Way-Too-Early Team Preview: Mandan
The Mandan Braves looked like a state title contender through portions of last season. Things ended tenuously as they lost three straight to end the season including two in upset fashion at the state tournament. Still, a second straight state…
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Continue ReadingThe Mandan Braves looked like a state title contender through portions of last season. Things ended tenuously as they lost three straight to end the season including two in upset fashion at the state tournament. Still, a second straight state tournament appearance was a positive. And while the Braves lose two double-figure scorers, there’s plenty of cause for excitement heading into the winter of 2019-20.
GO-TO GUY: Elijah Klein
Klein is arguably the best big man in the state and after averaging 19 points and 12 rebounds as a junior, he’s established himself as the clear go-to guy for the Braves. At 6-foot-7, Klein has a tantalizing combination of skill, athleticism and strength and his teammates aren’t going to forget about him because he’s the clear featured man. He didn’t play AAU full time this summer but he was apparently dominant in Mandan’s team camp circuits. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him lead the WDA in scoring and contend for the Player-of-the-Year.
BREAKOUT CANDIDATE: Jayce Lowman
In reality, just about anybody that figures to see minutes for the Braves next winter is a breakout candidate given only three regular rotation guys are back. Lowman heads into his junior year without any varsity experience but based on how he looked over the summer with ND Attack, he looks like a guy who could play a big role next year. He’s a good athlete with solid size on the wing and he’ll have a lot of opportunity to excel with defenses tilted towards Jaxton Wiest and Klein.
QUESTION: Who will provide scoring after Klein and Wiest?
Klein and Wiest may form the best duo in the state at the point guard and center spots. Those two could realistically average 35-40 points per game between the two of them and their synergy in pick-and-roll situations should cause a lot of problems for defenses. But the Braves will need other guys to step up. Lowman, Seth Gangl and Jacob Pierce are JV guys I’d expect to fill big roles and Aaron Riopelle and Kobe Poitra are guys who saw varsity minutes last year expecting to see an uptick in opportunity.
OUTLOOK
Mandan is one of the more top-heavy teams in the WDA this year. The Braves have two guys who represent the best at their respective positions in the league but will also be breaking in four or five guys to full time varsity action. With a lot of teams in the WDA potentially taking a step back, there is an opportunity for Mandan to contend for a top finish and another state tournament berth.