Way-Too-Early Team Preview: Grand Forks Red River
Grand Forks Red River peaked at the right time last year, beating Wahpeton and West Fargo Sheyenne in the EDC Tournament to ensure a state tournament berth. Then the Roughriders upset Mandan in the opening round. With all but two…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingGrand Forks Red River peaked at the right time last year, beating Wahpeton and West Fargo Sheyenne in the EDC Tournament to ensure a state tournament berth. Then the Roughriders upset Mandan in the opening round. With all but two guys set to return including four starters, expectations will be sky high for Red River in the 2019-20 season.
GO-TO GUY: Brady Dvorak/Will Obioha
Dvorak and Obioha form one of the best duos in North Dakota and should be even better if Obioha takes another step forward. Dvorak led the team in scoring a year ago, averaging 14.8 points and 3.5 assists while knocking down 37 percent of his 3-pointers. He slowed down later in the year but showed he’s a dynamic scorer capable of putting up points with anybody. He spent the summer with ECI where he showed defensive and playmaking chops.
Obioha averaged 12.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore and is arguably the best college prospect in the 2021 class. At 6-foot-5, he’s an excellent two-way player who has the athleticism to bend the game on both ends of the floor.
BREAKOUT CANDIDATE: Kobe Springer
Obioha could be a semi-breakout guy if you believe he can go from a fringe all-league player to a potential player of the year but for the sake of this exercise, Kobe Springer could be a guy to watch. A 6-foot-1 combo guard showed late in the year that he can provide microwave shooting and scoring. He’s a feisty defender and showed over the summer that he can make plays with the ball. He finished the year on a high note and while he won’t be a featured piece necessarily, his shooting could be the key to the Roughriders unlocking another level of potential.
QUESTION: Can the Roughriders take it to another level?
Grand Forks Red River wasn’t great last season, but won enough to be a top-four team in the EDC before hitting its stride late in the season to get to state. Now the goal is to get back to state for a third-straight season. Experience isn’t lacking. Neither is talent. Often times, the toughest step is going from good to very good/great. Can the Roughriders do that?
OUTLOOK
Grand Forks Red River has the look of a team that can legitimately win the EDC. With all-league players in Dvorak and Obioha plus a really solid third guy in Bryce Enerson (11 ppg, 7.7 rpg) back, plus solid returnees in Cole Benson, Paine Parks, Springer and Khamani Steckler, there’s enough talent for this team to push for 20 wins and make another extended postseason run.