is wearing skates instead of basketball shoes sometimes. He is one of the best passers in the area as well averaging about 7 assists a game.
No. 21 G Kade Stearns | 5-11, Sr.
Outside of Freidel, Stearns is the team’s deadliest shooter from deep. The senior drained 47 three’s last year on 37 percent. He is the team’s darkhorse, he doesn’t always get hot but when he does the Titans rarely lose.
No. 25 G/F Mason Ritter | 6-3, Sr.
Another huge role player for the Titans will fight for the one starting position left vacant by Chris Morales from last year. The Dakota State signee had a very successful AAU season with the SD Venom. He averaged 3.8 points last year which definitely will increase this season. He’s a great defender and on the other side of the ball has a silky smooth jumper.
ONE THING DAKOTA VALLEY DOES WELL
The Panthers have made it a regular occurrence to make the state tournament the past three seasons. They know how to score and score in bunches. No matter how many people they return they always play their best basketball come playoff time.
ONE THING TEA AREA DOES WELL
The Titans have been a dominant force in the past three seasons. They will score a lot and have the players and the depth too as well. With two Division I signees in Freidel and Hohn the Titans aren’t short of talent or athletes.
ONE AREA DAKOTA VALLEY STRUGGLES
The Panthers will have to score points in transition and push the ball with the lack of size it has down low. While this team has more questions heading into this season than it has in the past three seasons, the Panthers have Jason Kleis as the head coach.
ONE AREA TEA AREA STRUGGLES
As great as the Titans are with talent and depth, they don’t have a deep of a bench as they have in recent years. Kaleb Joffer is the only returning big guy for Tea Area. Last year he had reliable big guys in Seth Kocer and Jake Friedrich coming off the bench in replace of him. That will be a question for Chris Fechner and the Titans, who goes in for Joffer?
Prediction: Tea Area has too much talent, scoring and depth for the Panthers. It should be a competitive game, but the Titans should come out with the victory in this one.